Looking for something specific? Use my linktree bio to help.

Leading Through Stories: Enhancing Storyteller Wellbeing

In the first podcast episode of Season 3 of Leading Through Stories, we dive deep into the world of digital storytelling with Mike Lang, the founder of Common Language Digital Storytelling. Mike discusses the importance of storyteller wellbeing, an aspect that is often overlooked but plays a critical role in the process of creating and sharing narratives.

Mike, who is not only a digital storytelling leader but also a researcher, shares insights from his PhD work on Digital Storytelling in Healthcare Settings. His findings underscore the potential of digital storytelling to empower patients and their families, enabling them to share their experiences in meaningful ways. This power of expression can significantly enhance their wellbeing, focusing on the therapeutic intent embedded in the process of storytelling.

Throughout the episode, Mike stresses the importance of emotional preparedness in handling storytelling. Storytellers often navigate through the highs and lows of life-altering decisions and experiences. The ability to manage these emotions and provide care and support for the storytellers is crucial for any facilitator.

The podcast episode offers insights into Mike’s work with a group of young adult cancer survivors for his PhD documentary, Emerging Horizons. Mike discusses his experience of recognizing one of the workshop participant’s intense emotions and providing her the support she needed. This narrative sheds light on the human side of digital storytelling, emphasizing the importance of care and concern for storytellers.

The conversation then transitions into the ethical considerations involved in digital storytelling. Mike addresses the dichotomy between academic and practical approaches to ethics, explaining how the academic tendency to de-identify and control every aspect of a story can be counterproductive. In contrast, digital storytelling promotes a more inclusive and empathetic approach, respecting the storyteller’s desire to be part of their narrative.

The podcast concludes with a discussion on the empowering potential of digital storytelling. Kristy shares an anecdote from the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, where she shared a story from Jen Siran’s digital story, Day One. The experience underscored the value of storytelling and conversation in creating meaning from experiences and enhancing storyteller wellbeing.

The insights from this episode serve as a stark reminder of the human side of digital storytelling; a side that requires respect, understanding, and care. It is a call to action for all of us involved in the realm of digital storytelling to ensure the well-being of the storytellers is prioritized. After all, it is their experiences and their voices that breathe life into the narratives that we share.

“If there’s one overarching thing I would think about it’s opening and closing wounds. When you ask someone to tell a story about a healthcare experience or a meaningful moment in their life, it sort of opens a bit of a wound in their soul… When it comes to storyteller wellbeing, we just need to make sure that when we open someone’s wound, that we hold space for that wound to be open, but also at some point, help people close it.”
~ Mike Lang PhD

About Our Guest

Mike Lang is a digital storytelling facilitator, health researcher, filmmaker and founder of Common Language DST. He has directed and produced five feature length documentaries and two web series about the human health experience in addition to publishing academic research articles and facilitating the creation of over 800 digital stories. Mike’s professional and research focus is on using digital storytelling and documentary filmmaking in an education/advocacy, quality improvement, research, and therapeutic capacity within healthcare systems.

Website: mikelangstories.com
All Social Media: @mikelangstories

Common Language DST facilitator trainings are open for registration.
Learn more here.

About Leading Through Stories

Everyone has a story to tell—and what we do with that story can create lasting impact. Every episode, Leading Through Stories, helps unravel the how and why of digital storytelling with host Kristy Wolfe.

Life is made up of meaningful moments—which ones do you want to share?


Don’t miss an episode from Leading Through Stories!

Sign up for the Leading Through Stories newsletter, follow us on Instagram @LeadingThroughStories and subscribe on your favourite podcast platform.

Unveiling the Impact of a Story Screening: A Deep Dive into Digital Storytelling Leading Through Stories

Get ready to be taken on a journey through the fascinating world of digital storytelling. Promising to be a deep-dive into the realm of personal narratives and their potency, we welcome three guests, Cindy McDonald, Christie Oswald, and Kathleen Shearer. Each of them brings to the table their unique experiences, highlighting the meaningful moments that sparked their digital stories which were recently shared a screening event in Edmonton.As we progress, we step into the excitement of sharing personal stories. Our guests share their roller coaster of emotions, from the exhilaration to the nervous anticipation, and the deep sense of fulfillment that engulfs a storyteller when their digital story resonates with the audience. You'll hear about the integral role of family and friends in bolstering the narrator's confidence, the bond of trust with the host, and the heartwarming effects of sharing stories with a larger audience. Diving into the profound impact of digital storytelling, we dissect our own experiences and the conversations that ensue from these digital narratives. Unveiling the potential of digital storytelling as a powerful tool for advocacy and initiating dialogue, we underscore its effectiveness in bridging gaps and sharing meaningful experiences. Together, we unravel the immense power vested in digital storytelling and the deep connections it can forge. This episode serves as a testament to the transformative potential of sharing unique stories, encouraging everyone to embrace their experiences and paint them onto a digital canvas.Digital Story LinksThink Like a Parent Christie Oswald created her digital story as part of her Masters of Social Work capstone project at the University of Alberta in the spring of 2023. A New Path Forward Kathleen Shearer created her story, A New Path Forward, during a workshop for medical parents. The Soul System Cindy McDonald shares her story of healing after being diagnosed with postpartum depression and surviving a suicide attempt. About Leading Through StoriesEveryone has a story to tell—and what we do with that story can create lasting impact. Every episode, Leading Through Stories, helps unravel the how and why of digital storytelling with host Kristy Wolfe. Life is made up of meaningful moments—which ones do you want to share? This podcast is sponsored by Common Language DST, digital storytelling facilitation training for health and wellness changemakers. Don't miss an episode from Leading Through Stories! Sign up for the Leading Through Stories newsletter, follow us on Instagram @LeadingThroughStories and subscribe on your favourite podcast platform.
  1. Unveiling the Impact of a Story Screening: A Deep Dive into Digital Storytelling
  2. LIVE Kids Brain Health Network Conference with Kristina McGuire & Melanie Birch
  3. Empowering Rare Disease Families: A Conversation with Krystle Schofield
  4. When Your World Stops: Insights from a Congenital Heart Parent and Advocate
  5. Enhancing Storyteller Wellbeing: Digital Storytelling with Mike Lang

Published by Kristy Wolfe Stories

Kristy is an engaging, open, and honest Common Language DST trained digital storytelling facilitator. She has been speaking and teaching workshops on both photography & digital storytelling for 5 years. With a background in the education, healthcare, and non-profit sectors, she works with diverse audiences, prioritizing ethics in storytelling and storyteller wellbeing.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.