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

In this inspiring and illuminating conversation, Dr. Dan sits down with Inna Segal, bestselling author of The Secret Language of Your Body, 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 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 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

Dr. Dan sits down with leadership researcher, author, and mindset expert Dr. Ryan Gottfredson 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 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 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

Dr. Dan welcomes 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, 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 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 and follow @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 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

Dr. Dan interviews coach, Enneagram teacher, and author Courtney Smith 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 By Elise Loehnen and Courtney Smith, 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 and follow Courtney Smith on Substack. 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

Artist and writer John Guillemette joins Dr. Dan for a moving conversation about paradox, purpose, and the transformative power of creativity. From being misdiagnosed and over-medicated to rediscovering balance and meaning as a hospital janitor during the pandemic, John’s story reveals how struggle can become the source of wisdom. Together, John and Dr. Dan explore the courage it takes to live authentically, the importance of self-discovery through art, and the beauty of collaboration that honors our shared humanity. They discuss John’s acclaimed illustration work with repeat MIAGO guest Dr. Gina Barreca on Gina School: It’s Not What They Teach You, It’s What They Learn, and his upcoming illustrated memoir Relapse of a Recovering Ego Addict. This episode is a meditation on growth, resilience, and what it means to “make it a great one” — even when life feels messy, strange, or contradictory. For more information, visit musingjohn.com and follow @musing_john 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 #MakeItAGreatOne #DrDanPeters #JohnGuillemette #Creativity #Resilience #Authenticity #Mindset #Growth #SelfAwareness #ArtAndHealing #Leadership #Connection #Courage #Inspiration #Humanity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this powerful and honest conversation, Dr. Dan Peters talks with Erin Gallagher–CEO, author, and founder of the Hype Women movement—about what it truly means to remember who you are and break free from systems, expectations, and internalized beliefs that keep us small. Erin shares her journey of trauma, transformation, triumph, and how she turned a viral moment into a global movement with Dr. Dan, highlighting as her journey from pain into purpose and self-doubt into empowerment. Together, she and Dr. Dan explore how women (and everyone) can challenge patriarchal conditioning, set boundaries without guilt, embrace duality, and step into their full, authentic selves. This episode is about courage, self-awareness, and the radical act of hyping others up as we rise together. Erin reminds us that empowerment starts with asking, “Is it still working?”—and having the bravery to make a different choice when it’s not. For more information, visit www.hypewomen.com and follow on Instagram @erin.gallag.her 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

Dr. Dan sits down with Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Chief Strategy Officer at Culture Partners, keynote speaker, researcher, and author of Surrender to Lead. Jessica’s powerful story—from self-driven executive to spiritually grounded leader—reveals how surrendering control, embracing faith, and leading with love can transform both personal and professional life. Jessica shares the profound spiritual awakening that reshaped her life following her father’s death, her journey as a death doula, and the lessons she’s learned about presence, compassion, and purpose. Together, Dr. Dan and Jessica explore how the principles of surrender, love, and faith create healthier workplaces, stronger leaders, and more humane organizations. Through inspiring stories and real-world examples, Jessica explains her SHIFT framework (Stop fighting reality, Have faith, Identify what’s yours, Free yourself from fear, and Take the next right action) and how this model drives results while honoring humanity. From leading corporate change to parenting with intention, this conversation reminds us that surrender isn’t giving up—it’s opening up. For more information, visit www.jessicakriegel.com and follow @jess_kriegel 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

Dr. Dan welcomes Dr. David Lesch, acclaimed scholar and former Los Angeles Dodgers draft pick, and Catherine Nixon Cooke, award-winning author and explorer, to discuss Dodgers to Damascus: David Lesch's Journey from Baseball to the Middle East a powerful biography that traces David’s extraordinary path from the baseball diamond to international diplomacy. Dr. Dan, David, and Catherine discuss how resilience, humility, and integrity shape a meaningful life—and how lessons from the pitcher’s mound can translate into peacemaking in the Middle East. Catherine shares insights from her deep research and collaboration with David, revealing universal truths about leadership, empathy, and service. This inspiring conversation reminds us that connection and courtesy can heal divides, that listening is an act of courage, and that being a “possibilist”—someone who sees what can be—is how we move forward as individuals and as a global community. For more information, visit www.catherinenixoncooke.com and follow @drdavidlesch and @catherinenixoncooke 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

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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