Jodi Mitchel Tolman knows a thing or two about detours. Her life didn’t follow a straight line—and she’s not interested in pretending it did. In her bestselling memoir, One from Each Column: My 46-Year Trek from Abusive Childhood to Elusive Motherhood, Tolman offers a fiercely honest and often hilarious account of the long, winding road that led her to her healing, family, and purpose.

A Story That Refuses to Be Simplified

From her early days as a singing server at the Improv in LA and New York—serenading audiences between comedy acts—to navigating three marriages before the age of forty, and eventually becoming a mother through natural conception, adoption, and IVF with a donor egg, Tolman’s life defies every conventional narrative.

She recounts these experiences with a sharp wit and an open heart, allowing readers to see not only the chaos and pain but also the unexpected beauty that emerged from it. Tolman doesn’t present a fairytale ending or a linear climb to peace. Instead, she lays bare the full complexity of her journey—from moments of crushing self-doubt to profound breakthroughs. Her story is layered, nuanced, and unapologetically human.

Her memoir doesn’t just explore trauma; it reclaims it. Through raw humor and reflective prose, Tolman shows what it means to keep going when the road is unclear—and to laugh even when it hurts. Readers walk away not just inspired, but seen.

Healing That’s Honest—Not Hashtagged

What sets Tolman apart is her refusal to sugarcoat the hard parts. She doesn’t peddle overnight transformation or polished life lessons. Instead, she offers the real, messy truth: that sometimes healing is slow, nonlinear, and not always Instagrammable. And still—joy is possible.

She writes about setbacks not as failures but as natural steps in the process of becoming. The hard-won insights she shares aren’t filtered or dressed up for social media. Whether she’s describing the heartbreak of a failed fertility cycle or the uneasy grace of co-parenting with an ex, she remains grounded in authenticity. Her tone is both compassionate and candid, never drifting into cliché or pretense.

Her story resonates with women who have lived through disappointment, disruption, or reinvention. It’s for anyone who has ever felt “off-script” and wondered if they were the only one. Through her words, Tolman makes it clear: You’re not.

She doesn’t aim to be anyone’s guru, and that’s part of her appeal. Instead, she’s a fellow traveler—offering hard-earned wisdom with humility and humor. She gives voice to the unspoken and often unseen emotional labor of rebuilding a life, reminding readers that messy doesn’t mean broken—it means real.

A New Voice for Women Rewriting Their Stories

Today, Jodi Mitchel Tolman speaks on stages, shares on podcasts, and connects with women who are tired of pretending their journey fits in a box. With a background in performing and a heart honed through hard-won growth, she offers a voice that’s both compassionate and catalytic.

Her presence is magnetic, not because she claims to have all the answers, but because she dares to ask the hard questions and sit with the uncomfortable truths. Whether she’s at a women’s leadership summit or in a quiet one-on-one conversation, Tolman brings the same energy: open, honest, and fiercely kind.

One from Each Column isn’t just a book—it’s a beacon. For women redefining success, rethinking motherhood, or simply rebuilding from a hard chapter, Tolman’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to begin again—and you don’t have to do it perfectly.

As she writes with signature wit and wisdom: “You don’t have to follow the rules to find your way. You just have to keep going.”