Podcast
Steel City Round Table Podcast
Hosted by Mark Kneebone · EN
My name is Mark Kneebone and I am a former law enforcement officer(12 years) and a recovering alcoholic with PTSD and severe depression. I spent over three decades of my life struggling under the foot of alcoholism and undiagnosed mental health issues. In May of 2023 I reached the point that all addicts fear.......rock bottom. Thoughts of suicide had creeped through the cracks of my mental health. I had to make a decision that many of us face. Did I want to live or die? I knew deep down that I could not continue living the life I was in, but I did not want to die. I took the first step and reached out for help going into an inpatient treatment center.
I came home in July of 2023 and I had no idea what to expect. I was white knuckling every minute just trying to stay sober. A good friend of mine Kenny "Finn" Finnigan was one of my biggest supporters. Through our conversations we decided to start a podcast to help us deal with our traumas and personal journeys. Unfortunately Finn died on his motorcycle in June of 2024 and only spent a short time with us on this project. The Steel City Round Table Podcast was born out of these discussions and will continue in honor of Finn and his brotherhood.
The goal of this show is to provide a platform for people to talk about there struggles, adversity, and road to recovery. We are not just about addiction and mental health. I believe in the strength of an honest story. I am hoping that through telling stories and being honest we can help others out there find their way out of the darkness and on the road to happiness. Come join us as we address anything and everything we can to accomplish this one very important goal. There is always a seat at the Steel City Round Table for you!!
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Forgetting about your mental health could killl you!
Nov 22, 202400:36:04Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Mental health awareness has become a very popular theme, and for good reason. Many of us are physically healthy but not mentally. We fool ourselves on a daily basis that we are healthy and that our lives are great. I'm gonna call bull shit on that one. We don't spend enough time understanding who we are mentally and what is going on between our ears. I speak from experience when I say ignoring your mental health can lead to some very dark and dangerous places. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month I wanted to break open the egg a little and talk about it.We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →A day with the devil.......criminal defense attorney Natalie Snyder
Nov 22, 202401:43:09Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.As a police officer there were parts of the job that got under my skin. Long hours, piss poor supervisors, crappy cars, mediocre training and of course attorneys. It didn't matter what side of the law they were on they drove me nuts. Whether it was a public defender with little experience or a criminal defense attorney with an attitude. I learned to just take them as a hazard of the job. So I recently started thinking.....maybe I should learn more about it. Well, that's what I'm doing. Natalie Snyder is a successful criminal defense attorney. Natalie and I sat down and talked about a variety of topics and had a great time. I don't hate attorneys as much now!We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →Pittsburgh paramedic Jon Atkinson, not a job for everyone
Nov 22, 202401:25:58Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Jon Atkinson is a 23 year veteran working as a paramedic in Pittsburgh PA. He is currently the president of their union, rescue paramedic, volunteer fireman and a tactical medic with the police SWAT unit. We met while I was a police officer in Pittsburgh. He and I met answering 911 calls and a friendship grew from there. Becoming a paramedic is not the easiest of tasks. Paramedics see a lot of bad shit and suffer from the same issues with addiction and mental health. We share the memories of a call that changed our lives forever. Jon dives into all aspects of his career and his experiences. This was a great interview and I learned a lot. Thank you Jon for sitting down with us.We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →2nd Step AA/NA for dummies
Nov 22, 202401:03:57Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Plain and simple, we are simple. We speak from our experiences including all our mistakes. Our way isn't the right way, the only way or even the best way but it is working for us. Kells and I struggled working through the steps, and Kells is still pushing through. Believing in a power we cannot see, touch, feel, hear or smell is a difficult proposition. It's taken me a long time to work through my past Andy issues. Kells and I always talk about our sobriety and how much we've changed. The idea of a "Higher Power" is a very personal one. Hope you enjoy your chat.We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →Dr. Casey Phillips is not your typical chiropractor......he is much much more
Nov 21, 202401:16:30Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Dr. Casey Phillips is a chiropractor in Pittsburgh Pa. Dr. Phillips has been a very big influence in my life. Outside of seeking his medical advice he has also listened to a ton of my nonsense over the years. Casey has not always had an easy go of it. His path to becoming a successful chiropractor took a surprising route. He has had some amazing and unbelievable experiences along the way. In this episode Dr. Phillips talks about his journey from young man, to successful chiropractor and family man. I have learned a lot from him and continue to learn. I am happy to say he is the kind of man I hope to become through my sober journey. Thank you my friend for choosing SCRT to share your story.We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →Cops.....they are not all the same if you didn't get the memo
Nov 21, 202400:43:55Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Just like every other profession not every cop is the same, spoiler alert. People join the force for different reasons and motivations, some good and some bad. Just because they wear the badge does not make them equal. When you enter law enforcement with good intentions the chances of becoming a "good" cop are much higher. "Bad" cops usually come from selfish motivations and ideas of fame and success. Being a cop is a very difficult job these days and it takes a certain "type" to become a good and honest one. Attorney Natalie Snyder and I sit down and break it down and share our opinions. If you are one of the defund the police or "all cops are bad" people then this episode is definitely for you. We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →Holy shit I've been sober for a year...what a journey!
Nov 19, 202401:21:39Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.I got sober May 5, 2023. What an amazing year It has been. I honestly never thought I would stay sober after I came home from treatment. I still had the alcoholic mindset that I could always go back to drinking sometime, just do it smarter and better. The last 12 months of ups ad downs have taught me so much about who I truly am. I AM an alcoholic, I am a mess, I am struggling.......but I will never be broken again!! With the support and love of my support network I am never alone. I am proof that you can't hit rock bottom, fall deeper and then rise above the noise and pain. I welcome my best friend in the world to join us in remembering the last year, Mr. Stephen Jeran. Steve and I have been friends for over 30 years. He knows more about my bad choices and struggles than anyone. My co-host Kells and Steve spend this day with me and I am grateful I could be here to appreciate my life and everything it includes, the good and the bad. I could not ask for a better way to remember and celebrate!! Thank you both for your love and support.(Recorded May 5, 2024)We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →Women in Law enforcement........Is the stigma valid?
Nov 19, 202401:07:39Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.There is always an argument about whether or not women should be in law enforcement. Spending 12 years as an officer and detective I have had the opportunity to work with officers from all backgrounds. I have my personal opinions on this topic. What are your thoughts? Let's get Ito it!!We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →I don't think so reaper.....I'm not ready yet
Nov 19, 202401:27:35Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.In this episode my guest is my friend and an awesome guy, Keith Fetsko. Keith is a soft spoken guy with one hell of a story. He is a family man and spiritual man. A cancer diagnosis could have ended him but he fought through and kept going. Cancer showed its ugly mug again and he kicked its ass again. I'm amazed and the will and the courage that cancer patients show when they fight to get cancer out of their bodies......what's mote amazing is how they can heal both physically and mentally. Keith sat down with my co-host Kells and I a told his story. You are a true warrior my friend and thank you for sharing your story. You are helping others with your honesty and strength.We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
Transcribe →AA for dummies........From your resident expert dummies
Nov 19, 202400:54:04Tap to summarizeWe want to hear your thoughts.Have you ever attended an AA/NA meeting? Ever want to know what they are like? A lot of us feel that these programs won't help or are just a bunch of BS. Going to AA saved me from relapse more times than I can count. The fellowship you form, the friends you make and the honesty of the program. Many people have a bad idea or negative opinion of these programs. In the end NA/AA are tools at your disposal in the fight to recover from addiction. They are not the only way but they are a great start. In this episode, my co-host Kells and I discuss our own personal experiences and thoughts on the 12 step programs. Who better to hear it from other than two people active in the programs? We are your resident dummies!!We love you and there is always a seat for you at the Steel City Round Table!
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