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

Episode notes

Welcome to 2026 and all new episodes of Make It a Great One! Today, Dr. Dan sits down with Larry Rosen , creator of The Enemies Project, 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.