

Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On Purpose
Dr. Dan Peters, Psychologist and Executive Leadership Coach
Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan is your weekly dose of inspiration, purpose, and practical wisdom for living a life aligned with your true self. Hosted by renowned psychologist and executive coach Dr. Dan Peters, this podcast helps you break free from autopilot and step fully into the life you’re meant to live.If you’ve ever wondered if you’re living up to your potential—or how to navigate challenges with more resilience and clarity—this show is for you. Dr. Dan combines expert insights, powerful interviews, and real-life tools to help you deepen your self-awareness, strengthen your mindset, and make a positive impact.With decades of experience guiding individuals and leaders toward lasting transformation, Dr. Dan brings heart, humor, and honesty to every episode—so you walk away feeling motivated and equipped to make each day count.Tune in to new episodes every Thursday to unlock your potential, ignite your purpose, and—most of all—make it a great one.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 16, 2025 • 1h 10min
Healing, Spirit, and Surrender: The Energy That Connects Us with Travis Holp
Dr. Dan interviews evidential psychic medium, speaker, spiritual teacher, and author Travis Holp for a powerful and deeply human conversation about healing, purpose, and the unseen energy that connects us all. Known as the "Unicorn Warrior", Travis helps people all over the world through his blend of evidential mediumship, intuitive guidance, and energy work to share messages of love, hope, healing, and joy to help us live the life our soul came here to live.
Dr. Dan interviews Travis about his remarkable personal journey—from childhood intuition and early creative dreams to sobriety, spiritual awakening, and his new book Are You There Spirit? It’s Me, Travis. Together, Dr. Dan and Travis explore the courage it takes to surrender, the power of forgiveness, and how self-awareness leads to authentic connection and transformation.
On this episode, Dr. Dan and Travis discuss intuition, possibility, purpose, and growth, as well as creating spiritual practices that work for you. This episode will inspire listeners to rediscover connection, trust their intuition, and embrace the magic of the moment.
Travis encourages us to live each day with intention, curiosity, and compassion. And Dr. Dan reminds us that healing and growth are lifelong processes—and that we’re never truly alone on our journey.
For more information, visit www.travisholp.com and follow @traviswarriorunicorn 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 and send your questions or guest pitches to podcast@drdanpeters.com.
We have this moment, this day, and this life—let’s make it a great one.
– Dr. Dan
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Oct 9, 2025 • 1h 1min
Outsmarting Addiction with Hope, Compassion, and Strategy with Amber Hollingsworth
In this compelling episode, Dr. Dan Peters sits down with Amber Hollingsworth, master addiction counselor, founder of Hope for Families Recovery Center, and creator of the wildly popular YouTube channel Put The Shovel Down.
Amber tells Dr. Dan how she has been dealing with addiction her whole life! - she grew up in an addicted family and later became a Master Addiction Counselor. She understands addiction from both perspectives With over two decades of experience, Amber has helped thousands of families navigate the difficult journey of addiction recovery. Known for her relatable, practical, and compassionate approach, she shares how recovery is built not on coercion or “rock bottom,” but on trust, boundaries, and hope.
Amber reminds us that you don’t have to hit bottom to choose recovery and that recovery isn’t linear. She shuns shame and tell us that you can decide to put the shovel down at any time. This conversation is full of practical strategies, deep wisdom, and hope for anyone touched by addiction, whether personally or through a loved one.
For more information, visit www.familyrecoveryacademy.online, follow on Instagram @Puttheshoveldown, and watch on YouTube Put The Shovel Down.
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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 3min
The Secure Leader: How Attachment Styles Shape Life and Leadership with Dr. Jaime Goff
Dr. Dan Peters sits down with Dr. Jaime Goff, founder of The Empathic Leader and author of The Secure Leader: Discover the Hidden Forces That Shape Your Leadership Story and How to Change Them. Together they explore how attachment styles—formed early in life—shape the way we lead, connect, and grow both at work and at home.
Jaime shares her own leadership journey, from uncovering her avoidant attachment tendencies to transforming them into opportunities for trust and empowerment, to her current work. Dr. Dan and Jaime discuss why self-awareness is the cornerstone of resilience and how compassion and curiosity can shift entire teams, families, and communities.
Today’s discussion dives into what makes a truly effective leader and how it’s not only strategy but also self-awareness, security, and connection.
This energizing episode with Dr. Dan and Dr. Goff blends psychology, leadership, and practical wisdom to offer a roadmap for anyone seeking to lead with authenticity, compassion, and courage.
For more information, visit www.drjaimegoff.com and follow @dr_jaimegoff 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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Sep 25, 2025 • 1h 4min
AI, Family, and Morality: Culpability and the Future of Humanity with Bruce Holsinger
Oprah Winfrey’s recent Oprah Book Club pick Culpability continues to fuel important conversations around the question: What happens when morality, technology, and family collide?
In this provocative new episode, Dr. Dan welcomes Bruce Holsinger, the author of Culpability to discuss and explore many of our deepest fears around AI, family, resilience, responsibility, and the future of humanity.
A phenomenon, Bruce shares the impact of Oprah Winfrey elevating Culpability, the conversations the novel sparks, and why this gripping fictional story about a family in crisis after a technology fail raises urgent questions we all must face.
Today’s conversation is a call to action for every listener. Leaders, parents, and everyone concerned with the future will feel enlightened and empowered after listening to this timely conversation.
For more information, visit www.bruceholsinger.com and follow @bruceholsingerauthor
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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Sep 18, 2025 • 1h 6min
Little P Purpose: How Small Actions Create Big Impact and Lasting Happiness with Dr. Jordan Grumet
In this energizing new episode, Dr. Dan sits down with physician, author, and podcaster Dr. Jordan Grumet (Doc G) to explore the difference between meaning and purpose—and how understanding this distinction can transform how we live, work, and love. During their insightful conversation, Dr. Dan and Doc G explore defining questions including: What does it truly mean to live a life of purpose? And why chasing big, audacious goals often leaves us feeling empty instead of fulfilled?
Dr. Grumet shares his powerful and personal story from childhood loss and finding community in a small baseball card shop, to his career in medicine and his profound experiences as a hospice doctor. His insights reveal why most of us suffer from “purpose anxiety” and how embracing “little p purpose”—the small, process-oriented actions that light us up—can create joy, resilience, and authentic connection.
Dr. Grumet’s wisdom, work, and books (Taking Stock and The Purpose Code) remind us that purpose is not about proving our worth or chasing achievement—it’s about choosing daily actions that energize us and connect us to others.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, anxious about finding your purpose, or overwhelmed by life’s expectations, this episode will inspire you to slow down, reflect, and embrace the small steps that lead to big change.
For more information visit jordangrumet.com and LinkedIn.
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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Sep 11, 2025 • 1h 8min
The Courage to Be You: Overcoming Fear and Living with Purpose with James Robbins
Today, Dr. Dan explores what it means to answer the call to climb with James Robbins—leadership strategist, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of The Call to Climb: A Story to Find Your Path, Conquer Your Fears, and Fulfill Your Destiny. On this must-listen-to episode, Dr. Dan and James explore the intersection of purpose, courage, authenticity, and resilience, offering listeners a roadmap to living a more aligned and meaningful life.
James shares personal stories with Dr. Dan of facing both real and metaphorical mountains, the struggles of ignoring the “summons of the soul,” and the transformative power of choosing authenticity over programming. From battling inner “dragons” of fear and self-doubt to recognizing patterns that hold us back, this episode is filled with wisdom for leaders and anyone on a journey of self-awareness and growth.
Dan and James cover it all – ego, soul, authenticity, courage, truth, fear, clarity, empowerment – and reveal how the law of a thousand steps (small, consistent actions) fuels resilience.
Whether you’re a leader, a seeker, or simply someone navigating life’s challenges, this episode will inspire you to embrace your authentic self and keep climbing toward your fullest potential.
For more information jamesrobbins.com and follow @james.r.robbins 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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 7min
Habits of High Performance: James Laughlin on Purpose, Resilience, and Leadership with James Laughlin
Dr. Dan interviews seven-time world champion drummer, leadership strategist, and author James Laughlin about his book Habits of High Performance and the key to achieving world-class performance without sacrificing well-being, relationships, and purpose. James has works with elite athletes, prime ministers, and business leaders, and on this episode he shares the secrets to unlocking the essential principles to thrive in life and work.
James shares his personal and inspiring journey from Northern Ireland to the global stage. He tells Dr. Dan about becoming a “possibilitarian”—someone who sees opportunities instead of limitations—and shares practical tools to help listeners align their own values, habits, and purpose. Dr. Dan and James also explore imposter syndrome, habits (vs. hustle), purpose and longevity as well as how facing fears—whether in sports, leadership, or life—opens the door to growth.
Today’s episode will help you grow as a leader by elevating your mindset and giving you strategies to help you thrive.
For more information and follow @JamesLaughlin 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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 7min
Commitment, Courage, and Connection: Lessons on Leadership, Life, and Love with Dr. Michael Chapman
Dr. Dan Peters sits down with longtime family friend and trailblazing orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Michael Chapman for an inspiring conversation. A pioneer in his field, Dr. Chapman helped establish modern trauma surgery in the U.S., co-founded the Orthopedic Trauma Association, and led UC Davis’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery for over two decades.
Dr. Chapman’s life is a testament to serendipity—recognizing unexpected opportunities and having the courage to take them. From his early days on the ski patrol rescuing injured skiers to shaping national trauma care systems, his career has been guided by openness, purpose, and service.
Dr. Chapman also shares heartfelt insights on leadership, why commitment is the cornerstone of long-term relationships, and how his 64-year marriage to his wife Betty has been his greatest joy and motivation. Facing a nine-year battle with lymphoma, Dr. Chapman’s philosophy is simple yet profound: Every day is a good day.
Today’s episode is more than an interview—it’s a masterclass in living well, leading with integrity, and loving deeply.
For more information @ucdavisorthopaedics 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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 2min
Transforming Anxiety, OCD, and Fear into Courage and Connection with Renee Zukin
In a candid and inspiring conversation, Dr. Dan talks to author and educator Renee Zukin to explore her transformative journey through anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, and agoraphobia—and the powerful mindset shifts that helped her reclaim her life.
Today’s episode is about courage, compassion, and connection—a reminder that we are never alone, and that bravery can be found in the smallest, most personal victories. Dr. Dan and Renee discuss what it means to be “beyond brave” on this deeply inspiring episode. Renee shares the origin of her mantra Every Day I’m Brave and how redefining bravery freed her from the trap of comparison. She opens up about her path toward self-compassion, the lessons learned from both Western therapy and Eastern mindfulness practices, and the role of courage in facing fear without letting it dictate her life.
Together, Dr. Dan and Renee explore the duality of fear and love, the significance of curiosity in self-reflection, and how to embrace the aspects of ourselves that carry shame and guilt. This episode is a guide to showing up authentically, asking for help, and believing another path is possible—even when you can’t yet see it.
For more information, visit everydayimbrave.com and follow Renee on Instagram @reneezukin.
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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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

Aug 14, 2025 • 1h 3min
From Ally to Co-Conspirator: Leading with Courage, Compassion, and Purpose with Elise Carter
Dr. Dan is joined by Elise Carter, an award-winning educator, advocate, Executive Director of NICE (Northern Kentucky Inclusive Students in Education), and DEI trailblazer. Elise shares her transformative journey from being the first Black teacher at her high school to co-founding a nonprofit dedicated to inclusion and equity.
During the moving interview, Elise opens up about the pivotal moment when her proposed elective on diversity was shut down after a leaked syllabus triggered community outrage—and how that moment of heartbreak became the spark for something even greater. Through resilience, creativity, and community, Elise helped build NICE, a student-centered nonprofit that empowers marginalized voices and fosters inclusive leadership.
On this episode, Dr. Dan and Elise explore how resilience, curiosity, and authentic leadership can transform trauma into meaningful change. From growing up in a military family to teaching kids how to advocate for themselves, Elise’s story is a masterclass in living with courage, compassion, and purpose.
For more information, visit www.nisenky.org and on Instagram: @nice_nky.
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 and send your questions or guest pitches to 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