Marcy Pusey - Delightful, Purposeful Children's Stories

Marcy is the mother of four humans and two pups, but she’s also tossed pizzas for a pizzeria, acted and sang in a musical, advocated for families with special needs, made appearances in a few movies, and mimed with balloon animals at the Halifax Busker Festival. Marcy is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner, international speaker, Story Coach, and the best-selling author of books for adults and children. She does her best writing on retreats with a nearby hot tub, in any castle, and within view of the sea. Marcy loves the smiles and giggles of kids who see themselves in her pages and the tearful nods of adults who realize they’re not alone by her words. You can watch and share her TEDx Talks: “How Story Empowers Kids to Shape our World” & “You Are More Than Your Traumatic Experiences.” Learn more at www.marcypusey.comPlease give us a short introduction to what The Survival Squad is about.The Survival Squad is a playful and empowering children’s story that introduces young (and less young) readers to how their brains respond to stress. Owl, Meerkat, and Tiger are best friends on a mission to reach a jungle party. Along the way, they face obstacles showcasing how our brains use fight, flight, freeze, and fawn to navigate challenges. Through their adventure, kids learn to recognize their emotional responses and gain tools for self-regulation.The jungle journey in The Survival Squad is full of obstacles and challenges. How did you choose which challenges the trio would face, and what do they symbolize?I chose challenges that could metaphorically represent common stressors in life—rivers that feel too wide to cross, predators that trigger fear, or obstacles that are ridiculous to others but scary to us! Each obstacle symbolizes a situation that might activate a survival response like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Some of the obstacles can be thought through and decided upon, like the river. And others need an immediate response, like the snake. There's room for readers to pull the meaning from the specific obstacles and make a connection to a stressor in their own life.Owl, Meerkat, and Tiger each represent different parts of the brain. What inspired you to use these animals to explain complex emotional responses?I initially came to these specific animals through my trauma and resilience certification program with Starr Commonwealth. I wanted to make brain science fun and accessible for everyone, and these animals seemed like the perfect way to do that. The owl, with its wisdom and strategic thinking, represents the prefrontal cortex. The meerkat, always on alert, mirrors the amygdala’s role as our alarm system. And the tiger, strong and reactive, embodies the brainstem’s instinctive responses. These animals create a visual and relatable way for children to understand their own brains. I understand some people use other animals, but these ones connect the best for me.The theme of friendship is central to the story. How did you develop the dynamic between Owl, Meerkat, and Tiger to reflect their unique roles and personalities?Friendship provided the perfect framework for showcasing how the brain works as a team. Each character has a unique strength—Owl strategizes, Meerkat stays alert, and Tiger provides action and muscle, just like our brain has different parts that function in concert with the other parts. Together, they show that while we all have different ways of responding to challenges, we’re at our best when we work together and support one another. But it also shows that this is how our brain works... with different functions doing their unique and specific jobs, just like our survival squad. When it all works together, the outcome is most effective. And, sometimes, those functions don't work together as well, revealing that we've got some "team building" to do.How do the survival techniques used by the characters align with real-world strategies for managing fear and stress?The survival responses in the story—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—are the same ones our brains use in stressful situations. By recognizing these instincts, kids (and their adults) can begin to understand when their survival system is overreacting and practice calming techniques, like deep breathing or asking for help, to reengage their “Owl” brain for better problem-solving. The animals in the story demonstrate a variety of ways we can help re-regulate after a stressor... like using visualization, tapping into our sensory environment, or checking in with our bodies.Can you share any specific moments or scenes that were particularly meaningful to you as a writer?One scene I loved writing was when the characters face the mouse. It’s such a small, non-threatening obstacle for something like a tiger, an owl, and even a meerkat. Yet, it's perceived by Tiger as terrifying. This is life! Sometimes, what our team sees as terrifying seems quite harmless to others. Then, the team works together to bring calm and regulation to the tiger and the team as a whole, using actual tools that we, the readers, can use, too. I love using story to reflect reality to bring resonance but also tools and support. This scene always gets a chuckle from adults and kids alike, because we get it.The book introduces children to how their brains respond to stress. What do you hope young readers will take away from these lessons?I hope kids will feel empowered to understand and appreciate their brains. Instead of feeling ashamed of their emotions or how they respond under stress or fear, they can learn to recognize them as helpful signals. My goal is for children (and their adults) to see their brain as a “survival team” they can support and guide toward calm, confident decisions.The “Fun Facts” at the back provide guidance for parents and educators. What motivated you to include these resources?I wanted to bridge the gap between the story’s fun adventure and its deeper lessons. The Fun Facts page offers a way for parents, educators, and therapists to connect the characters to brain function, helping them teach these concepts in a simple, engaging way. I've also since added an intro page to set up the characters with some curiosity and guidance as kids and their adults read through the story.What was the collaboration process like with Farrukh Afaq for the illustrations? How did you ensure they complemented the story’s message?Farrukh did an amazing job bringing the characters and their journey to life. We worked closely to ensure the illustrations were vibrant, engaging, and aligned with the emotional tone of each scene and the function of each animal. For example, the tense moments are more shadowed, while the jungle party is bright and celebratory. I also love when an illustrator brings their vision and creativity to the story, which he did. There are some visual elements of the story that are entirely his idea and creativity and I love it. It's a partnership, a dance of storytelling with writer and illustrator.Were there any challenges in simplifying complex concepts like trauma and brain function for a young audience?Absolutely! The challenge was balancing education with entertainment. I wanted the story to be fun and adventurous while creatively teaching kids about their brains. Using animals and relatable situations helped simplify the concepts without losing their depth. Story is a profound tool for embedding resilience and life skills into a person, so balancing the power of storytelling with the underlying equipping of information is a fine balance!The Survival Squad is the first in a series. Can you give us a sneak peek of what’s to come in future books?Future books will continue to explore how the Survival Squad works together to handle stress and emotions. We’ll dive deeper into themes like building resilience, navigating relationships, and overcoming fears, all through new adventures in the jungle and beyond. There will be a book per survival response where the story can deep dive into ways that that response can show up and how to regulate again. The series will also include a story where the owl is on vacation... a very common experience for individuals who have trauma, even in the womb.How do you plan to explore additional emotional or psychological themes in the series?Each book will tackle a specific aspect of emotional health, from understanding anxiety to building confidence and coping with loss. My goal is to create stories that resonate with real-life challenges while offering practical tools for kids and their caregivers. As a therapist who has worked a lot with children and trauma, I want to continue to demystify and simplify deeper concepts to empower kids to grow, heal, and help others heal and grow. These animals will continue to be a guide.Your background as a Certified Trauma and Resilience Practitioner clearly informs this book. How has your professional experience shaped your storytelling?In my therapy work, I’ve learned that story uniquely lights up the brain in ways no other form of information can. Stories engage emotion, imagination, and memory, creating a powerful way to connect and inspire. Story also develops resilience and gives us life experience. It's fascinating and powerful. I shared this idea in my first TEDx talk, How Story Empowers Kids to Shape Our World, because I truly believe that if you reach a child through story, you can change the world.With my training in trauma and resilience, I’ve seen how understanding the brain can transform shame into self-compassion. I weave that knowledge into my storytelling to make it not only engaging but also impactful. By combining brain science with the power of story, my goal is to empower kids and adults to better understand themselves, build resilience, and navigate the challenges of life.How would you recommend parents and educators use The Survival Squad to help children navigate their emotions?I encourage parents and educators to read the story together and use the characters as a way to talk about emotions, survival skills, and how to best "manage" your own survival squad. For example, “What is your Meerkat saying right now?” or “How can we help your Owl come back?” These conversations can help children feel supported and better understand themselves. I use this language in my home with my kids all the time, as well as with friends and clients. It gives us language and depersonalizes our responses so we can feel empowered instead of "defective."Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?Readers can find more of my work and resources at www.marcypusey.com or www.miramarepontepress.com. I’m also active on social media (IG, FB, TikTok), where I share tips and updates on my books. And for educators and parents, I offer workshops, counseling, and tools to support emotional health.