Marisa chats with Lindsay Goldstein, author of Gap Year, and Brittany Parenti, therapist at Matrescence, to explore identity, empty nesting, reinvention, and the challenges of finding yourself when the roles that once defined you shift. They unpack the emotional complexity of launching children into adulthood, the grief and growth that can accompany this major life transition, and how community, self-discovery, and intentional change can help us reconnect with who we are beyond caregiving.

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The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

Marisa chats with Jessica Guerrieri, author of BOTH CAN BE TRUE, and Leslie Plaia, therapist and Executive Director at Magnolia Creek, to explore relapse, recovery, disconnection, and the quiet ways we can begin to disappear from ourselves. Together they unpack how recovery isn't always linear, why relapse often begins subtly and internally, and how shame, motherhood, overwhelm, and self-compassion impact the path back to connection.

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The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

Marisa chats with Laurie Frankel, author of ENORMOUS WINGS, and Dr. Antonia Biggs of the University of California, San Francisco to explore agency, autonomy, and what happens when the power to make decisions about our own bodies is taken away. Through the story of a 77-year-old pregnant woman navigating a restrictive legal landscape, they examine how society limits choice across the lifespan—from aging to reproductive health—and how quickly one lost decision can ripple into many. Drawing on insights from the Turnaway Study, they discuss the real mental health, financial, and relational impacts of being denied reproductive care, challenge common misconceptions about abortion, and highlight the complex emotional realities people experience. Together, they explore how agency shapes well-being, why autonomy matters at every age, and how opening up these conversations can shift the way we think about choice.

Want more? Follow @TheCharactersToolkit on Instagram!

The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

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 hidden nature of depression, focusing on how even when life looks good on paper, anger, withdrawal, and numbness can mask deeper struggles, while stigma and silence can keep people from seeking help. Together, they examine how relationships can support healing, how vulnerability can strengthen connection, and how small steps toward openness and care can interrupt cycles of isolation and rumination.

Want more? Follow @TheCharactersToolkit on Instagram!

The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

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 complexity of trauma. They discuss how people cope with loss while life continues, how the nervous system responds to crisis, and how grief, resilience, and connection can coexist in the wake of disaster. Together, they examine what it means to rebuild practically and emotionally, and how moments of safety can emerge even in a world that feels uncertain.

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The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

Marisa chats with Erin White, author of LIKE FAMILY, and therapist Amanda Samuels to explore the interconnection of secrets and intimacy. They discuss how secrets can function as both a bond and a burden in close relationships, shaping trust, vulnerability, and identity, and how thoughtful disclosure and communication can help people navigate connection, repair, and emotional risk.

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The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

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 take hold in the body and mind, and how gradual exposure, paired with practical skills to calm the nervous system, can help people reclaim a sense of safety.

Want more? Follow @TheCharactersToolkit on Instagram!

The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.

Marisa chats with Stillwater author Tanya Scott and therapist Dr. Carlos Perez to explore the process of unlearning unhealthy or harmful scripts. From anger and emotional suppression to accountability and repair, they unpack how inherited beliefs about strength and control can seep into relationships, and how awareness, vulnerability, and small but consistent changes can help rewrite the story.

Want more? Follow @TheCharactersToolkit on Instagram!

The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.