In this bibliotherapy podcast interview, I interview author-illustrator Eliza Fricker (Missing the Mark) on neurodiversity, mental health, and how her daughter’s school breakdown led her to begin illustrating their experiences to process feelings of overwhelm, rage, disappointment, guilt, and isolation, later sharing the work online under a pseudonym and publishing the Sunday Times bestselling book Can’t Not Won’t.

She explains how giving children labels can imply choice and describes the judgment and shame parents face, while advocating for more education, connection, and meaningful, flexible, interest-based learning rather than a target-driven curriculum and SEND categorisation. Fricker shares her own neurodiversity exploration through her latest memoir Could Try Harder (out on Thursday 14 May 2027, and available at all good bookstores).

She references polyvagal theory and masking in school meetings, outlines PDA (also called pervasive drive for autonomy) strategies, and recommends Letters to My Weird Sisters by Joanne Limburg and How to Be Autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:19 From Textiles to Illustration

04:43 Can't Not Won't Explained

08:03 Self Discovery and Memoir

11:09 Could Try Harder Preview

12:51 Why School Needs Change

14:41 Rethinking SEND Support

17:06 Meaningful Learning

19:48 Power of Visual Narratives

22:21 Illustration Process and Space

24:08 Understanding PDA Strategies

27:33 Self Care for Parents

28:17 Books That Changed Eliza

31:34 Book Launch Plans and Closing

You can explore all of Eliza's other books on autism and PDA here.

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

******************************************************************************************

Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

Online Bibliotherapy Courses

Personalised Book Prescriptions

Bibliotherapy Sessions

You can also follow us on your preferred platform using the links below:

Instagram

Facebook

Today I’m exploring something that feels especially important right now: financial literacy, and more specifically, our relationship with money, value and financial wellbeing.

I’m joined by author and financial expert Sarah Bennett-Nash, @@sarahbennettnash whose debut book More Money, More Life opens up a much-needed conversation about the beliefs, stories and inherited patterns that shape the way we think about money.

After nearly two decades in financial services and global capital markets, including her time at Goldman Sachs, Sarah began asking why even smart, successful people can feel anxious, avoidant or stuck around money.

In our conversation, we discuss:

- Sarah’s journey from corporate finance to authorship
- Why money is never just about numbers
- The family stories and beliefs we inherit around wealth
- Her AAA framework: Awareness, Alignment and Action
- Small, practical steps towards greater financial confidence and freedom

I really enjoyed our conversation which focused on understanding the deeper emotional, psychological and practical layers of money, in order to make choices that feel more conscious, aligned and empowering around money.

You can also read the full conversation on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/bibliotherapywithbijal/p/one-womans-journey-to-rethinking

And you can get a copy of Sarah's book wherever you get books or here: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/More-Money-More-Life-by-Sarah-Bennett-Nash/9781836810315

Disclaimer: This post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consider your own circumstances and seek advice from a qualified financial adviser where appropriate.

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

******************************************************************************************

Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

Online Bibliotherapy Courses

Personalised Book Prescriptions

Bibliotherapy Sessions

You can also follow us on your preferred platform using the links below:

Instagram

Facebook

Hi everyone, excited to share my conversation with award-winning audio documentary maker and author Catherine Carr about how sibling relationships shape identity, drawing on Carr’s podcast Relatively and her new book 'Who’s the Favourite?'

Carr explains that her fascination wtih sibling dynamics began during the 2020 pandemic when people began to reach out to and reconnect with their siblings, highlighting that sibling bonds can be some of the longest relationships in life.

We discuss birth order, family “roles,” and how siblings influence development, including Carr’s experience as a middle child whose parents divorced and split the children between England and the Netherlands.

Carr also describes shifting sibling relationships from vertical to horizontal (equal adult friendship), the complications of contested memories and shared narratives, and how aging parents can be a flashpoint.

The conversation covers sibling estrangement and the stigma of it as well as glass siblings and Carr's favourite books!

Listen to the episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1452949/episodes/18891567 or wherever you get your podcasts, by simply searching for 'Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah'.

I hope you enjoy it! And if you'd like to get a copy of her book 'Who's Your Favourite?" you can do so anywhere you get books or here: https://www.waterstones.com/books/reviews/isbn/9781836431282#review-455525

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:35 Why the Focus on Sibling Relationships and Catherine's New Book

04:26 Catherine's Childhood and Own Sibling Relationships

06:13 Siblings in Literature

08:39 Family Roles and Labels

15:19 Birth Order and Influence

18:58 Shared Stories and Memory

23:43 Estrangement and Stigma

28:59 Glass Siblings Explained

35:21 Catherine's Favourite Book

37:29 Final Thoughts and Thanks

#bibliotherapy #bibliotherapypodcast #books #whosthefavourite? #catherinecar #newbook #podcasts #bookistpodcasts #newreleases #siblingpodcast #relatively

Email us at bijal@booktherapy.io

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and get new episodes as they are released. If you'd like access to the transcripts, do subscribe to my substack: Bibliotherapy with Bijal Shah - Transcripts on Substack.

If you'd like a bibliotherapist in your pocket then you might find my book, Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading a helpful companion.

******************************************************************************************

Get 10% off with code PODCAST on the following:

Online Bibliotherapy Courses

Personalised Book Prescriptions

Bibliotherapy Sessions

You can also follow us on your preferred platform using the links below:

Instagram

Facebook