Shows / The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
In every episode, therapist (and reader!) Marisa Gelfand chats with novelists and therapists to explore the mental health struggles of fictional characters. Think, bibliotherapy: mental health with a literary twist. Characters in books and literature don't have access to a therapist's insights, but you do, and you walk away with the skills.
Episodes
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Breaking the Cycle of Family Roles and MAKE NICE (with Ryan Effgen and Driola Dega)
Marisa chats with Ryan Effgen, author of Make Nice, and Driola Dega, therapist at Driola Dega Psychotherapy, to explore family roles, people-pleasing, conflict…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Understanding PTSD and Hypervigilance NERVE DAMAGE (with Annakeara Stinson and Jessica Huber)
Marisa chats with Annakeara Stinson, author of Nerve Damage, and Jessica Huber, therapist, to explore PTSD, trauma, hypervigilance, and what happens when the…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Rethinking Autism, Behavior, and Belonging - BREATHING UNDER WATER (with Jacqueline Friedland and Jamie Bassos)
Marisa chats with Jacqueline Friedland, author of Breathing Underwater, and Jamie Bassos, autism and behavioral health expert, to explore autism…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Understanding Self Deception - SOMEONE ELSE'S HUSBAND (with Kimberly McCreight and Leor Wasser)
Marisa chats with Kimberly McCreight, author of Someone Else's Husband, and therapist Leor Wasser to explore self-deception, denial, and the stories we tell…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Gaslighting, Identity, and Finding Your Voice - A FORTUNE OF SAND (with Ruta Sepetys and Callie Manea)
Marisa chats with Ruta Sepetys, author of A Fortune of Sand, and therapist Callie Manea to explore gaslighting, self-trust, identity, and the challenge of…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Postpartum Mental Health and Not Feeling Like Yourself - IN HER OWN BACKYARD (With Ashley Hanna-Morgan and Caitlyn Wallace)
Marisa chats with Ashley Hanna-Morgan, author of In Her Own Backyard, and therapist Caitlyn Wallace of Desert Bloom Wellness about postpartum mental health and…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Rebuilding Identity in Midlife - GAP YEAR (with Lindsey Goldstein and Brittany Parenti)
Marisa chats with Lindsay Goldstein, author of Gap Year, and Brittany Parenti, therapist at Matrescence, to explore identity, empty nesting, reinvention, and…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
When Recovery Isn't Linear: Relapse - BOTH CAN BE TRUE (With Jessica Guerrieri and Leslie Plaia)
Marisa chats with Jessica Guerrieri, author of BOTH CAN BE TRUE, and Leslie Plaia, therapist and Executive Director at Magnolia Creek, to explore relapse…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
What Happens When Agency Is Taken Away? Reproductive Choice, Autonomy, and Mental Health - ENORMOUS WINGS (With Laurie Frankel and Dr. Antonia Biggs)
Marisa chats with Laurie Frankel, author of ENORMOUS WINGS, and Dr. Antonia Biggs of the University of California, San Francisco to explore agency, autonomy…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Anger, Silence, and Sadness: Rethinking Depression in Men - START AT THE END (With Emma Grey and Tyler Witzig)
Marisa chats with Emma Gray, author of START AT THE END, and therapist Tyler Witzig to explore depression and how it uniquely shows up in men. They discuss the…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
A World On Fire: Loss, Recovery, and Rebuilding - A CATALOG OF BURNT OBJECTS (with Shana Youngdahl and Danielle Palomares)
Marisa chats with Shana Youngdahl, author of A Catalog of Burnt Objects, and therapist Danielle Palomares to explore the emotional aftermath of wildfire and…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
The Interconnection of Secrets and Intimacy - LIKE FAMILY (with Erin White and Amanda Samuels)
Marisa chats with Erin White, author of LIKE FAMILY, and therapist Amanda Samuels to explore the interconnection of secrets and intimacy. They discuss how…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Feeling Trapped: Claustrophobia, Anxiety, and Finding Your Way Out - THE SOCIETY (with Karen Winn and Kara Friedman)
Marisa chats with Karen Winn, author of THE SOCIETY, and therapist Kara Friedman to explore claustophobia. Together they unpack how fear of enclosed spaces can…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Unlearning Unhealthy and Harmful Scripts - STILLWATER (with Tanya Scott and Carlos Perez)
Marisa chats with Stillwater author Tanya Scott and therapist Dr. Carlos Perez to explore the process of unlearning unhealthy or harmful scripts. From anger…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Termination (Abortion) for Medical Reasons - THE 8 HEARTBREAKS OF HANUKKAH (with Jean Meltzer & Danielle Chesney)
Marisa chats with THE EIGHT HEARTBREAKS OF HANUKKAH author Jean Meltzer and therapist Dr. Danielle Chesney of Healing After TFMR (termination for medical…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
DBT Treatment for Depression and FRANCINE'S SPECTACULAR CRASH AND BURN
Marisa chats with FRANCINE'S SPECTACULAR CRASH AND BURN author Renee Swindle and therapist Ed Chen about how depression shows up as disconnection, withdrawal…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Adolescence Identity & Attachment Skills — The Favorites (with Layne Fargo & Kaleigh Cornelison)
Marisa chats with The Favorites author Layne Fargo and therapist Kaleigh Cornelison for a deep dive into adolescence, attachment, ambition, and identity…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Healthy Communication in Relationships — BOTH THINGS ARE TRUE (with Kathleen Barber & Jennifer Mullowney)
Marisa chats with Both Things Are True author Kathleen Barber and therapist Jennifer Mullowney of Crossroads Counseling Services to explore how communication…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Self-Trust & Personal Narrative Shaping — YOUNG FOOLS (with Liza Palmer & Phil Lane)
Marisa chats with Young Fools author Liza Palmer and therapist Phil Lane, author of The Narrative Therapy Workbook for Self-Esteem, to explore the tension…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Motherhood Balance and Identity Skills — SOMEONE'S GOTTA GIVE (with Alisha Fernandez Miranda & Stacey McCann)
Marisa chats with Someone's Gotta Give author Alisha Fernandez Miranda and therapist Stacey McCann of Present Moment Counseling Services to explore the…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Anger Management & Generational Healing — HOME OF THE AMERICAN CIRCUS (with Allison Larkin & Andrea Maher)
Marisa chats with HOME OF THE AMERICAN CIRCUS author Allison Larkin and Andrea Maher, Anger Management Specialist of That Calm Mom, to talk about anger, the…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Addiction, Recovery & Parenting — BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA (with Jessica Guerrieri & Janice Johnson Dowd)
Marisa chats with Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea author Jessica Guerrieri and therapist Janice Johnson Dowd, author of Rebuilding Relationships in…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Grief Processing & Consistent Healing — PROMISE ME SUNSHINE (with Cara Bastone & Kelly Daugherty)
Marisa chats with Promise Me Sunshine author Cara Bastone and Kelly Daugherty, author of The Grief Experience and host of The Grief Ladies podcast, about loss…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Leaving a Cult & Rebuilding Identity — OUR LAST RESORT (with Clémence Michallon & Dr. Natalie Feinblatt)
Marisa chats with author Clémence Michallon (Our Last Resort) and therapist Dr. Natalie Feinblatt about overcoming the challenges of rebuilding identity…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Fame, Addiction & Mental Health Recovery — THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES & HARDER TO BREATHE (with Marissa Stapley & Ryan Dusick)
Marisa chats with author Marissa Stapley (THE LIGHTNING BOTTLES) and therapist Ryan Dusick (founding member of Maroon 5, author of the book HARDER TO BREATHE…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Staying Connected During Disagreement — LULA DEAN'S LITTLE LIBRARY OF BANNED BOOKS (with Kirsten Miller & Emily Scheer)
Marisa chats with Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books author Kirsten Miller and therapist Emily Scheer of New Connections Counseling Center to explore…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Body Autonomy & Boundary Skills — HAZEL SAYS NO (with Jessica Berger Gross & Kara Friedman)
Marisa chats with Hazel Says No author Jessica Berger Gross and therapist Kara Friedman of Kara Friedman Counseling to delve into the power and complexity of…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Passion, Purpose & Mental Blocks — ALL THE SIGNS (with Jessi Rosen & Haley Moore)
Marisa chats with All the Signs author Jessi Rosen and therapist Haley Moore of Therapy Uninterrupted to explore the winding path of finding and following your…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Social Anxiety & Pushing People Away — THE UNDERCURRENT (with Sarah Sawyer & Viviana McGovern)
Marisa chats with The Undercurrent author Sarah Sawyer and therapist Viviana McGovern of Full Vida Therapy to unpack why we sometimes push people away. From…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Family Estrangement & Reconnection Tools — Fun for the Whole Family (with Jennifer E. Smith and Chris Schneider)
Marisa chats with FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY author Jennifer E. Smith and therapist Dr. Christine Schneider of Integrative Mind Institute and the podcast The…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Processing Feelings and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAY'S
Marisa chats with What Happened to the McCrays author Tracey Lange and therapist Michael Rose of Wild Minds Consulting to talk about what we're really supposed…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Coercive and Controlling Relationships - PICTURES OF YOU (with Emma Grey, Hannah Robertson, and Beverly Engel)
Marisa chats with Pictures of You author Emma Grey, her daughter and Ph.D. candidate Hannah Robertson, and therapist Beverly Engel—author of The Emotionally…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Cognitive Distortions: Mental Filtering Skills — TRUST ME ON THIS (with Lauren Parvizzi & Maggie Malone)
Marisa chats with Trust Me on This author Lauren Parvizzi and therapist Maggie Malone of Rosebud Psychotherapy to unpack mental filtering—the habit of seeing…
- The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)
Performance Anxiety in Sports Psychology — BLUEBIRD DAY (with Megan Tady & Peter Falcon)
Marisa chats with Bluebird Day author Megan Tady and sports therapist Peter Falcon of Skadi Sports Psychology to dig into the high-stakes world of sports…
The Character's Toolkit: Bibliotherapy (Mental Health with a Literary Twist)Welcome & What to Expect from The Character's Toolkit, a Bibliotherapy Podcast
Welcome! There's a new show, and it's perfect for you: The Character's Toolkit. In every episode, therapist (and reader!) Marisa Gelfand chats with novelists…