About Me
Marissa Bell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marissa Bell never planned to write a book. She simply lived through enough seasons, literal and emotional, that the pages eventually insisted on being written. A Licensed Professional Counselor by training and a coach’s wife by lived experience, she blends clinical understanding with the kind of truth that only comes from being in the thick of it.
She grew up as the eldest daughter of teen parents, learning early how to read a room, how to manage chaos, how to carry grief that arrived too soon. Those early lessons gave her a sensitivity that still shows up in her writing, the kind that notices small moments, like the way silence can feel heavier after a tough game.
Before she wrote a single chapter, she spent years navigating a life that demanded grit and grace. One season in particular stands out, the one when she lived in a different city from her husband, pregnant with their first child, working full time, and holding the family’s finances together. A hard season. A formative one.
She’s the sort of writer who admits imperfections without flinching. Therapy helped. Missed anniversaries stung. Resentment built then softened. And somewhere in the margin of all that, she discovered that writing gave her breath on the days she felt pulled thin.
Marissa dedicates her book to her husband, Seth; to Zebedee and Zaiden, who learned early how to nap in bleachers; and to the women who held space for her, Sally (in loving memory), Monica, Allison, and Tiffany. A small circle. A strong one.
A slow-burning writer. A fast talker. Her stories, unlike her coffee habits, are patient.
Marissa Bell
What This Guide Gently Offers
Not the highlight-reel version, the real one. The book helps readers understand the emotional tides, the unpredictable schedules, and the unspoken expectations that shape a coach’s family life. It untangles the chaos and gives it language.
Readers learn how to stay steady through game-day highs, public scrutiny, and long stretches of absence. The guidance isn’t lofty; it’s grounded detachment when needed, support when possible, and small rituals that keep you centered.
The book shows how to nurture a sense of self when the household seems built around someone else’s calendar. From career flexibility to micro-moments of passion projects, it helps readers claim space for their own growth.
Not perfection connection. The book shares simple, doable ways to deepen communication with a partner, anchor children in routines, and build a family life that feels solid even when the rest of the world moves fast.
