Episode 1: Giving a Damn Quietly, Loudly, and Together with My Friends, Neda and Mollie
I am thrilled to launch the very first episode of Mighty Forces with luminous humans Neda Frayha and Mollie Erickson, two BFFs who share a passion for healing, and for telling stories about how we heal.
In this conversation we talk about friendship that spans decades and distance, how memory works (or doesn’t — thanks, motherhood and med school), and why beverages are basically a love language. We go deep into anthropology, wellness, and what motivates us as humans — and then we veer into zhuzhing our eggs (I may or may not yell “fuck the sky!” at one point…really, who can say).
At its heart, this episode is about what it means to give a damn. Neda reminds us that you don’t have to be loud to make an impact; Mollie reminds us it’s worth it, even when caring feels costly. And I’m reminded of why I wanted to start this show in the first place: to gather with people who care, laugh, and keep showing up.
What we talk about
How friendship can sustain itself across decades and distance
The mysteries of memory — what we remember, and what we forget
Subjective realities, being “differently wired,” and how we all see the world through different lenses
Bringing wellness to unexpected places
Ritual, connection, and why beverages matter more than you think
Parenting teens, protecting kids’ connection to self, and resisting “shoulds”
Quiet vs. loud ways of giving a damn in the world
Mentioned in the episode
Tilt Parenting with Debbie Reber (In the episode mistakenly refer to Tilt Parenting as the name of Reber’s book — it’s actually the name of her company; her book is aptly titled Differently Wired.)
The Not Really Strangers podcast
About Neda
Connect with Neda on Instagram: @nedafrayha and LinkedIn
Dr. Neda Frayha
Neda Frayha is a primary care internist who strives to humanize medicine through education and storytelling. She has worked for many years in both academic medicine and community primary care settings, always with a passion for educating others about medicine and healthcare.
Neda believes that patients and physicians have so much in common, and yet the healthcare system pits us against each other, leaving us all mad and exhausted. She currently serves as the editor and host of the Primary Care Reviews and Perspectives podcast for Hippo Education, serving thousands of primary care clinicians across the country. She is also the Audio Editor in Chief at Hippo Education, leading initiatives that highlight the humanity of clinicians such as the free podcasts Only Human and Hippo Education Presents: The Monthly Rounds. Neda also produces public radio stories for NPR via WHYY’s health and science show, The Pulse. She has been featured on podcasts including The Curbsiders, The Nocturnists, and The Broad Experience, and she has written for The Washington Post and Katie Couric Media.
She loves traveling with her family, laughing at her hilarious dog Apollo, eating good food, and Peloton rides set to '90s music.
About Mollie
Connect with Mollie on Instagram: @mollieerickson and LinkedIn
Mollie Erickson
Mollie Erickson is the Coordinator of Hope Initiatives and Wellness at One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center, where she supports the wellbeing of first responders, advocates, social workers, law enforcement, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
She also coordinates wellness programs at the Prescott House, the Child Advocacy Center for Jefferson County, Alabama, as well as manages a plastics recycling workshop at Community on the Rise. With a background in anthropology and yoga, Mollie connects the anthropology of poverty with a mind-body wellness practice to foster both personal and environmental wellbeing.
