The Mel Robbins Podcast

Episode: #1 Harvard Psychologist: Use Your Mind to Heal Your Body
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Mel Robbins
Guest: Dr. Ellen Langer, Harvard Psychologist and Author

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Mel Robbins sits down with Dr. Ellen Langer, world-renowned Harvard psychologist and author of “The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health.” Dr. Langer, with her half-century of pioneering research, challenges long-held assumptions about the mind and body being separate, presenting evidence for “mind-body unity”—the idea that your thoughts, beliefs, and the way you pay attention can concretely alter your physical health and healing. The conversation is as practical as it is paradigm-shifting, packed with stories, studies, and actionable insights for harnessing your mind to transform your well-being.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mind-Body Unity vs. Mind-Body Dualism

[00:04:02 – 00:11:00]

• Dr. Langer’s Origin Stories:
  • Personal anecdotes made Ellen question whether thoughts can make you sick or well (the pancreas story, her mother’s cancer recovery, and feeling full “eating” a sundae in her mind).
• Defining Mind-Body Unity:
  • “Your body follows what your mind believes.” – Mel Robbins [00:00:31]
  • Most people accept the idea of a mind and body being separate, but Dr. Langer argues the supposed border is artificial.
  • Thought experiment: “If it’s one thing, wherever you’re putting one, you’re putting the other.”

2. Mindfulness as Dr. Langer Defines It

[00:11:10 – 00:19:00]

• Not Meditation:
  • Mindfulness isn’t a practice or meditation, it’s “a way of being” and “an easy appreciation of uncertainty.”
  • “Everything you mindlessly took in when you were younger is firmly there guiding your behavior when you’re older… Do you want your 30-year-old self to be dictated by your 15-year-old self?” – Dr. Langer [00:13:00]
• Mindful vs. Mindless:
  • Mindlessness is like “being a robot.” Mindfulness means being fully engaged, awake, and aware that things can be different from what you assume.
  • Simple way to start: "Notice three new things" about your environment, people, or even yourself each day [00:25:57].

3. Challenging Absolutes & Authority

[00:18:16 – 00:21:28]

• Questioning “Who says so?” about any rule, especially as it relates to aging or what’s “possible.”
• Example: Aging as a self-fulfilling prophecy; believing decline is inevitable often produces it.

4. Landmark Studies Illustrating Mind-Body Unity

a. The “Counterclockwise” Study: Aging in Reverse

[00:29:29 – 00:34:11]

• Elderly men lived for a week in a retreat set up to be 20 years earlier, acting as if they were younger.
• Results: Improved vision, hearing, strength, memory, and younger appearance.
  • “In a period less than a week…they looked noticeably younger. All without any medical intervention.” – Dr. Langer [00:31:09]

b. The Hotel Housekeepers Study

[00:35:21 – 00:37:06]

• One group was told their work was exercise, the other was not informed.
• “As a result of that change in mind, they lost weight... their blood pressure came down. From changing their minds.” – Dr. Langer [00:36:43]

c. Mindset and Healing Speed

[00:41:38 – 00:44:21]

• Minor wounds healed faster—depending on whether the person believed time was passing quickly or slowly based on a manipulated clock.
  • “The answer is perceived time.” [00:42:18]
• In diabetes studies, perceived time also changed blood sugar.

d. The Placebo and Nocebo Effect

[00:46:17 – 00:48:01]

• Placebo: Belief in the pill’s efficacy brings about real improvement, sometimes rivaling the drug itself.
• Nocebo: “You do something, but you think it’s nothing and it wipes out the effect.” [00:46:17]

5. The Power of Language and Belief in Health

[00:48:47 – 00:55:16]

• How we talk to ourselves (“remission” vs. “cured” for cancer survivors) impacts stress and, potentially, outcomes.
• “Thoughts aren’t just some commentary. They act as instructions to your body, and your body listens and responds.” – Mel Robbins [00:50:59]

6. Optimism, Pessimism, and Stress

[00:37:53 – 00:41:23]

• Optimists are more engaged and mindful, pessimists brace for the worst and close off.
• “When you’re pessimistic, you cut yourself off… you see everything as negative.” – Dr. Langer [00:38:12]
• Hope, too, contains a subtle negative expectation.

7. Managing Stress Mindfully

[00:56:30 – 01:01:52]

• Stress doesn’t come from events, but from our views on events.
• Actionable tips:
  • “Ask yourself: Is it a tragedy or an inconvenience?”
  • “What are three reasons it won’t even happen?”
  • “Assume it does… how is it actually an advantage?”

8. Mindfulness in Chronic Illness & Decision-Making

[01:01:52 – 01:06:45]

• Chronic symptoms always vary; noticing and asking why builds agency and improves outcomes, even in serious illnesses like MS or Parkinson’s.
• Decision-making: Perfection is impossible; “You can never test the different alternatives.” Flip a coin if needed, focus on making your choice right instead of making the right choice.
  • “Regret is mindless… if you only did this other thing, life would have been fine, but you can’t know.”

9. Actionable Strategies to Apply Mind-Body Unity

[01:07:57 – 01:08:45], [01:18:47 – 01:20:51], [01:24:51 – 01:30:51]

• Give yourself grace for past decisions: “It made sense at the time to me. That’s why I did it.” [01:68:07]
• When stressed, distract yourself with a focused task (e.g., threading a needle) to relieve the stressor’s hold on your mind.
• Procrastination: “When you’re fully engaged in doing what you’re doing, you don’t resent not doing the other things.”
• To be mindful:
  • “Know you don’t know.”
  • “Notice three new things” in your daily environment.
  • When judging, remind yourself, “It makes sense to them, or else they wouldn’t do it.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Your body follows what your mind believes.” – Mel Robbins [00:00:31]
• “All of our problems are a result of our mindlessness…. Whatever ails them should dissipate.” – Dr. Langer [00:04:02]
• “If being expert means you’re 100% successful… you walk in an elevator and you don’t care about pressing the button anymore.” – Dr. Langer [00:22:46]
• “Events don’t cause stress. What causes stress are views of events. So we can control stress.” – Dr. Langer [00:56:30]
• “Everything can be changed. If something doesn’t work, change it.” – Dr. Langer [00:46:46]
• “Know you don’t know. And as soon as you know you don’t know, then you sit up and pay attention.” – Dr. Langer [01:78:47]
• “If they followed all this... I’d say it’s time to start to exploit the power of uncertainty.” – Dr. Langer [01:81:02]
• “When we live a life that’s mindful, we can’t help but experience a personal renaissance, and health and well being will follow.” – Dr. Langer [01:81:29]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:04:02: Dr. Langer’s intro to mindfulness; all problems stem from mindlessness
• 00:11:10: What mindfulness means (not meditation)
• 00:29:29: “Counterclockwise” study—men aging in reverse
• 00:35:21: Hotel housekeepers: “Your work is exercise” study results
• 00:41:38: Perceived time affects healing speed
• 00:46:17: Placebo and nocebo effects; power of belief
• 00:50:59: Language shapes how your body responds
• 00:56:30: Dr. Langer’s strategies for stress; “Is it a tragedy or an inconvenience?”
• 01:01:52: Attention to symptom variability in chronic illness
• 01:05:51: Making decisions mindfully, eliminating regret
• 01:68:07: Self-compassion for past choices
• 01:78:47: Dr. Langer’s actionable steps for mindfulness
• 01:81:02: One thing to remember: “Exploit the power of uncertainty.”

Action Steps to Apply Dr. Langer’s Research

• Notice three new things daily about your environment, relationships, or even yourself.
• Challenge mindless routines with, “Who says so? Who decided this?”
• When stressed, distinguish between tragedy and inconvenience and brainstorm reasons things may not be as bad as they seem.
• Give yourself—and others—grace: actions make sense to people in the moment.
• Reframe chronic symptoms or setbacks by tracking daily changes and reflecting on what might have helped alleviate them.
• Avoid regret: every decision is logical in context; what matters is making your current reality work for you.
• Embrace uncertainty—being confident doesn’t mean being certain.

Final Thoughts in Dr. Langer’s Words

“When we live a life that’s mindful, we can’t help but experience a personal renaissance and health and well being will follow.” [01:81:29]

Takeaway:
You have far more power over your health—and your life—than you imagine. Start by embracing uncertainty, questioning absolutes, and truly noticing. The life you create is an ongoing, mindful act.

If you’re ready to start using your mind to heal your body and create a more vibrant life, begin by simply noticing—really noticing—the moments you’re in.