Cracking Open with Molly Carroll
We all have moments in our lives when we are cracked open, brought to our knees, and have to really discover who we are authentically at our core. It could have been a death of a loved one, getting thrown in jail, bullied in grade school, or hitting rock bottom with our addiction. Whatever your traumatic moment it changed you forever in the way you live, parent, work, and connect to others. Join Molly Carroll licensed therapist, TED speaker, published author, corporate speaker, and coach as she shares the stories of actors, athletes, thought-leaders, healers, teachers, and warriors and how their “cracking open” moment changed their lives and will change your life too.
Episodes
83 episodes
Isaac Slade from The Fray: From Platinum Records to Personal Peace
You know how music can transport you back to a certain era in your life? I’ll never forget gathering in college dorm rooms and tiny apartment living rooms with all my girlfriends in our twenties as we watched Grey’s Anatomy. The...
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Episode 83
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1:00:30
What My Father's Death Taught Me About Love with Lindsay Bomstein
Healing often begins in the stories we share—especially when we have the courage to tell them. Vulnerability doesn’t just dissolve shame; it nurtures inner strength. This week’s guest on the Cracking Open podcast, Lindsay Bomste...
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Episode 82
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54:40
Food as Medicine: How Grief Led Andrea Nakayama to Transform Nutrition
What are your favorite foods and drinks? For me, it’s pizza and coffee—no question. But at the same time, I love feeling healthy, fueling my body with nourishing foods, and living a vibrant life. And that’s exactly why I’m so excited to introdu...
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Episode 81
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57:08
A Must-Listen: Donna Sacks on Angelic Guidance – You Are Light, Fear is an Illusion
I’m going to be bossy for a moment—this episode is a MUST-LISTEN. Trust me, Donna Sacks will make you feel better about your life, reminding you that you are deeply supported and loved.In this powerful conversation, Donna and I di...
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Episode 80
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57:54
Cory Richards: The Climb Within-Everest, Addiction, & Mental Illness
What keeps you grounded? What activities, habits, and rituals help you stay balanced, healthy, and fully human?In this week’s episode of Cracking Open, I dive deep into these questions and more with our guest, Cory Richards
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Episode 79
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1:16:46
Heal the Body, Heal the Mind with Jaycee Gossett, Founding Teacher of The Class
“Dance is for everybody. I believe that dance came from the people, and it should always be delivered back to the people.” ~ Alvin AileyThis powerful quote captures the spirit of this week’s conversation with Jaycee Gossett...
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Episode 78
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55:27
Eboo Patel: Building Better Communities through Pluralism and Faith
I want to begin today by extending my deepest sympathies to the people of Los Angeles. To those who have suffered unimaginable losses due to the California fires, please know that my heart, prayers, and thoughts are with you.This traged...
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Episode 77
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48:41
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Fully Step Into Your Life With Christina Rasmussen
I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned that New Year’s resolutions don’t work well for me. Eat healthier, exercise more, and have more gratitude—those are the usual go-to's. Maybe it’s my Midwestern stubbornness that makes me...
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Episode 76
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1:04:23
Neurosurgeon Dr. James Doty on the Power of Manifestation, and Positive Mindset
I will never forget the first time I read Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by Dr. James Doty. It completely shifted my approach to parenting, decisio...
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Episode 75
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50:35
Mary Pipher & Elizabeth Lesser: Embodying Love & Seeing Hope in the Human Heart
What an intense past couple of weeks! I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced a whirlwind of emotions lately. I feel sad about my kids' futures and am grieving over the state of our democracy. At the same time, I feel empow...
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Episode 74
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1:06:27
Re-Release: Mary Pipher Brings Hope to All
The Cracking Open podcast has an exciting upcoming episode where, for the first time, I host a dual interview with Elizabeth Lesser and Mary Pipher to discuss a particular and profound issue for women (stay tuned for its release on November...
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Episode 73
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52:31
Re-Release: Elizabeth Lesser, Super Soul Sunday Guest & New York Times Bestseller Helps Us Uncover How Birth and Death Can Be Our Greatest Teachers
October 19th marked the 13th anniversary of my dad’s passing. It was a deeply profound day, as I experienced a revelation about my grief. I realized that to reach a healthier place with my grief, I needed to engage with it differently. ...
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Episode 72
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1:01:19
Navigating Grief: Lindsay Valentine on His Journey to Healing After Losing His Parents
At 21 years old, Lindsay Valentine was told that his father had pancreatic cancer. Towards the end of his father's fight with his cancer, his mother was shockingly also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Within 6 months of one another, Li...
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Episode 71
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59:42
How a Near-Death Experience Transformed Michael O'Brien's Life
We often hear mantras urging us to “be in the present moment” or “appreciate what you have because it could all be gone tomorrow". While a part of us knows this to be true, we can still find ourselves stuck, focused on checking off our to-do li...
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Episode 70
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1:12:42
Leading With Love With Administrator and Founding Principal of P-TECH Rashid Davis
Two weeks ago, I sent my first child off to college.To say it’s been an adjustment is an understatement. I didn’t realize how deeply I would grieve not picking up his cheese wrappers, and smelly soccer cleats, or giving him a nightly hu...
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Episode 69
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54:20
A Deep Dive About Women’s Friendships & Wellness With My 30-Year Friend Charlotte Hardwick
For me, this episode's timing could not be more perfect. I dropped off my first kiddo at college last weekend and that has brought with it a tidal wave of emotions – grief, sadness, tons of tears, and reflections on the passing of time, my marr...
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Episode 68
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1:01:43
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Homeboy Industries' Fr. Greg Boyle On How To Live With More Love
In an era marked by division and rising mental health challenges, Fr. Greg Boyle’s voice is one we need to hear now more than ever. On this episode of the Cracking Open podcast, I am honored to speak with Fr. Boyle, a man whose work, books, and...
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Episode 67
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49:14
Designer for the Stars, Samantha Myer, Shares About Loss and Love
Do you believe in synchronicity? Our guest today on the Cracking Open podcast embodies the essence of serendipity. I first encountered Samantha Myer in a Venice, California coffee shop and was drawn to her stylish and distinctive...
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Episode 66
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50:33
Episode 65: Discover the True Nature of What Mothering Really Means with Jodie Patterson
My son leaves for college in August, so you can only imagine how much I have been reflecting on motherhood lately.I've been thinking back on all those joyful hours watching Tommy play soccer since he was three years old, and the sleeple...
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Episode 65
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44:46
Episode 64: Former NBA Star Chris Herren On Addiction, Sobriety, and Love
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 ...
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Episode 64
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30:37
Episode 63: Elise Loehnen on the Price Women Pay To Be Good
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 fr...
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Episode 63
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1:14:11
Episode 62: The Healing Powers of Nature With Jobi Manson
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 tower...
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Season 6
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Episode 62
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1:05:19
Episode 61: Chip Conley on Learning to Love Midlife and Adding Years to Your Life
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 ...
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Season 6
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Episode 61
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48:37
Episode 60: Harvard's Dr. Ellen Langer on Mind-Body Unity
Have you ever had a moment where you get chills up and down your spine while listening to someone's story and how...
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Season 6
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Episode 60
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59:16
Episode 59: #1 Way To Find More Trust in Yourself With Life Coach Jill Rose
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...
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Season 6
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Episode 59
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45:10
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