Voyage Clinics Podcast

By Dr. John Sanders

Welcome to the Voyage Clinics Podcast, where curiosity meets medical expertise. Join your host, Dr. John Sanders, a compassionate family physician, as he embarks on a journey through the intricacies o... more

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FAQs about Voyage Clinics Podcast:

How many episodes does Voyage Clinics Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 73 episodes available.

Voyage Clinics Podcast episodes:

March 25, 2026Mindset and Health Coaching with Jared Smithson | How Habits Shape Resilience and Growth
Health coaching, mindset, and resilience take center stage as Dr. John Sanders talks with Jared Smithson about building better habits and creating lasting personal change. Jared shares how grief, weight gain, coaching, and hard-earned self-awareness shaped his approach to health, growth, and living with more intention.

The conversation explores creator mindset, habit change, emotional regulation, conscious leadership, and the challenge of helping kids grow without rescuing them from discomfort. It is a grounded discussion on personal development, health and wellness, parenting, coaching, and the kind of resilience that is built over time.

Chapters
[Start] Jared Smithson’s Health Journey: From athlete identity and weight gain to grief, health struggles, and a new path forward.
05:57 Why Dissatisfaction Can Drive Change: How discomfort can become the starting point for vision, growth, and personal transformation.
16:06 Creator Mindset, Habits, and Coaching: Jared explains above-the-line thinking, growth mindset, and the role of coaching in real change.
33:05 Raising Resilient Kids Without Over-Rescuing: A practical look at parenting, youth coaching, anxiety, and building resilience through discomfort.

Links & Resources
https://voyageclinics.com/
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp
The Conscious Leadership Group
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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51min
March 18, 2026Emotional Intelligence and Neuroplasticity | How to Rewire Your Brain for Better Mental Health
Our brain is capable of change. So how can we rewire ourselves for better emotional health?

Dr. John Sanders looks at two powerful drivers of mental and emotional health: emotional intelligence and neuroplasticity. Drawing from clinical experience and personal reflection, he breaks down what emotional intelligence really means and how our ability to utilize it can shape our overall well-being. He also explores how chronic stress can quietly diminish these capacities over time.

Dr. Sanders also touches on the brain’s ability to adapt and grow (called neuroplasticity), and explains how it directly supports emotional resilience and long-term health. By using examples and practical tools, he offers actionable ways to improve both emotional awareness and cognitive flexibility. This episode serves as both an educational overview and a grounded reminder that growth is always possible when we create space to reflect, recover, and recalibrate.

Chapters
[Start] About Dr. John Sanders: An introduction to Dr. John Sanders and his work and hobbies.
02:45 What Is Emotional Intelligence?: Defining emotional intelligence and its four core components.
08:42 Growing Emotional Intelligence: Practical ways to grow emotional awareness in everyday life.
16:24 Emotional Intelligence Tools: An introduction to the “RULER” framework and other tools to help build emotional intelligence.
26:44 Rewiring the Brain for Growth: Different physical practices that can promote healthier brain growth patterns over time.

Links & Resources
https://voyageclinics.com/

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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43min
March 11, 2026 Dr. John Sanders and Ryan Hokanson | Small Circles, Big Connection
In this episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast, Dr. John Sanders welcomes presence coach Ryan Hokanson for a powerful conversation about self-connection, emotional awareness, and living a more grounded life. Ryan shares his journey from growing up on a ranch in Nebraska to dedicating his life to helping others cultivate presence and self-love. The discussion begins with reflections on grit, hard work, and how modern life often pulls us away from emotional connection. Together, they explore how many high-achieving individuals—even those who are outwardly successful—struggle to experience genuine joy because they’ve lost touch with their inner emotional world.

A central theme of the episode is the cost of emotional suppression. Ryan explains how, beginning in early childhood, subtle experiences teach us to mute our emotions—especially sadness and vulnerability. Over time, this narrowing of emotional expression limits not only our pain but also our capacity for joy. Dr. Sanders relates this to the culture of medicine, where high performance, speed, and left-brain analytical thinking dominate, often at the expense of emotional processing. They discuss the importance of slowing down, breathing deeply, and asking reflective questions like, “What do I need right now?” as a pathway back to presence. Ryan emphasizes that fulfillment does not come from external achievements but from reconnecting to the self in the present moment.

The episode also explores practical tools for cultivating presence: repairing relationships through sincere apology, regulating emotions rather than suppressing them, subtracting distractions (like social media overexposure), and learning to be fully with the person in front of you. One of Ryan’s most powerful insights is that the most important person in your life is the one you are with right now—and that includes yourself. By shifting from fixing and controlling to creating and connecting, Dr. Sanders shares how his own parenting transformed when he released the belief that it was his job to “fix” everything. Ultimately, the conversation invites listeners to slow down, embrace emotional intelligence, and rediscover contentment—not somewhere in the future, but here and now.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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1h 5min
February 18, 2026 Dr. John with Paige Moore | Movement Is Medicine: Strength Training and Resilient Minds
In this episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast, Dr. John welcomes Paige Moore back for a second conversation, exploring her evolving journey through medicine, athletics, and personal health. Paige shares her educational path—from a neuroscience degree at BYU, to a master’s in exercise science and athletic training, and now her final year at an osteopathic medical school as she prepares to match into Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She reflects on how her early experiences as a gymnast and cheerleader, coupled with a history of concussions, shaped her fascination with the brain, movement, and healing. Throughout the discussion, the importance of mentorship, adaptability, and listening to one’s internal sense of calling in medicine is emphasized.

The conversation then moves into a deeply personal and clinically rich discussion about connective tissue disorders, particularly hypermobility spectrum disorders and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Paige recounts decades of chronic pain, instability, and inconclusive testing before finally receiving validation through a clinical diagnosis during her athletic training years. This moment reframed her experience—not as unexplained suffering, but as a condition that could be understood and managed. Dr. John and Paige discuss how hypermobility often goes undiagnosed, the overlap with conditions like Marfan syndrome, the role of family genetics, and why clinical diagnosis and education are often more impactful than expensive genetic testing when treatment plans remain the same.

The latter half of the episode focuses on practical and hopeful management strategies, centering on strength training, stability, movement, and mindset. Paige details her structured approach to resistance training—balancing push/pull movements, combining dynamic and isometric work, and avoiding end-range instability—to reduce pain and calm her nervous system. Together, they explore the emotional toll of chronic pain, the risks of victim mentality, and the importance of psychological resilience. The episode closes with a powerful message: movement is medicine, acceptance is not surrender, and understanding one’s body empowers patients to live full, meaningful lives despite chronic conditions.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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55min
February 11, 2026 Dr. John Sanders | Viruses, Immunity, and What Actually Works During Cold & Flu Season
In this solo episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast, Dr. John Sanders walks listeners through cold and flu season with a practical, experience-based lens rooted in family medicine. He begins by sharing his background as a rural and small-town physician, setting the tone for a grounded, community-oriented discussion. With the holidays approaching, Dr. John frames the episode as an educational—but approachable—conversation meant to help families better understand what’s circulating during winter, how viruses spread, and why nuance in healthcare decisions matters. He emphasizes that this is not personal medical advice, but rather guidance to help listeners have more informed conversations with their own doctors.

Dr. Sanders breaks down the basics of virology in plain language, explaining vectors of transmission, incubation periods, contagiousness versus virulence, and why immune maturity matters—especially when comparing children and adults. He clarifies common misconceptions around viral spread, immunity, and herd immunity, using COVID and influenza as case studies while advocating for thoughtful, risk-based decision-making. He explains why some viruses cause long-lasting immunity while others do not, why kids tend to get sicker than adults, and how stress, sleep, nutrition, and movement play a critical role in immune resilience. Throughout, he reinforces prevention as the cornerstone of staying healthy during cold and flu season.

The latter half of the episode focuses on practical symptom management for common colds, influenza, and GI viruses. Dr. John outlines evidence-based approaches to mucus management, hydration, fever control, and when to consider medical evaluation—particularly for high-risk populations. He cautions against overuse of combination cold medicines, discusses supplements and natural remedies with an evidence-informed perspective, and highlights trusted resources for both patients and physicians. The episode closes with a reminder that rest, stress reduction, exercise, and joy are essential components of health—and that caring for the immune system is as much about lifestyle and connection as it is about medicine.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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39min
February 04, 2026 Dr. John with Dr. Bernard | From Burnout to Belonging: A Physician’s Journey
In this episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast, Dr. John Sanders is joined by Dr. Bernard, a family physician in Florida, to explore the deeply human side of medicine. They begin by reflecting on their medical training, shared roots in family medicine, and the importance of balancing science with the art of care. Dr. Bernard describes her educational path—including her background in sociology—and explains how social sciences, psychology, and even theater have shaped her ability to connect with patients. Together, they emphasize that medicine is not purely technical; it is relational, creative, and profoundly influenced by empathy and communication.

Dr. Bernard then shares her powerful personal journey through rural medicine, federally qualified health centers, and hospital-based practice. She describes caring for high-need populations, navigating intense emotional trauma, and experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout within rigid, bureaucratic healthcare systems. Despite changing environments—from underserved migrant communities to affluent hospital settings—the systemic issues remained the same. This led to a dark period marked by depression and feeling trapped in a profession she once loved, ultimately prompting her to seek help and question whether she could continue practicing medicine at all.

The conversation culminates in a hopeful discussion of direct primary care (DPC) as a model that restores trust, time, autonomy, and healing—for both patients and physicians. Dr. Bernard explains how DPC allowed her to reclaim joy in medicine, build meaningful relationships, and rediscover her identity beyond burnout. Together, she and Dr. Sanders explore themes of physician wellness, emotional intelligence, cognitive behavioral tools, motivational interviewing, and the therapeutic power of trust. The episode closes with a shared conviction that rebuilding healthcare through relationship-centered care can heal trauma, sustain physicians, inspire future doctors, and ultimately bring humanity back to medicine.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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50min
January 28, 2026 Dr. John with Gary Peterson | Ownership, Accountability, and Unconditional Love
In this episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast, Dr. John welcomes longtime friend and mentor Gary Peterson, who is wrapping up a remarkable 38-year career at O.C. Tanner. Gary shares his journey from intern to senior leader and reflects on how the company transformed from a top-down, autocratic manufacturing culture into a people-centered, team-based organization. O.C. Tanner’s mission of employee recognition and meaningful connection became especially vital during COVID, when companies sought new ways to engage remote teams. Throughout the conversation, Gary emphasizes that recognition systems only work when they are built on genuine respect, trust, and a healthy organizational culture.

Gary dives deeply into leadership evolution, describing how empowering the people closest to the work led to dramatic improvements in quality, ownership, and morale. He recounts pivotal moments—including being coached to stop solving everyone else’s problems—that helped him recognize his own blind spots. By shifting managers from controllers to coaches and fostering regular human connection through simple practices like weekly one-on-one conversations, O.C. Tanner cultivated a workplace where employees felt confident, capable, and valued. The result was not just a stronger business, but people who carried that confidence into their families and communities.

The discussion broadens beyond business into family life, parenting, emotional intelligence, and neuroplasticity. Dr. John and Gary explore how the same principles—curiosity over judgment, vulnerability, self-reflection, and unconditional love—apply to marriages, raising teenagers, and personal growth. Gary shares practical self-evaluation tools, daily habits, and the profound impact of learning not to take offense, particularly in his marriage. The episode closes with a powerful reminder: every person we encounter has something to teach us, and when leaders create space for trust, forgiveness, and growth, individuals—and entire organizations—can truly become their best selves.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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54min
December 31, 2025 Dr. John and Shaunna with Dr. Amanda | Martyrs and Saints: Rewriting Motherhood and Medicine
This episode of the Voyage Clinics Podcast opens with a powerful and intimate poem by Shaunna Sanders, “Martyrs and Saints,” which reframes motherhood away from exhaustion, self-denial, and moralized sacrifice. The poem challenges cultural and religious narratives that equate worthiness with sleeplessness, constant service, and self-erasure, offering instead a vision of womanhood rooted in rest, boundaries, self-awareness, and divine reflection. It serves as the emotional foundation for a broader conversation about motherhood, identity, and calling.

Dr. Amanda Primensberger joins Dr. John Sanders and Shaunna to explore the realities of navigating motherhood alongside demanding professional roles in medicine. They reflect on generational expectations of “doing it all,” the loss of self that can occur in both traditional and professional paths, and the pressure placed on women to sacrifice without limits. Dr. Primensberger shares personal stories from medical training and early motherhood that highlight the moral injury, burnout, and family strain caused by rigid healthcare systems that prioritize productivity over humanity.

The conversation culminates in Dr. Primensberger’s decision to leave traditional healthcare and build a Direct Primary Care practice aligned with her values. By choosing flexibility, transparency, and relational care, she reclaimed presence at home and meaning at work, while modeling courage and sacrifice for her children. The episode ultimately affirms that choosing boundaries, embracing seasons of life, and pursuing alignment over martyrdom can lead to deeper connection, better care, and a more sustainable, integrated life.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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58min
December 24, 2025 Dr John and Sam Crane | Intentional Health: From Burnout to Biopsychosocial Wellness
Dr. John talks with longtime friend Samuel Crane, a credit union CEO and entrepreneur from Moab, about Sam’s multi-year health journey from burnout, brain fog, and obesity to intentional, sustainable wellness. Sam describes hitting a breaking point when he couldn’t remember the word “cucumber” at Subway, realizing that his stress, extra weight, and poor diet were threatening his future with his family. That wake-up call led Sam to start with exercise, mountain biking with an “accountability buddy,” and then move into a strict whole-food “cleanse” of meat and vegetables, which brought intense sugar/carb withdrawals but meaningful progress.

As Sam shares his journey, the friends dive into how modern processed food and constant overextension create a “metabolic syndrome” culture, people who are technically “well” but tired, foggy, overweight, and inflamed. Dr. John explains the science of mitochondrial function, inflammation, cortisol, and the benefits of morning exercise and intermittent fasting (eating in a shorter window, especially earlier in the day). Sam shares how he used intermittent fasting, periodic prolonged fasts, and ongoing tweaks (guided by DEXA scans and labs) to lose weight, preserve muscle, and reset cravings. Over time, his example, without forcing anyone, shifted his family’s and coworkers’ habits, improved his leadership and energy at work, and helped his kids become more interested in exercise and nutrition.

The episode ends with a practical takeaway: shop the perimeter of the grocery store, reduce processed foods, find movement you actually enjoy with a community, and be “intentionally imperfect”, course-correct when you slip, rather than giving up.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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50min
December 17, 2025 Dr. John and Justin Olsen | Stress, Resilience, and the Power of Reframing
Dr. John sits down with therapist Justin Olsen, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, to talk about stress, resilience, and mental health. Justin explains that stress is unavoidable, and actually necessary in healthy amounts. Too little stress can lead to lack of purpose and depression, while too much overwhelms us. The key difference between “good stress” (eustress) and “bad stress” (distress) is how we frame it in our minds. Using ideas from cognitive behavioral therapy, Justin describes how situations trigger thoughts, which create emotions, which drive our actions, and how we can reclaim power by examining and reshaping those thoughts. They also discuss grief and loss, acknowledging that some pain should hurt, and that time, meaning-making, and reframing help us move from being consumed by the “black hole” of loss to living alongside it.

Human connection comes up as a major buffer against stress. Justin and Dr. John talk about the power of small, consistent acts of kindness, texting a loved one, thanking someone, opening a door, as well as intentionally reaching out instead of waiting to be noticed. They highlight research showing that believing your body can handle stress and staying connected to others is more protective than trying to avoid stress altogether. From a resilience standpoint, Justin uses the metaphor of a reservoir: life’s hardships constantly drain water, so we must actively refill it. He focuses on five core practices, adequate sleep, reasonably healthy eating, regular exercise, supportive relationships, and doing things that genuinely make you happy.

To build resilience, they emphasize simple, repeatable habits rather than dramatic life overhauls, date nights, boundaries at work, hobbies like pickleball or guitar, and movement that boosts brain chemistry and neuroplasticity. They suggest that therapy is especially helpful when stress, grief, or habits are clearly interfering with daily life, work, relationships, motivation, or health. Justin closes with a powerful question from resilience research: “Is what I’m doing right now helping me or hurting me?” If it’s helping, lean in; if it’s hurting, gently choose something kinder for yourself.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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47min

FAQs about Voyage Clinics Podcast:

How many episodes does Voyage Clinics Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 73 episodes available.