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, decision-making, relationships, and business growth.

As this week's guest on the Cracking Open podcast, Dr. Doty shares his journey, from growing up in a tumultuous home to discovering the power of self-agency and the science of manifestation. He opens up about his successes and failures, his struggles with the choice to live life from his ego or his heart, and how much he appreciates being called out on his shortcomings. Ultimately, he has discovered that "possessions, position, and power have nothing to do with wisdom, insight, or self-awareness".

In this episode, we dive into the science of manifestation and explore actionable steps you can take to manifest the life of your dreams. We explore how therapy can yield incredible results when the client is willing to confront life’s challenges and the shadow side of their personality. When we can illuminate the darker, often hidden, parts of ourselves, we can then become more integrated and whole as individuals.

More about Dr. James Doty:

• Neurosurgeon, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leading researcher in the science of compassion
• Senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science and developed Happi AI (an app that treats stress, anxiety, and depression)
• As the former CEO of Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY), he helped develop CyberKnife technology, saving countless lives worldwide
• Founder of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor
• NY Times and international bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop and his most recent book, Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation, which became a top-selling book on Amazon in multiple categories

Dr. James Doty’s insights on manifestation teach how to make your brains work FOR us and help us create the life we desire. This powerful conversation can be the very catalyst to unlocking the magic of your mind so you can start manifesting the life you deserve.

Love,

Molly

Learn more about Dr. James Doty and his work here
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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 empowered, knowing that I have self-agency and can choose how I feel each day. By paying attention to when I’m in fight or flight versus rest and digest, I recognize that I can’t help others if I’m constantly in a state of fear, hate, or anger.

So, I’ve made a pact with myself: to feel all my feelings, but also embrace what is, and move forward from a place of love and light, guided by what I call the *mother archetype*—an image of a nurturing, protective mother that resides in the collective unconscious of all humans. This archetype is associated with qualities of love, compassion, protection, fertility, creativity, and abundance.

Having both Mary Pipher and Elizabeth Lesser on the Cracking Open podcast this week felt like divine timing. Over the last month, I re-released the episodes that they had previously and individually done, to remind the listeners who they are and the vast amounts of wisdom they each have to offer. Having them back in my first-ever dual interview for this podcast was an even greater treat!

This special conversation reminds us that life can be simpler if we focus on giving and receiving warmth, spending time in nature, and being present in every moment—whether it’s the comfortable or the uncomfortable parts of life. Both of these women encourage us to ask ourselves each day: “What am I walking away from today, and what am I walking toward?”

Their wisdom reminds us that life is not easy, and Elizabeth encourages us to be curious about what it means to be a hero: “Let’s make the heroes be the ones who stay behind and tend and befriend. Who love. Let’s make love be the sign of a hero.”

Or, as Mary says, “Mr. Rogers was wonderful because he opened up children’s eyes to the diversity of people, and also the importance of understanding and kindness toward people.”

Both women embody the *mother archetype*, and they will undoubtedly give you hope for the future, remind you to love your neighbors, and inspire you to never give up on your passion to help others while also finding your own path.

Elizabeth Lesser has touched millions through her bestselling books, co-founded the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, helped Oprah Winfrey produce a 10-week online seminar based on Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth, is a frequent Oprah’s Soul Series host and has appeared on Super Soul Sunday.

Mary Pipher is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.

After finishing their interview, I sat in my chair with my hand on my heart and took some deep breaths. I felt immense gratitude for the opportunity to have conversations and connections with such incredible and courageous women like Elizabeth and Mary. Our time together reminded me that when I am scared or in a place of fear, I am going to pause and redirect my energy. I'm going to make Love my hero and my north star.

Love,
Molly


Learn more about Elizabeth Lesser and her work here
Learn more about Mary Pipher and her work here

The next 6-Month Coaching Group begins in August 2025.
Click here for more details.

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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 21st!)

Leading up to that episode's release, I am re-releasing their initial interviews with me so you can soak in their deep wisdom and charm. You can listen to Elizabeth's episode here. Whether it's the first time you've listened or a refresh, you are in for a treat.

This week's episode on the Cracking Open podcast is someone who I would consider a cherished guide in my personal and 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 while teaching at an all-girls school in San Francisco. I felt lost on how to best provide emotional support to my students when they felt left out with friends, insecure about their bodies, navigating challenges in their home lives, or struggling with feeling worthy. A fellow teacher recommended that I read a book called Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher.

When I read her words below, I knew I had found the right guidance:

“Girls struggle with mixed messages:
Be beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep.
Be sexy, but not sexual.
Be honest, but don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.
Be independent, but be nice.
Be smart, but not so smart you threaten boys.”

Ever since, I have read anything and everything that Mary has written and it has always been a compassionate, wise, and safe place to land. And because of this, I am pinching myself that I got to have this conversation with her and share it with all of you.

Mary graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists’ involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantánamo and other black sites.

She is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.

In today’s episode, Mary reminds us that we don’t have to be perfect, solve every problem, or "fix" anyone. She also helps us remember that we live in a universe filled with love and light that surrounds us and is available to us, at all times.

I will leave you with her wise words:

“I think a wonderful life doesn't mean that a person hasn't had a lot of tragedy. It means they've had a big, rich life where they’ve been able to experience a really wide range of emotions and people and adventures and learnings of all different kinds.

And of course, in terms of loving fiercely, the price for loving fiercely is the pain of goodbye, but I would always choose to love fiercely.”


Love,
Molly

Learn more about Mary Pipher and her work here


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