Nice to Meet You

Hi, I’m Mollie.

A social psychologist, lawyer, and author relentlessly dedicated to helping you thrive and strengthen others.

Born and raised an Iowa girl, I proudly call the Midwest home. On my first day of kindergarten, after taking one look at that dark haired, blue-eyed boy, I began singing, my “I’m going to marry him” song.

Twenty years later… I did. Another 33 years by his side, the best relationship advice I have:

“Support each other’s dreams to the greatest extent possible while staying true to yourself.”

Family has played a central role in my life, from growing up 12th of 13 kids to raising our three amazing kids and international exchange daughters.

There is no greater joy as a mother than to see our children move into their own lives with both deep roots and strong wings.

Mollie Marti, Author

The daughter of an English teacher, I grew up a voracious learner encouraged to read and write. As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by humans, especially our potential to grow through challenges in ways that transform us. I also am a passionate justice seeker, doing my best to alleviate suffering and right perceived wrongs. These three threads explain a lot about my life path.

After witnessing an injustice as a teenager, I decided to become a lawyer. I graduated top of my class, lived in Ireland for a year as a Rotary International Scholar, and attended Iowa Law School, where I was a Law Review editor.

I started my legal career clerking for Judge Max Rosenn of the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. I shared the wisdom of this extraordinary servant leader in Walking with Justice: Uncommon Lessons from One of Life’s Greatest Mentors, which Bob Burg calls “a timeless handbook for being human.” Love lives on.

When Iowa called us home, I followed my fascination with humans through a Masters and Doctorate in Personality and Social Psychology, where I researched, published, and was recognized as my cohort’s most promising future researcher.

Despite all of my formal training, my greatest breakthroughs come as much from what I unlearn, as what I learn. Stay curious and keep an open mind.

As a social psychologist, I taught at university, directed a survey research institute, and innovated programming in performance & motivation psychology, spending a decade coaching competitive athletes up to Olympic and world levels. My consulting expanded to corporate athletes, and I co-authored a couple of business books, including The 12 Factors of Business Success.

In 2011, it broke my heart to see my community tragically lose three teens to suicide with more kids going to the hospital. I committed to volunteer full-time for one year to stop the loss of young lives and found a local community resilience project. As other communities reached out for help and we recognized the vast unmet needs, we established the nonprofit National Resilience Institute with a mission of providing research-based tools to support youth mental health and crisis response.

Being a psychologist gives me a front-row seat to the damage done when our basic human needs to feel safe, be seen, and contribute in meaningful ways are not met.

This work expanded to programming for military communities, first responders, and other frontline heroes. Fueled by wide adoption of the THRIVE Resilience Model™ that I developed, annual Resilience Summits, international research symposiums, and the Resiliency Matters television show, the institute grew the Worldmaker Resilience Center.

It is an honor to continue leading Worldmaker’s mission to equip people in their own community and organizations to prepare for, adapt to and grow through adversity.

Every person has a unique voice, and it’s best found through service to others. Having trouble finding your place in the world? Ask what breaks your heart… and then take a step toward doing something about it.

Really, take that first step. Then sense your next best step. Sense, respond… keep on walking forward in service to others. As my life shows, you just never know where this will take you.

I’ve loved quotes ever since my Mom shared this gem by Erma Bombeck with me as a little girl: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’” A current favorite by Ram Dass: “We’re all just walking each other home.”

No matter what religion you do or don’t practice, any path to wholeness nourishes mind, body, and spirit. The research supports this. Some of my life’s personal moments of transcendence include big moments like serving as a doula to help usher a new life to earth and being with my dad in his last moment of life. I also savor quiet adventures, from taking in the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef to riding an elephant bareback as he feeds on the Thai forest and cools himself in a mud bath.

Today, I am grateful to be doing work I love while continuing to distill lessons from another one of life’s great teachers, a battle with cancer.

Join me in relentlessly calling out any voice that tries to masquerade wise self-care as selfishness. It is not.

I hope that this introduction starts a conversation, and I look forward to learning more about you. The best way to stay connected is to join our THRIVE community.

It gives me great joy to share research and resources to help you thrive and grow strength in others. Thank you for joining me!

Life brings hardship.

To protect yourself, find what lights you up and do more of it.

May Maya Angelou’s wisdom inspire our lives…

“When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”

Grateful we’re connected and am looking forward to our journey ahead.

Much love,

  • “Mollie is one of the most brilliant and capable people I know. She has an incredible ability to connect with people at a human level, whether one-on-one or with large audiences. Mollie is one of the people I look to as my coach, and I value her wisdom and advice. If you work with her, you will very quickly have the same respect for her abilities, her compassion, and her enthusiasm that I have, and that is a virtual guarantee.”

    Joe Tye

    CEO, Values Coach Inc.

  • “Dr. Mollie Marti provided us with an invaluable resource. Her fresh perspectives, inspiration, and tools helped strengthen our school community. I recommend her to any school district passionate about developing leaders.”

    Jeffrey D. Shaffer

    Principal, Dallas Senior High School, Dallas PA

  • ”Dr. Mollie Marti has helped me through seasons of growth and change in ways that helped me touch tens of thousands of lives, when I wanted to crawl under a rock! She is a master at pulling out the best in those around her, equipping them for greater service and then connecting them to other amazing people. She is truly a leader's leader and a fabulous builder of community. Any chance to learn from her is a privilege.”

    Gina Parris

    CEO, Born to Win, Inc.

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