What separates elite coaches from good ones? It’s not just technique. It’s not just presence. It’s the ability to think at a much higher level.

In this episode, Craig sits down with developmental psychologist Dr. Darren Stevens for a deep dive on why most coaches unknowingly operate below the level of their clients and what it really takes operate at the next level of human development and performance.

Dr Darren Steven is a University lecturer, researcher, and author, he is the founder of 'Constructed Development Theory'. A breakthrough psychological approach to adult development that focuses on self-awareness through understanding the unconscious use of mental shortcuts. His theory offers a practical process to elevate levels of thinking to promote personal growth.

This is a conversation for the coaches, leaders, and self development seekers who are ready to evolve beyond their limitations and step towards the next level of human development and mastery.


SHOW NOTES

- Why coaches must think above the level of their clients
- The critical role of pattern recognition in transformation
- How traditional coaching qualifications fall short
- What happens when a client outpaces the coach
- How to step into “next-level” coaching that truly changes lives

In this episode, Craig White sits down with Leadership coach Benjamin Owen.

Ben opens up about his personal journey and the patterns that have shaped him: father dynamics, self-story and self-sabotage, the role of coaches and teams, and the small practices he uses to steady himself.

In this conversation we discuss:
- Why hiding parts of yourself limits your power as a coach
- The ripple effect of radical transparency in group settings
- How to embody love and openness in professional life
- Men's retreats and the tools that create transformation
- Integrating leadership with emotional awareness
- Creating space for others by going first
- Fatherhood dynamics and the effect on leadership

SHOW NOTES

– Intro & Ben’s background

– Growing up & father dynamics

– Self-sabotage & early struggles

– Recovery, coaches & support network

– Performance, teams & business

– Relationships & family

Clarke Carlisle was once known as the “brainiest footballer” — a Premier League defender, PFA chairman, and TV pundit.

But behind the public persona was a man crumbling under the weight of expectation, alcohol dependency, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Clarke sits down with Craig White to talk about the cost of tying your identity to performance, the masks men wear to survive, and the brutal reality of hitting rock bottom.

He also shares the turning point that changed his life in 2017 - discovering cognitive analytical therapy (CAT), finding hope, and learning how to rebuild as a father, husband, and leader.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by your own success, or wondered what it takes to come back from the darkest places, this conversation will hit home.

Show Notes

Identity & Collapse

• How injury and loss of football destroyed Clark’s sense of worth
• The dangers of tying identity to performance

Alcohol, Avoidance & The Mask

• Drinking, gambling, gaming — and the exhausting cost of hiding struggles
• The mask men wear to survive

Rock Bottom

• Depression, hypersomnia, bottles by the bed
• Suicide attempts and the moment he almost didn’t survive

The Turning Point

• 2017: NHS psychiatric hospital and cognitive analytical therapy (CAT)
• How CAT therapy gave him hope and a way out

Purpose & Transformation

• Rebuilding as a husband, father, and leader
• Turning his mess into his message with his wife
• Why speaking out, and knowing who to talk to, saves lives

Denis Betts is a rugby league legend.

But behind the trophies and the Great Britain caps lies a story about ego, endings, and learning what really matters.

In this raw and revealing conversation, Denis and I dive into:

• Why he chose to let go of anger in his mid-twenties
• The clash of egos and the regret of stepping away too soon
• The role of family and the influence of strong women in his life
• What coaching Wigan Women has taught him about leadership
• Why joy and purpose matter more than medals

This is Denis Betts like you’ve never heard him before.

SHOW NOTES

The Making of a Legend

• Dennis’s rise at Wigan and Great Britain
• What success looked like in a golden era of rugby league

Family, Joy & Simplicity

• Why his happiest moments weren’t always on the pitch
• Grass, sun, family dinners — finding joy in the small things

Letting Go of Anger

• The moment he decided anger wasn’t serving him anymore
• Playing a violent sport without carrying violence inside

Ego, Endings & Regret

• The clashing egos that led to his retirement
• The regret of stepping away too soon
• Lessons from endings and identity beyond sport

Strong Women & Leadership

• Raising three daughters and how it shaped him
• Coaching Wigan Warriors Women
• What leadership really means when you adapt to the people in front of you

I first coached James Haskell when he was a teenager - he had big energy, big personality, and was full of potential. But beneath the surface, he was carrying self-doubt, pressure, and a deep need to prove himself.

In this episode, we sit down for a raw and honest conversation about what was really going on behind the image.

We talk about:

• The impact of being medicated from age 10 and surviving boarding school
• Why he spent years performing, without knowing who he really was
• What therapy helped him uncover about self-worth, confidence, and anger
• The moment he saw his dad's "shadows" for the first time
• Why strength without emotional range isn't leadership
• How marriage, grief, and failure shaped the man he’s becoming

It’s not about rugby. It’s about the work men have to do when the noise stops, and the feelings finally catch up.

Mike Bates grew up in chaos - violence, instability and the deep belief that he wasn’t enough. That belief followed him through the military, into high-stakes leadership, and even across a solo Atlantic row.

In this episode, Mike shares how childhood trauma shaped his mindset, relationships and sense of identity, and what it took to finally let go of performance and prove nothing to no one.

We talk about the rope climb that changed his life, the cost of people-pleasing, and how Brazilian jiu-jitsu helped him discover real emotional strength.

You’ll hear about:

• Growing up without his dad and how that created a fear of abandonment
• Using performance as a way to earn love and worth
• His transformation from elite leadership to emotional depth
• Why leadership without inner work eventually breaks down
• How jiu-jitsu reveals who you really are when everything else is stripped away

This is a story about limits, letting go, and learning to lead yourself first.

Wigan Warriors rugby league star and former Leeds Rhinos captain Kruise Leeming joins me for an honest, powerful conversation about leadership, loss, identity, and emotional growth.

At just eight years old, Kruise lost his dad and was immediately told he was now “the man of the house.” That moment shaped everything: his drive, his discipline, and his approach to sport and leadership. But as he opens up here, it also left scars.

We explore:

• The pressure of early responsibility
• The cost of performance-first leadership
• Owning past mistakes and letting go of guilt
• Reconnecting with faith, vulnerability and inner peace
• Becoming a better man — for himself and the people around him

Kruise speaks openly about the things he got wrong, the people he wishes he’d said sorry to, and how he’s learning to show up differently on and off the pitch.

This episode goes beyond sport. It’s about identity, masculinity, grief, and the courage it takes to slow down and change.

Show Notes

Kruise’s Journey into Manhood

• Losing his father at age 8
• Taking on responsibility too young
• Being told: “You’re the man of the house now”
• His mum’s role in keeping him disciplined

Sport as an Escape and a Mirror

• Finding rugby by chance
• Why individual sports weren’t enough
• Realising rugby gave him belonging and identity
• Feeling seen for the first time

The Drive to Succeed and What It Cost

• His obsession with performance
• Leadership at Leeds and the emotional disconnect
• How “winning” became a way to avoid feeling
• The relationships and moments he regrets missing

The Turning Point

• Grace (his partner) giving him permission to be vulnerable
• Starting to question: “Why does that trigger me?”
• Stepping into real masculinity, not performative strength

Faith, Reflection and Slowing Down

• Losing belief in God – and slowly finding it again
• How faith helps him see beauty in difference
• Letting go of judgement and control

Mentors, Father Figures and Role Models

• The influence of his grandad and Gaz Greenwood
• Learning discipline, respect, and how to carry yourself
• The power of being held to a high standard

Leadership, Identity and the Work Ahead

• Learning to lead without anger
• Understanding himself through CliftonStrengths
• Starting to feel free to be himself again at Wigan
• Looking ahead to life after rugby: speaking, coaching, and helping others

Daniel Granger looked like he had it all.

A successful hairdresser. A public figure. TV appearances. A big personality. But behind the scenes? He was exhausted. Addicted. Broken.

In this raw and honest episode, Dan sits down with me to share the truth behind the mask. From childhood trauma and addiction to homelessness, suicide attempts and deep-rooted mistrust of men, this is a story about surviving, and eventually healing.

Dan talks about:

• Growing up in chaos and losing his dad at 8
• Finding safety in feminine spaces after being abused by the men in his life
• How fatherhood gave him purpose—but didn’t fix the pain
• What it really took to feel safe in his own skin: retreats, rituals, boxing, plant medicine
• And why he now shows up for other men the way he always wished someone had shown up for him

This isn’t a story about fame or business. It’s a story about what it takes to become the man you never had.

Show Notes

The Masks We Wear

• Why performing success left Dan feeling more alone than ever
• The moment he hit rock bottom and called Craig for help

Childhood Trauma & Safety in Femininity

• Abuse, abandonment, and the death of his father at 8
• Why Dan gravitated towards women and struggled to trust men

Homeless at 13 – Finding Tribe in Unlikely Places

• Building a hut in a park
• Taken in by a Christian men’s community that changed his life

Healing Through Brotherhood

• Learning to feel safe around men through retreats and boxing
• Grieving his father for the first time during a San Pedro ceremony

Becoming a Man You Actually Like

• Letting go of addiction and old identities
• The power of fatherhood, purpose, and helping others heal

Dan’s Mission Today

• Creating safe spaces for men
• Why his legacy won’t be built behind a salon chair, but in the hearts of the men he reaches