Mikal Vega: From the Darkest Version of Himself to Leading the Way for Others

Breaking Generational Cycles: A Military Family's Story

Marcus and Amber Capone open up about their hardest seasons as parents—and the one thing that finally brought their family back together. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN * Why military families face unique parenting challenges during deployment cycles and transition to civilian life * The moment Marcus realized he wasn't looking at anyone's perspective but his own * How "rules without relationship equals rebellion" transformed their approach to their teenage son * What consistency and presence actually look like when rebuilding trust with your kids * The programs VETS offers to support families navigating similar struggles Parenting is never easy—but when you're carrying pain, trauma, or just trying to survive, it can feel impossible. In this deeply honest conversation, Marcus and Amber Capone share what parenting looked like during their most difficult years, how healing changed their family dynamic, and what they'd tell any parent who feels like they're failing. Amber reflects on raising two kids largely alone during Marcus's 250-300 days away each year, and how the children learned to rely solely on her. Marcus opens up about the frustration of feeling invisible in his own home—and the hard realization that he hadn't considered anyone's perspective but his own. They discuss the crushing years when their son Caden was a teenager and the family was in crisis, the turning point when Marcus sought treatment in Mexico in 2017, and how that decision set an example that rippled through the entire family. As Caden says in their Netflix documentary "In Waves and War": "When my dad started working on himself, the whole family started to change." The Capones also share how their completely different upbringings—Amber raised by a single mom with extended family, Marcus with two parents and constant activities—created confusion about parenting style. They never had conversations about how to parent because Marcus was gone so much. But they figured it out. For parents listening who feel like they're barely holding it together: It's not too late. With consistency, presence, and a willingness to put on your own oxygen mask first, you can rebuild trust and connection with your kids—no matter how many walls have gone up. If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe and share it with another parent who might need to hear it. Your support helps us reach more families navigating these challenges. LINKS & RESOURCES * Learn more about VETS and family support programs: https://vetsolutions.org/ * "In Waves and War" documentary on Netflix: https://www.inwavesandwarfilm.com/ * Connect with Marcus and Amber: https://www.instagram.com/thecaponespodcast/ #ConversationsWithTheCapones #MilitaryFamily #ParentingThroughTrauma #VeteranFamilies #HealingJourney

Mikal Vega: From the Darkest Version of Himself to Leading the Way for Others

Mikal Vega — Navy SEAL, Kundalini Yoga instructor, and founder of the nonprofit Vital Warrior — joins Amber and Marcus for another foundational origin-story conversation. Mikal traces the path from a difficult childhood through 17 years in the Navy and two combat deployments to the Bikram studio moment that opened the door to Kundalini Yoga and his teacher Hari Jivan. Mikal also lays out his warrior-versus-war-fighter framework, shares the integration of grief after the loss of his son Seth, and closes with a simple breath teaching anyone can use the moment a situation tightens. Educational only. For information about treatment options, visit https://vetsolutions.org/.

Dr. Kirk Parsley: The Doctor Who Helped Start a Movement

The Navy SEAL doctor who helped arrange Marcus Capone’s first ibogaine treatment is also the man who helped uncover the hidden physiological damage affecting countless special operations veterans. Subscribe for new episodes every week. In today’s episode of Conversations with the Capones, Amber and Marcus sit down with Dr. Kirk Parsley — Navy SEAL, physician, founder of Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy, and the man Marcus credits with sparking the entire VETS origin story. Kirk recounts the lunch meeting where he first heard about ibogaine, the three-hour vigil on a teammate’s couch where the only sound was a baseball game neither of them was watching, and the drive to Mexico that ended with a life saved, and a movement which would soon be launched. This conversation explores the origin of VETS and the early patterns Dr. Kirk Parsley observed in special operations veterans — patterns that closely parallel what is now formally known as Operator Syndrome. Kirk also makes the case that the majority of post-service mental health symptoms are actually traumatic brain injury masquerading as psychiatric disorders, and he traces the hormonal and metabolic damage experienced by many Special Operations Veterans. Kirk also shares the framework he developed at the SEAL teams: the 17-vial blood panel, the over-the-counter sleep protocol that replaced Ambien, and the discovery that 95% of testosterone production happens during sleep. He describes Western medicine’s stove-piped specialty model and why one veteran in his patient population was on 22 simultaneous medications. The episode closes with Kirk’s direct message to any veteran in a hard place: ask for help, and trust that tomorrow can be better than today. In this episode: • The lunch meeting that quietly changed the future of veteran healing • How Kirk stepped in when Marcus was at his lowest point, and helped guide him toward ibogaine treatment • The Mikal Vega transformation that opened Kirk’s eyes to psychedelic-assisted therapy • The physiological patterns Kirk observed in special operations veterans long before “Operator Syndrome” entered the mainstream conversation • The root cause issue hiding inside SEAL community testosterone numbers • What every veteran in a hard place needs to hear right now For veterans, military families, couples, first responders, and anyone navigating healing, growth, and reinvention. Subscribe for new episodes every week. DISCLAIMERS VETS employees, staff, volunteers, and Ambassadors are not practitioners; all psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment takes place at vetted, third-party facilities that are monitored by medical professionals. VETS does not advocate for decriminalization or legalization of psychedelic modalities, but rather the monitored, clinical use of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Subscribe to Conversations with the Capones for new episodes every week. CONNECT with Amber and Marcus Website: https://thecapones.com/ VETS: https://vetsolutions.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaponespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcus_amber_capone/ ABOUT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CAPONES Amber and Marcus Capone are the co-founders of VETS (Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions). Marcus is the Co-Founder and Chairman of VETS and a former Navy SEAL who served 13 years, including multiple combat deployments. Amber is the Co-Founder and CEO of VETS, entrepreneur, and a leading voice in mental health advocacy and human transformation. Conversations with the Capones is a space for honest conversations about relationships, healing, leadership, identity, and growth. Rooted in lived experience, this podcast is for anyone committed to evolving — no matter their past, present circumstances, or where they are starting from. Through real conversations, hard-earned lessons, and the questions people have been asking for years, Amber and Marcus explore what it truly means to level up in life, love, and purpose. This is about doing the work, becoming unstuck, and building a life aligned with who you are meant to become. #ConversationsWithTheCapones #VeteranHealing #OperatorSyndrome #PsychedelicTherapy

“We’re All Carrying Something Heavy” — Sara Wilkinson on Loss, Healing, and the Chad 1000X

Sara Wilkinson lost her husband in 2018. Seven years later, she’s choosing to live big while still carrying what she’s lost. In today’s episode of Conversations with The Capones, Amber and Marcus sit down with Sara Wilkinson, Gold Star spouse and founder of the Step Up Foundation, for a deeply honest conversation about military life, grief, and the ongoing process of healing after loss. Raised in a military family and married to Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, Sara understands the unique pressures placed on service members and their families, from constant relocation to the realities of repeated deployments. After Chad’s suicide in 2018, she has become a thoughtful and respected voice in the veteran mental health space, sharing her experience with care while advocating for greater awareness and support. Sara reflects on the community built through CrossFit in Virginia Beach, the role that connection plays during and after service, and how grief evolves over time. She also shares the story behind Chad 1000X–a global fitness event inspired by Chad’s training–and how it has grown into a way for people around the world to honor loved ones and support veteran-focused organizations. The conversation also explores mental health and healing, including Sara’s personal experiences with therapy, journaling, and alternative approaches such as psilocybin and ibogaine. She highlights the quiet discipline of choosing to Live Big without pretending the hard parts don’t exist. This episode is for veterans, military families, and anyone navigating loss, identity, and rebuilding after life-changing events. Subscribe to Conversations with the Capones for new episodes every week. Learn more: https://thecapones.com/ VETS: https://vetsolutions.org/ Step Up Foundation: https://stepupfoundation.org/ Chad 1000X: https://chad1000x.com/ Disclaimers: VETS employees, staff, volunteers, and Ambassadors are not practitioners; all psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment takes place at vetted, third-party facilities that are monitored by medical professionals. VETS does not advocate for decriminalization or legalization of psychedelic modalities, but rather the monitored, clinical use of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Nearly A Decade of Work, One Signature: What the Psychedelic Therapy Executive Order Actually Means

Amber and Marcus Capone share what it was like to stand in the Oval Office on April 18, 2026, as President Trump signed a historic executive order on psychedelic-assisted therapy. They answer the questions everyone has been asking since the news broke. How did you end up there? What was it actually like? And what does this executive order really do? In this conversation, Amber and Marcus walk through the executive order itself, the inside story of how they got on the guest list, the moment Caroline Leavitt pulled Marcus from the crowd when his name was missing from the lineup, what President Trump and Secretary Kennedy were like in person, the Joe Rogan text that set the timeline in motion, and a tribute to Dr. Nolan Williams and the Stanford ibogaine study that changed everything. The executive order directs the FDA to fast-track psychedelic therapies that have received Breakthrough Therapy designation, establishes a Right to Try pathway for eligible patients, commits $50 million in matching federal funds for state-level psychedelic research, expands VA clinical trial collaboration, and instructs the Attorney General to fast-track rescheduling after Phase 3 approval. This is not legalization. It is regulated, clinician-guided access, moved through the system years faster than business as usual. For veterans, military families, couples, first responders, and anyone navigating healing, growth, and reinvention. Disclaimers: VETS employees, staff, volunteers, and Ambassadors are not practitioners; all psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment takes place at vetted, third-party facilities that are monitored by medical professionals. VETS does not advocate for decriminalization or legalization of psychedelic modalities, but rather the monitored, clinical use of psychedelic-assisted therapy.