Dare to be Different with Craig White

In this episode, elite rugby coach John Mitchell reflects on the personal transformation behind his evolution as a man and leader. He explores the conditioning that shaped his earlier coaching style, the violent attack that forced him to reassess his life, and why relationships and presence now sit at the centre of his leadership. SHOW NOTES: how rugby, boarding school and a results-driven environment shaped his earlier leadership why the attack he experienced in South Africa became a major turning point how he moved beyond purely outcome-focused coaching towards stronger relationships what presence and emotional awareness bring to high-performance environments how his changing approach has affected coaching, intimate relationships and life outside rugby Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, Craig sits down with former Springbok Leader Joe van Niekerk as he reflects on his journey from elite rugby leadership to spiritual inquiry, brotherhood, and a very different definition of strength. The conversation explores grief, identity after sport, plant medicine, vulnerability, and why the deepest work of a man’s life may begin when the old role falls away. SHOW NOTES: - How losing his father at 13 shaped the fearlessness that drove his rugby career - What happened when rugby ended and the next deeper search began - Why ayahuasca, retreats, and time in the jungle became part of his path - How he now defines masculine strength through range, balance, and truth - Why brotherhood, vulnerability, and relationship have become central to his life Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, sex and relationship expert Carla Crivaro explains why men can find themselves wanting more sex just as their partners begin withdrawing from intimacy. The conversation explores sexual disconnection, emotional safety, male shame, performance pressure and the everyday behaviours that can either weaken or rebuild connection. SHOW NOTES: - Why a mismatch in sexual desire often reflects a much wider loss of connection - How mental load and control can create an unhelpful mother-and-son dynamic - Why presence, honesty and emotional discipline help a woman feel safer - How chasing orgasm and performance can pull both partners out of intimacy - How listening, non-sexual touch, check-ins, play and clear boundaries can rebuild closeness Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, former Wales international Rhys Thomas returns for a third time to share what it was like to finally receive the call for a heart transplant after 12 years of waiting. The conversation explores fear, surrender, survival, gratitude, recovery, and how life feels when the future suddenly opens up again. SHOW NOTES what it felt like to receive the call he had waited years for how he approached the operation emotionally and mentally before going under what waking up after the transplant was like and why it felt magical how fear, survival, and uncertainty shaped the years before the operation what he has reclaimed in himself since the transplant, including joy and softness Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, author and relationship coach Alison Armstrong breaks down how women often misunderstand men, and how that misunderstanding creates tension, shame, and conflict in relationships. The conversation explores respect, provision, partnership, emotional control, and the deeper pressures many men carry that women often never see. SHOW NOTES: - Alison’s story and turning point in how she saw men - Respect, appreciation and what men respond to - Purpose, provision and solving problems - Shame, failure and the male experience - Giving, receiving and relational balance - Power struggles and misunderstanding in relationships - Male self-control and emotional intensity - Fear, anger and the “rage monster” Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, highly successful entrepreneur and Bournemouth Sevens founder Dodge Woodall shares what he sees in successful men who look fine on the outside but are struggling underneath. The conversation explores money, risk, burnout, marriage, emotional awareness, and why more men need honest support before things fall apart. SHOW NOTES: Why many men with status, money, and responsibility still feel deeply lost How risk, pressure, and obsession can drive entrepreneurial success and personal cost What has helped him stay connected to his wife through years of building How his parents shaped his self-belief, discipline, and way of relating to people Why unresolved emotion eventually catches up with men in business and in life Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, Craig is joined by Kayse Gehret, a healing arts practitioner and microdosing educator. During the discussion she explains how psilocybin microdosing can support nervous system regulation, emotional healing, and deeper presence. The conversation explores Casey’s personal healing journey, what microdosing actually is, and why so many men are drawn to this work when stress, pressure, and emotional armouring start taking a toll. SHOW NOTES -How losing her father and later developing seizures shaped her healing path -What happened when she first tried psilocybin microdosing for her chronic symptoms -Why many men fear softening, slowing down, and feeling more deeply -How microdosing can support nervous system healing, presence, and intimacy -What to consider around dosage, contraindications, and supporting practices Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, Craig sits down for a second round with renowned men’s coach Traver Boehm to share his experience of a recent 49 day dark retreat. Together they discuss what led him back into a 49-day dark retreat after a season of grief, death, and deep internal change. Traver opens up about fear, initiation, the psychological intensity of total darkness, and how the experience altered the way he works, writes, and lives. SHOW NOTES: - What pushed Traver to return to the dark - Why the 49-day retreat felt like an initiation rather than an adventure - How pain, boredom, grief, and isolation reshaped him - The moment “one life, soul-led, all in” became his new framework for life - What changed in his work and way of relating after he came out Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode, Craig sits down with his wife Sara Carter to explore trauma, embodiment, healing, and the intelligence of the body. Sara shares how surviving rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and disconnection led her into a deep journey of somatic healing, self-trust, and learning how to listen to the body. SHOW NOTES: - How trauma left her numb, dissociated, and disconnected from her body - Why learning to feel safe again became the foundation of her healing - How breath, somatic practice, and authentic movement helped her reconnect with herself - Why women need to honor their cycles, emotions, and inner communication - - How truth, honesty, and emotional ownership can transform relationships Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this conversation, Craig sits down with a sexual energy and intimacy coach Graeme Watefield. Together they break down why so many men carry shame, silence, and confusion around sex. The discussion explores sexual energy in practical terms, how repression shows up in the lives of leader's and why breath, presence, and nervous system regulation matter in intimacy. SHOW NOTES: - How his own journey through compulsive porn use and early ejaculation led him into this work - What he means by “sexual energy” and why many men feel disconnected from it - How shame and repression can affect confidence, intimacy, and the way men relate - Why slowing down, breathing, and feeling the body can change sexual experience - How deeper presence can strengthen intimacy, relationships, and leadership Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This conversation explores modern leadership, emotional awareness, and the inner work required for men to lead with authenticity. The discussion focuses on how many men operate from the mind alone and the importance of reconnecting with the body, emotions, and purpose. SHOW NOTES: Why she became passionate about helping men and male leadership evolve How many men are disconnected from their bodies and emotions What she learned after leaving a career in corporate consultancy Why leadership transformation requires deeper inner work How reconnecting with purpose can change how men lead and live Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

Today Craig welcomes back Rhys Thomas, a former Wales pro rugby player turned inspirational speaker and breathwork facilitator. This conversation explores Rhys' experiences with mortality, transformation, and the journey of learning to embrace death. The discussion reflects on life after professional sport, addiction recovery, spirituality, and turning pain into purpose. SHOW NOTES: - How his heart attack in changed the direction of his life - Why he spent years in “self-destruction, alcoholism, and darkness” after retirement - How hr has confronted the fear of death - How meditation, breathwork, and spirituality helped him find renewed purpose - Why love for his children and partner keeps him moving forward Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

In this episode Craig sits down with Blaire Palmer a former BBC journalist and producer who now has two decades of experience coaching and shaping senior leaders. She is an inspirational speaker, author and expert authority on leadership. This conversation explores leadership, organisational change, and why many leaders struggle when faced with uncertainty and complexity. The discussion examines how leadership models are evolving and why honest conversations inside organisations are often avoided. SHOW NOTES: Why many organisations struggle to adapt to change How leaders often avoid difficult conversations inside teams The leadership patterns that keep organisations stuck Why uncertainty challenges traditional leadership models How modern leadership requires more openness and adaptability Check Blaire out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairepalmer/ https://www.thatpeoplething.com/ Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This conversation explores parts work, men’s groups, and why many men remain stuck in survival patterns from childhood. The discussion focuses on the shift from reactive boyish behaviour to grounded masculine presence. SHOW NOTES: Why “men need men so we can be in it together” How many men are still operating as “scared little boys” What happens when the inner protector runs a man’s life Why breathing and embodiment interrupt survival mode How the shift from “am I” to “I am” changes everything Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This episode features a discussion with Lynsey Chan, a breathwork expert. Craig and Lynsey discuss what breathwork is and the power of breathwork in transformation, especially for men. Together their discussion focuses on how unprocessed experiences can be stored in the body and why integration and behaviour change matter after emotional release. SHOW NOTES: Lynsey's experience and background How overwhelming experiences can become “stored in the body” Why the body moves into fight, flight, or freeze states How breathwork could “revolutionize the world of men” The importance of men learning to trust themselves and the breath Why integration after nervous system reset is where the real work happens Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This episode follows a leadership coach who has successfully rebuilt her identity after a deeply personal crisis, she reflects on her experiences with men in both family life and the corporate world, exploring how emotional suppression and an inability to hold women’s emotions shaped her childhood, her parents’ marriage, and her relationship with her father. This conversation connects personal grief, leadership, and emotional intelligence, revealing how these patterns need to be disrupted in order for real leaders to emerge in the workplaces and inter-personal relationships of today. SHOW NOTES – Introduction and her work as a leadership coach – Losing her baby and the health crisis that changed everything – Rebuilding identity after grief and physical recovery – Men, emotional suppression, and the inability to hold women’s pain – How her parents’ marriage broke down – Her strained and painful relationship with her father – Parallels between family dynamics and the corporate world – What leadership looks like when emotional safety is missing – Redefining strength, vulnerability, and purpose Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This episode explores the journey of a former rugby player turned business owner and father of five. Through moments of reflection, he opens up about the pressures of performance, emotional growth, and what truly matters when juggling success and family life. SHOW NOTES How rugby and construction shaped his early identity The role fatherhood plays in his decision-making Why people pleasing became a hidden pattern How family teamwork became a central value Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

This episode Craig explores the inner landscape of men’s mental health with a psychotherapist who has spent decades helping her clients heal shame, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with their inner strength. With a deeply personal share, grounded insights and practical tools, this conversation invites men and women to feel again — and heal from the inside out. In this episode, Ella reveals: A personal story of trauma and how it shaped perception of men Why shame and self-criticism often block emotional healing How trauma can be stored physically and subconsciously Why many men feel unsafe sharing emotional pain Understanding the cycles of abuse and emotional complexity Why nervous system regulation is key to transformation Agreements for emotional safety in relationships Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

Known for his fierce competitiveness and unrelenting drive, Mike Brown opens up in this episode about the emotional fuel behind his rugby career. From growing up with a chip on his shoulder to becoming one of England’s most respected full-backs, Mike shares the untold side of performance — anger, isolation, identity, and transformation. He now uses everything he learned to help build healthier high-performance cultures. SHOW NOTES Why anger and rejection shaped his rugby identity How his childhood created a need to constantly prove himself The emotional cost of elite performance How becoming a father changed his purpose What true leadership looks like beyond the pitch Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/

Former England Rugby captain and World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio shares the story behind the success — a life marked by personal tragedy, grief, leadership under pressure, and the cost of never pausing to feel. In this grounded and emotionally open conversation, Lawrence reveals how rugby became his escape, how family loss shaped his identity, and why vulnerability has taken him a lifetime to access. SHOW NOTES How grief shaped his purpose and drive in rugby The emotional cost of never stopping to feel Why sport gave him identity, validation, and structure How being a leader meant carrying pain with silence His mission today to help excluded young people find hope Season 3 is proudly sponsored by Lightside Financial Planning - a fiercely independent, Liverpool-based firm focused on clear, human conversations about money. Find out more at https://lightsidefp.co.uk/