Cracking Open with Molly Carroll

Chris Herren 's story is one of profound struggle and eventual redemption. Addiction impacts millions of families in heartbreaking ways. I know this personally and through sitting with multiple clients who have been going through it with loved ones. This makes today's conversation about addiction and recovery on the Cracking Open podcast especially powerful. As a young basketball prodigy...

Do you ever feel like you have to be perfect? The perfect mother, daughter, employee, partner, etc? It's a familiar struggle that I have grappled with in my own life, and as a therapist, I've witnessed this innate desire to be perfect from thousands of women. That's how I first came across Elise Loehnen 's bestselling book, On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Pr...

I invite you to reflect on a moment when you immersed yourself in nature — perhaps swimming in a serene lake, hiking through lush trails, or simply basking in the beauty of a park, as you felt the grass beneath your feet and saw the trees towering above you. Can you remember a time when nature had a positive impact on you? Maybe it brought you peace amidst the tranquility of the forest, or a surge...

There are days when I feel fantastic about being 53 years old. Maybe I've gone for a run, delved into an article about AI and understood more than half of it, or shared laughs with friends reminiscent of my teenage years. Then there are those other days when I glance in the mirror and notice more wrinkles, or when my husband suggests going to see a band and I decline because I'd rather b...

  Have you ever had a moment where you get chills up and down your spine while listening to someone's story and how it transformed how they live, work, and exist in the world? This is what happened to me when I first heard Dr. Ellen Langer speak, and she joins us today on the Cracking Open podcast to impart her wisdom, backed by decades of research and enriched by stories from her latest book...

Growing up, I often heard sayings such as “the harder the work, the luckier you get” and “nothing comes free in life" . Adopting this approach to life inspired me to become a very hard worker. However, I also became someone who can have difficulty relaxing and letting go of work. I still tend towards pushing and striving to make something happen out of sheer will versus allowing the right thi...

Have you ever pondered the significance of people entering your life – wondering if it is simply a coincidence that you met, or if they are destined to offer support or impart some crucial lesson during your journey in this lifetime? Our guest today on the Cracking Open podcast, Kara Ladd , is someone I feel certain I was meant to cross paths with in this life.   Kara was living what seemed to be...

We are fortunate to welcome back Dr. Mary Claire Haver , a menopause guru, for her second appearance on the podcast (in case you missed it, or want a refresher, go back to episode 39 to listen to our first conversation which is one of our most downloaded episodes ever!). Did you know that 1.2 billion women are going through menopause right now? In this episode, we delve into the prevalent misconce...

In my podcast conversations with authors, anthropologists, creatives, and change-makers, we often delve into their personal stories, encompassing their triumphs and setbacks, as well as their spiritual practices and strategies for leading a more fulfilling life. However, today's conversation is a bit different from the norm. Today, I'm privileged to engage in conversation with Sun Yi, a...

On a sunny afternoon, as I sat on my deck, immersed in reading Oprah Magazine , a captivating article "How to Love Yourself When You Feel Your Worst" caught my attention. It wasn't just the title that drew me in, but the vibrant, colorful woman gracing the page beneath it. There she stood, in a tiger-printed dress, hands reaching out to the sky, exuding vitality, joy, and boundless...

Why is it that January is one of the most popular times to ask ourselves questions like,   "What needs to change in my life?" or "How do I want the end of this year to look different from today?" It is questions like these, about change and self-evolution, that I have been hearing from my clients for many years (and have asked myself as well!). This inspired me to ask Serena Du...

Today we are kicking off Season 6 of the Cracking Open podcast with a powerful message from legendary explorer, writer, photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller, Wade Davis . Wade's incredible journey takes us from the Amazon and The Andes, where he spent over three years as a plant explorer among 15 indigenous groups, to Haiti, where he investigated folk preparations tied to the creation of...

"Believe in yourself, follow your gut, and never say never, you have no idea what you can do."   These words of hope and inspiration from Mary Celeste Beall, mother of five children and proprietor of the Blackberry farm, are what we all need to hear during the holiday season. In 2016, Mary Celeste Beall's life took an unexpected turn when she lost her beloved husband, Sam, in a shoc...

For many of us, this time of year is filled with joyful celebrations and creating wonderful memories with friends and family. And for many of us, this time of year can actually be a difficult and stressful time. Maybe it's the first holiday season after the loss of someone you love, or maybe you simply feel stressed about the hectic pace that often surrounds the holidays or the pressure of me...

I started the Cracking Open podcast with a brand new Yeti microphone and a Jenna Kutcher workshop called The Podcast Lab , where I learned how to launch and run a podcast. Even more important? I ignored the people who said things like, “Why would you start a podcast in such a saturated market?” or “How will you get any guests? It’s not like you're famous."   (Yes, someone really said thi...

I've been helping both of my children prepare for college, and as the entire family has gotten caught up in the hustle of doing "all the things" to prepare for their college futures, this podcast guest came along at just the right time to remind me that they are already enough just as they are right now. Lisa Congdon is an award-winning fine artist, illustrator, and writer who is wi...

One morning I opened an email from my literary agency and saw that they were featuring a young artist by the name of Sam Onche . I was instantly captivated by his illustrations filled with bold colors, expressive images, and intense facial expressions. They gave me chills all over my body! I knew immediately that I wanted to meet him and hear more about his story. So I invited him to come on the C...

Over 20 million people are suffering right now from substance abuse, often in silence. This secrecy around addiction creates shame which then increases the addiction, which then increases the shame. This vicious cycle can only be broken if we first break the stigma of addiction and the silence and shame that perpetuates it. This week's guest on the Cracking Open podcast is Reverend Jeff Grant...

Today's episode on the Cracking Open podcast is someone who I would consider a cherished guide in my professional journey over the last two decades. Mary Pipher, Ph. D. is a truly extraordinary psychologist who specializes in women, trauma, and the effect of culture on our mental health. I first came across Mary's work twenty years ago when I was teaching at an all-girls school in San Fr...

This will probably be the hardest newsletter I will write about a Cracking Open podcast guest, and I avoided doing it for as long as I possibly could because I didn't want to face my heartbreak.   My honored guest today is Mark Dahir , the CEO of Heart Ministry Center, a non-profit organization based in Omaha. Their mission is to provide healthcare, food, and a way forward for people severely...

Cracking Open podcast has so many incredible guests lined up for you this season! Today's guest is Emily Paulson – a writer, Certified Professional Recovery Coach, TEDx Speaker, and the Founder of Sober Mom Squad. She is passionate about ending the shame and stigma of mental health and substance use disorders, and her own recovery path is focused on ruthless honesty, grace, self-love, and the...

Hi everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful summer. I've missed being with you! My July was spent soaking up precious time with my family, relaxing, and hitting the pause button on the daily rush of life. It's so important to remember to take time for ourselves to refill our cups in all the ways we need. One of my favorite things I did during my break was re-listen to all of the amazing...

I have had the great blessing of witnessing people's stories over the last 30 years as a therapist and teacher. During this time, I have learned to identify various archetypes – universal models of people's personalities that play a role in influencing their human behavior. Carl Jung, who founded the field of analytical psychology, developed 12 Archetypes including The Sage, The Innocent...

The topic of boundaries was one of the first things I studied in my graduate school program – how to create boundaries as a therapist and how to teach and encourage clients to create their own boundaries in order to have healthier relationships and make better choices. Regardless of where you may be in your journey with boundaries, we can all acknowledge the importance of having healthy boundaries...

How is your mental health these days? In recent years, our society has grown more accustomed to discussing this very important subject. We have normalized checking in with ourselves and each other, increased our compassion for those who are struggling, and have more resources than ever available to us to educate and guide us toward improving our mental health.  Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND is on the...