Lived Experience

Health Living Nation (HLN) was founded in 2016 by Mark Lawrence, an ivy league educated engineer (Cornell University) and MBA (The Wharton School/University of Pennsylvania) with 30 years of brand management and entrepreneurial marketing experience. Clients have included Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, Citibank, State Farm, The United Way, local governments, educational institutions, and small businesses. One powerful theme has recurred to hinder maximum productivity in each industry/company — stress and trauma.

For years, the serious effects of trauma affected only others (families of clients, alumni and acquaintances). Overlooked for years as a function of the workplace, school and family model, the effects of trauma could no longer be ignored by Lawrence when it manifested in the hospitalization and loss of several close friends, family members and his own son. HLN has recently used its marketing experience to produce a series of award-winning workshops and conferences to promote trauma and mental health awareness in workplaces, schools, and public community venues.

For years, corporations, schools and the public has naturally shunned anything that hinted at the stigmatized subject of mental health. After all, this is not a fun subject and so long as it it is someone else’ problem, our society has successfully compartmentalized this work to mental health treatment facilities, hospitals, psychology professionals and government agencies (SAMHSA, NAMI, State Task Forces, etc.). However, COVID-19 shined a bright light on trauma and mental health, as depression and anxiety became common terms in every corporation, school and household across the globe. In fact, every 2 seconds someone googles “depression”.

Traditional Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention campaigns do not address the root challenge of disease. However, this is not a cause to abandon standard treatment. In fact, they should be increased and we should express gratitude that the advancement of science has given humanity means to better manage and abort acute, life-threatening illness and emergency situations.

Alternative Trauma Management (ATM) is based upon viewing the unique character of each individual and seeking to improve their route to healthy functioning.  This approach emphasizes the understanding of past and current trauma (intergenerational, early childhood and recent/current) in all its manifestations: physical, mental and emotional.  A specific plan is devised to improve the weak linkages in an individual through a thorough analysis of their physiology, psychology and genealogy.  The core philosophy of alternative trauma management focuses on the self-healing aspects of the body.  HLN strives to assist this process with the use of research and training that support the whole person.

The goal of our practice is to help you rectify problems before trauma results in severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health challenges occur.  Correcting and preventing dysfunction changes the path of degeneration during the life of the individual.  We attempt to prevent the degenerative spiral that is passed from generation to generation. This is a process that does not occur overnight and will demand dedication and long-term commitment.  HLN is here to assist you – not only for your future but the future of those yet to come.

The Office of the Surgeon General states, “Suicide is among the leading causes of death for adults under age 45 in the United States, and it exacts a huge emotional and economic toll on those left behind.”

While true, this statement reveals that our orientation may be somewhat misdirected. Rather than being focused on the toll taken on those left behind, ATM focuses exclusively on the individual at risk and helping them understand the cause of their trauma. This arms the trauma subject with information that they can use to better partner with health professionals to resolve their crisis, or possibly better address their own challenge independently.

Those severely traumatized are not an inconvenience to their families and society. They are human beings that simply need specialized support and guidance!