Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On Purpose

From Enemies to Understanding: Healing Division Through Human Connection with Larry Rosen

Welcome to 2026 and all new episodes of Make It a Great One!  Today, Dr. Dan sits down with Larry Rosen [https://www.enemiesproject.org/ourteam], creator of The Enemies Project, [https://www.enemiesproject.org/] to explore why conflict has become so entrenched in our culture—and how genuine listening can begin to heal it. During his conversation with Dr. Dan, Larry shares his personal journey from law to mediation to ultimately creating a global project that brings people labeled as “enemies” into the same room for honest, day-long conversations. Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, and decades of experience working with people in deep conflict, Larry Rosen explains why arguments fail, empathy shuts down under threat, and how understanding—not persuasion—is the fastest path to transformation. Together, Dr. Dan and Larry unpack the mechanisms behind polarization, the role of fear and perceived threat, and how “enemy-making” erodes our ability to cooperate as families, communities, and societies. Through stories from The Enemies Project, they reveal how people with radically opposing views often share the same core motivations: safety, belonging, love, and meaning. This episode is a compelling exploration of leadership, courage, compassion, and what it truly means to really see the humanity in others—even when it feels impossible. As a new year unfolds, Dr. Dan and Larry encourage listeners to reflect on this episode and these words from The Enemies Project: [https://www.enemiesproject.org/about] “We bring people together—not to debate, but to come face-to-face. Not to argue, but to understand. Not to compromise their values—but to reclaim something deeper: the capacity to recognize each other as fellow citizens, fellow humans, insightful, valuable, real.” For more information www.enemiesproject.org [https://www.enemiesproject.org/] visit @theenemiesproject [https://www.instagram.com/theenemiesproject/] on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com [http://www.drdanpeters.com/] and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com [podcast@drdanpeters.com]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan #Purpose #Growth #SelfAwareness #Inspiration #Resilience #Courage #Mindset #Leadership #Compassion #Connection #Authenticity #Empathy #Wellness #ConflictResolution #HumanConnection #TheEnemiesProject #MakeItAGreatOne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

The Secret Language of Your Body: Self-Awareness, Resilience and the Path to Authentic Healing with Inna Segal

In this inspiring and illuminating conversation, Dr. Dan sits down with Inna Segal, [https://www.innasegal.com/] bestselling author of The Secret Language of Your Body, [https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Language-Your-Body-Essential/dp/1582702608] to explore how pain, trauma, and emotional overwhelm can become powerful gateways to healing, self-awareness, and inner freedom. Inna shares her extraordinary personal journey from debilitating chronic illness and profound grief to discovering her intuitive healing abilities — and dedicating her life to helping others reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies. Dr. Dan and Inna break down why the body is never the enemy, how slowing down is the first essential step toward wellness, and why meaningful healing requires curiosity, courage, compassion, and patience. Inna explains how unresolved childhood wounds, ancestral trauma, and unprocessed emotions can shape our physical and emotional experiences — and how simple daily practices can begin to restore balance, empowerment, and alignment. Listeners will learn how to tune into the body’s signals, use breath and attention to shift internal states, embrace personal growth without overwhelming themselves, and understand healing as a lifelong journey toward authenticity, connection, and wholeness. If you’re seeking hope, clarity, or a renewed sense of purpose along your wellness path, this episode offers profound insights and practical tools to help you begin or continue your transformation. For more information, visit innasegal.com [http://innasegal.com] and follow @innasegalauthor on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com [http://www.drdanpeters.com/] and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com [podcast@drdanpeters.com]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Becoming Better: How Vertical Development Transforms Leadership, Purpose, and Personal Growth with Dr. Ryan Gottfredson

Dr. Dan sits down with leadership researcher, author, and mindset expert Dr. Ryan Gottfredson [https://ryangottfredson.com/]to explore what it truly means to become better—better leaders, parents, partners, and human beings. Drawing from his groundbreaking work on vertical development, Ryan reveals why most of us are overdeveloped in “doing” and underdeveloped in “being,” and how this imbalance limits our growth, purpose, and connection in every part of life.  During this powerful and deeply human conversation with Dr. Dan, Ryan shares personal stories of emotional neglect, independence, healing, and the courageous work of rewriting one’s internal operating system. Dr. Ryan and Dr. Dan dive into the profound relationship between self-awareness, compassion, resilience, and authentic leadership and why healing isn’t a soft concept, but a neurological upgrade that changes how we respond to stress, relationships, and opportunity. Listeners will learn the difference between horizontal development (knowledge, skills, and doing) and vertical development (mindsets, presence, and being), and why the most effective leaders elevate through intentional inner work.  This episode is for anyone seeking deeper purpose, greater self-awareness, healthier relationships, and a more grounded, empowered approach to leadership. Whether you’re guiding a team, raising a family, or navigating your own personal evolution, today’s episode offers inspiration, clarity, and transformative possibility. Take Ryan’s free assessments, explore his books (including Becoming Better), and access additional tools at. For more information, visit ryangottfredson.com [http://ryangottfredson.com] and follow @ryangottfredson  on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com [http://www.drdanpeters.com/] and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com [podcast@drdanpeters.com]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Purpose, Growth, and Authentic Leadership: Embrace Your Ripple Effect with Dr. Lauren Speeth

Dr. Dan welcomes Dr. Lauren Speeth [https://bgu.edu/dr-lauren-speeth]—award-winning author, educator, storyteller, and global changemaker—for a powerful conversation about purpose, resilience, and the courage to live an authentic, hope-filled life. Drawing from her new book Taking the Stairs and Liking It [https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Stairs-Liking-Seven-Amazing/dp/B0F6HV4JX1], Lauren shares the seven transformative principles that shaped her remarkable journey, including wisdom passed on directly from President Jimmy Carter. In this inspiring and deeply human episode, Lauren opens up about shaping her identity beyond titles, navigating loss and reinvention, and discovering her unique path to service and leadership. Dr. Speeth [https://elfenworksproductions.com/book-takingthestairs.php] and Dr. Dan explore what it means to show up with compassion, to cultivate self-awareness, and to take purposeful steps toward the person you want to become—especially when life feels overwhelming. Listeners will hear stories about music, creativity, Lauren’s formative childhood experiences, the profound power of small acts of kindness, and how each of us has the ability to uplift others through our presence. This conversation is a reminder that we all have a ripple effect—and that the world needs the unique strengths only you can bring. This episode will inspire you to pause, reflect, reconnect, and remember – your presence matters more than you know. For more information, visit https://bgu.edu/dr-lauren-speeth [https://bgu.edu/dr-lauren-speeth] and follow @elfenworksproductions [https://www.instagram.com/elfenworksproductions/] on Instagram. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com [http://www.drdanpeters.com/] and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com [podcast@drdanpeters.com]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Facing Fear, Finding Purpose: Empowerment, Authenticity, and Wholeness with Courtney Smith

Dr. Dan interviews coach, Enneagram teacher, and author Courtney Smith [https://www.courtneysmithconsulting.com/] to explore how we grow, evolve, and reclaim our most authentic selves. Courtney shares the transformational journey that took her from a high-achieving, analytical career to helping leaders and individuals uncover the stories, fears, and inner patterns that shape their lives. Together, they dive into themes of self-awareness, purpose, empowerment, courage, compassion, and authentic leadership, revealing how we can all step out of our “zone of greatness” and into our true zone of genius. Drawing from Courtney’s work with the Enneagram, Conscious Leadership tools, and her new workbook Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness: A Process for Reclaiming Your Full Self [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593736877?tag=randohouseinc7986-20] By Elise Loehnen [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2245074/elise-loehnen/] and Courtney Smith [https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Wholeness-Over-Goodness-Reclaiming/dp/0593736877/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0], this episode breaks down how old stories and inherited beliefs keep us stuck — and how understanding fear, rewriting narratives, and naming our “parts” can create profound personal growth. This episode is an invitation to slow down, tune inward, and step courageously into a more authentic and connected version of yourself. It’s for leaders, caregivers, creators, and anyone committed to personal evolution and meaningful impact. For more information, visit CourtneySmithConsulting.com [http://courtneysmithconsulting.com] and follow Courtney Smith on Substack [https://courtneycsmith.substack.com/p/welcome]. Please listen, follow, rate, and review Make It a Great One on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow @drdanpeters on social media. Visit www.drdanpeters.com [http://www.drdanpeters.com/] and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com [podcast@drdanpeters.com]. We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one. – Dr. Dan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]