Dr. Marj Barlow on Transformation (part 1: Integrity, Curiosity, Care)

A Life of Transformation: Marj Barlow, PhD., is a historically-significant therapist, global-business-change leader, and self-care advocate from Texas. Most famous for her pioneering leadership at Interface Carpets, the world’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer, and first global manufacturer to try to reach net zero and net regenerative environmental impacts, Dr. Barlow built her success off of an identity rooted in honesty, family, Faith, science, and her own experiences. In this podcast, editor Chris Searles wanted to ’envision transformation’ from an American/Christian historical perspective, so he asked Marj to share about her early life. Born and raised in rural West Texas in the 1930s, mother to five, and more, Marj knows transformation. This interview is part of AllCreation’s collection, Envisioning Transformation. 

Learn More

• MarjBarlow.com
• The Pocket Grandmother
• The Possible Woman
• Interface eco-sustainability legacy  
• Listen to part 2 of this interview. 

References 

• Owens, TX 
• The Great Depression, 1930s
• Fundamental Baptist (West TX), Texas Baptist history 
• Cream separator (1935), driving a tractor (1939)
• Canyon, TX; Kingsville, TX; The King Ranch; Austin, TX; Corpus Christi, TX (1940s-2010s)
• World War II, 1940-1945 
• Plastics engineering, 1945
• BBA, professional opportunities for White US women, 1945
• Quantum physics, 1950s 
• Rev. Carlye Marney, Gov. Alan Shivers, 1950s
• Clifton Strength Finder, Don Clifton, 1960s
• Positive psychology, 1960s   
• Cleburne County community therapy, 1960s 
• Jean Houston  
• Mystery of what love is 

Program
0:00    Welcome & intro 

3:00    Marj shares about her childhood 

10:00    Adult life at 15

15:15    A Baptist, quantum-physicist, first husband  

21:00    Single mom with four children at 34

24:30    Becoming a counselor & second husband   

32:30    Massive American culture shift 

38:00    New life as a therapist

42:00    How her beliefs have evolved 

• respect for more pious people
• exploring other Faiths, different pathways 
• social life
• sampling other Christian denominations
• Jean Houston, Life Force  
• Life after death science 

Quotes  

Each little child is to be unfolded, not molded.
 
I think that’s all we have, is our story -- and everybody’s story is very important to me. So I try to help people join what I call ’’The Triple A’’ and become the Author, Actor, and Audience of your life story. You’re the only one who will watch your story from birth to death… I help people get their story into a form they can live with.

Each human being is unique and very significant. We are God in action and it is our sacred privilege to travel a lifetime and learn how to love.
 
Who are you really? What could you be? 

Thanks for listening.
This podcast is one of seven interviews from our
Winter Solstice 2022 collection, "Envisioning Transformation." 
It was edited by Chris Searles.