In this episode of the Breathe, Darling Book Club, Emily and Steph sit down with Suleika Jaouad’s The Book of Alchemy — a luminous exploration of creativity, transformation, and the alchemy of turning life’s hardest moments into meaning.
Together, we reflect on the themes that resonated most deeply with us and our listeners, including:
✨ The role of ritual and creativity in healing✨ How community can act as a crucible for transformation✨ Navigating grief, adversity, and change with tenderness✨ The ways we discover new parts of ourselves in times of rupture✨ What it means to hold both pain and beauty in the same hand✨ How storytelling (and listening) becomes its own form of medicine
We also talk about the places in our own lives where alchemy has shown up — sometimes quietly, sometimes with fire — and what this book invited us to reimagine about healing, creativity, and resilience.
This conversation is for anyone longing to find light in the dark and lean into practices for creative living.
Links & Mentions:
📖 The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
📚 Join the Breathe, Darling Book Club on Instagram @breathedarlingpodcast
🎙️ Listen to past episodes of Breathe, Darling the Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Breathe Darling: The Podcast. We’re so grateful for how this community is growing and the ways we’re learning to navigate life together. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts AND give us a review! We’d love to hear what you think. Lastly, follow us on Instagram @breathedarlingpodcast. We love connecting with you. Until next time, breathe easy, friends.
About Your Hosts
Emily Riggs (MSW, LISW-S) is a licensed mental health therapist in Ohio, Florida, and Colorado, specializing in trauma, grief, and life transitions for women across the lifespan. Follow along on Instagram @emilyriggstherapy or contact her at emilyriggstherapy@gmail.com to learn more.
Steph Duff is a writer, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She believes in the power of story and feels healing can be found when we share ours with each other in vulnerability. She is a Dayton resident, voracious reader, loud laugher, and believes there’s always room for cheese and a deep conversation. Connect with Steph on Instagram @_stephduff.
Disclosure:The information shared in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a replacement for psychotherapy or advice regarding related mental health services. If you are in crisis or experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact 911 or 988, or the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Past and current clients risk breaching confidentiality by listening to, subscribing to, and reviewing podcast episodes. Please keep this in mind and engage at your own discretion. I will not knowingly acknowledge or comment on client reviews of the podcast to honor ethical boundaries and privacy.
