Скачать или смотреть Why Children's Books Matter More Than We Think (The Talking Cure with Dr. D: Episode 43 Preview)

“Thinking about the school shooting makes me emotional, because that was the scariest time in my life … That event completely changed me; it really took my innocence.” —Marlee Kostiner

In this preview of my 43rd podcast, I learned how Marlee’s lived experience of a school shooting placed her on the path to founding Garden Wolf Publishing House, where she helps #mentalhealth professionals transform their ideas into children’s #books.

One of our central realizations was that 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽. Depth, soul, & meaning making are alive early in life, & the books kids read profoundly shape their journey toward maturation & health.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁. Similar to a language-acquisition device, early childhood serves as a psychological acquisition window. Neuroplasticity is at its peak here; when this window passes, a vital opportunity is lost.

At their best, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱.

Another insight centered on resilience. While #children are resilient, that resilience cannot be taken for granted. We explored giftedness & neurodivergence not only as strengths, but also as vulnerabilities.

Gifted children are often socially separate, highly sensitive, & prone to masking. They are frequently invisible because these masks allow them to appear quiet, compliant, & pass as “fine.”

Therefore, 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮-𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 & 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 — not only for #psychology professionals, but for parents as well.

Drawing from her lived experience, Marlee’s work honors the reality that children — and the stories they absorb — can reach existential depths. The simplistic life answers we often give kids may soothe in the short term, but they rarely address the nuances behind the questions children ask. Inviting them into depth doesn’t steal their innocence; it dignifies it.

We also discussed how "wounded healers" aren’t only therapists. They are publishers, authors, parents, etc. — people who channel their lived experience & pain into healthy passion projects. True healing — especially at scale — will not come from yet another therapy model. It will come from interdisciplinary creation & cross-pollination.

We ended with this truth: 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. Fulfilling a #dream often means transforming adversity into meaning. Marlee’s journey embodies what becomes possible when one's inner meaning guides #creative flow. 🩵