The Real Mark Darcy: From Burnout to Belonging

In this deeply honest episode of How to Belong, Naomi Lloyd sits down with wellbeing coach and founder of New Forest Wellbeing, Mark Darcy, to explore burnout, belonging, childhood survival, and what it means to finally come home to yourself. Mark shares the extraordinary experiences that shaped him — from surviving a devastating childhood house fire and growing up around addiction, to developing a high-achieving survival mindset that eventually led to burnout and a mental health crisis that nearly cost him his life. Together, Naomi and Mark explore: surviving instability and trauma in childhood how survival mode can turn into hyper-performance burnout, identity, and losing connection with yourself ADHD, hyper-focus, and understanding your brain differently nature, nervous system regulation, and slowing down the power of being truly listened to and Mark’s philosophy of living in thirds: earning, serving, and learning This conversation is rooted in a shared belief that sits at the heart of How to Belong — that belonging isn’t something we find externally, but something we return to when we reconnect with ourselves, our stories, and our voice. It’s also a reminder of why I do this work — through photography, storytelling, and capturing people in their most honest chapters of life. I help people see themselves clearly again, whether that’s through personal branding, family photography, or life chapter storytelling. Alongside this, I also create Captured Memories — audio-photo memory films that preserve a loved one’s voice, stories, and photographs. Through a guided interview in the comfort of home, we gently explore a life lived, turning memories into a beautifully narrated legacy film for families to keep forever. Because whether it’s an image or a voice, I believe we all deserve to feel seen, heard, and anchored in our own story. About Mark Darcy To find out more about Mark’s work with New Forest Wellbeing, visit: https://www.markdarcy.co.uk/new-forest-wellbeing Connect with Naomi Lloyd Photography & storytelling: https://www.naomilloyd.co.uk Captured Memories: https://www.naomilloyd.co.uk (Captured Memories section)