Serial Fixer - by Leah Marone (Hardcover)

About the Book

Psychotherapist and wellness consultant Leah Marone helps you break the habit of fixating on others' problems. Featuring the Support, don't Solve framework, this book guides you to lead with compassion and to empower rather than rescue. A practical tool to align your life with your values, set healthy boundaries, recognize triggers, and find joy.

Book Synopsis

Stop taking false ownership of others' problems, and learn to support others without losing yourself.

Many of us can regurgitate why healthy boundaries and saying "no" are important. So why are we still over-accommodating and actively participating in imbalanced relationships that fuel anxiety and exhaustion? If you tend to over-function in relationships and then get resentful of other people's demands on your time and energy, it's time to break old patterns and discover new ones.

In Serial Fixer, psychotherapist and wellness consultant Leah Marone will help you break old habits of fixating on--and fixing--the problems of others. The book is an upbeat, practical guide toward emotional awareness that will recalibrate your relationships with others and yourself. Examine your habitual need to control, understand why you feel so invested in other people's drama, and explore ways to release perfectionism's grip.

Along the way, you'll discover the roots of stress, anxiety, emotional hangovers, burnout, and compassion fatigue. You'll become proficient at creating the space, setting the tone, tapping in with curiosity, fueling strength, and maintaining connection. You'll learn how to create healthy boundaries--ones you can actually sustain, not just talk about. Through real-life stories and practical strategies, Marone empowers you to foster genuine connections and allow joy, peace, and satisfaction to flow organically.

The key to Marone's approach is her Support, don't Solve framework, designed to help you align your life with your values, set healthy boundaries, recognize triggers, and find more moments of happiness. By learning five steps--validate, empathize, inquire, motivate, and reconnect--you can release the longing to be needed and move away from relational burnout and toward authentic connection with friends, colleagues, and loved ones.

Review Quotes

"Sometimes it feels like we're all just struggling to stay afloat. If you're more worried about the other occupants of your life raft than yourself, it might be time to scoop up Serial Fixer. It will be your lifeline." --Bobbie Carlton, founder of Innovation Women

"As an educator and serial fixer, I was drowning in my school's endless needs. Marone's transformative book taught me to create essential boundaries without compromising my authentic self. I've learned to support others without becoming overwhelmed by their challenges. This powerful resource provides practical frameworks for educators to maintain presence and connection while protecting their well-being--a must-read for anyone who gives deeply but struggles to save space for themselves." --Leah Carper, 2022 North Carolina Teacher of the Year

"Leah Marone has written a must-read for every selfless caregiver who often loses themselves in others' needs. She shows high achievers that caring for others doesn't have to mean neglecting yourself. I'll be recommending Serial Fixer to my clients who strive to be everything for everyone except themselves." --Dr. Therese Mascardo, psychologist and author of Love the Journey

"As a leading psychotherapist, Marone masterfully delivers a guide that helps improve your relationships with others and yourself. Serial Fixer is a must-read, a riveting book that frames the art of problem-solving. This book will leave you longing for more and will help you break free from the habit of solving other people's problems." --Manny Ohonme, cofounder, president, and CEO of Samaritan's Feet International

"Leah Marone's Serial Fixer is a compassionate and deeply insightful guide for those trapped in the exhausting cycle of solving other people's problems. With sharp psychological wisdom and practical tools, Marone helps readers break codependent patterns and nurture healthier, more authentic relationships. Whether you struggle with boundaries, people-pleasing, or emotional burnout, this book offers the understanding and strategies needed to support others without losing yourself in the process. A must-read for reclaiming your emotional well-being." --Jessica Baum, LMHC, author of Anxiously Attached: Becoming More Secure in Life and Love

"You are your tool: More than a mantra, it's a truism. For all of us serving individuals, teams, and organizations, this is critical to live into. And if true, one must take care of the tool to be of any use to others. Leah Marone serves all of us well in bringing the insight of a therapist, the strategy of a coach, and the wisdom of a mentor to all of us seeking to know how to care for ourselves as we serve others. If you are on the journey of moving from serial fixer to healthy guide, you must read this book!" --Kurt André, CEO of Transformational Coaching and Consulting International and cofounder of the Consulting Academy

"So many high performers are quietly unraveling behind polished exteriors, desperate to feel like enough. Serial Fixer exposes the stories we tell ourselves to earn worth through constant doing--and then gently guides us back to the truth of who we are. This book is a powerful companion for anyone recovering from the belief that their value is tied to their usefulness." --Lisa McGuire, EdS, business growth and reinvention strategist, host of the Your Passion, Purpose and Personal Brand podcast

"Serial Fixer offers valuable tools for setting boundaries, living mindfully, and overcoming unhealthy habits. This book stands out by helping readers recognize their patterns by observing how a psychotherapist, Leah Marone, works with serial fixers.... If you're struggling with the urge to fix, this book is for you." --Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, DAAETS, author of But I Didn't Say Goodbye and Living Blue