Navigating Poverty, a Parent's Mental Illness, and Housing Insecurity: Caren Lissner on Creativity, Resilience, and Choosing to Share Her Story

In this episode, Shanti Joy Gold (she/her) sits down with her freshman-year roommate, Caren Lissner (she/her) — a news editor, reporter, essayist, and published novelist. Caren recently began sharing how housing insecurity and financial instability shaped her upbringing, including periods of living out of her car during college summers without anyone knowing. Caren shares what it was like to grow up navigating poverty alongside a parent’s mental illness, and how hiding those realities became a necessary way to cope. The conversation explores themes of outsiderhood, resilience, creativity, and the pressure to hustle quietly in an effort to break the cycle of instability. Caren reflects on how she never let go of her dreams, leaning into creativity as a way to heal herself and support others — and how determination and persistence shaped a path that finally felt like her own.Caren Lissner is a news editor and reporter who currently writes for local news websites. Her humorous and serious essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Her first novel, Carrie Pilby — an independent coming-of-age comedy-drama — was adapted into a feature film. She is currently working on a memoir, How We Became Homeless, which chronicles downward mobility from the 1980s to today.Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.👉 Try Shanti’s free Thriving Assessment here to get clarity on where you’re excelling — and where you can increase fulfillment, joy, and impact.Other stories shared by Caren and Shanti at the campfire:Reflecting on the gradual unraveling of stability — from living modestly in a suburb to her mom’s mental illness quietly taking its toll over time.Sharing how publishing her Pennsylvania Gazette essay created space for others with similar financial insecurity to reach out and feel seen.Describing how Caren worked her way out of poverty one job at a time, squirreling away money and continuing to take small steps toward supporting herself and her family.Offering her belief that everyone’s story matters, and that telling it can help someone else feel less alone.Thank you for listening! Tune in to all episodes for stories and insights on navigating your career as an outsider — and on the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review!Learn more about the podcast at storieswehaventshared.com   CONNECT WITH CARENRead Caren’s WorkPenn Gazette Essay "Close Your Eyes"Buy Carrie Pilby - The BookWatch Carrie Pilby - The MovieInstagramCONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLDLinkedInInstagramPodcast Spotify playlistBook a Free Discovery CallWork with Shanti!