Co-Created

Snack Labs

Co-Created is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of digital storytelling. Hosted by Kristy Wolfe, each episode features conversations with storytellers and facilitators who craft powerful digital stories, diving into how these stories are created, who shares them, and why they matter. Whether you're fascinated by storytelling or love discovering new perspectives, this podcast offers a deep dive into the art of meaningful narrative. Co-Created is presented by Common Language DST, a leader in digital storytelling facilitation training for health and wellness changemakers. Supported by the team at Snack Labs, this podcast is a collaborative effort that promotes ethical storytelling and empowers audiences to engage with personal stories in a deeper way. Subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts! Sound Design: Donovan Morgan Music: Doldrums by Ellen Braun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Digital Stories Belong in Curriculum & Communities with Dr. Mike Lang

    15 hr ago

    Digital Stories Belong in Curriculum & Communities with Dr. Mike Lang

    A few years ago, we were still explaining to healthcare providers why stories mattered. Now we’re watching digital storytelling get built into a nursing curriculum, shape research plans, and gather real communities around hard conversations. I’m joined by Dr. Mike Lang, founder of Common Language Digital Storytelling and assistant professor in the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing, for a candid update on what has shifted and what’s coming next. Episode Key Messages Mike’s new role in the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing and what it unlocks for digital storytelling in health and wellnessEmbedding digital stories into curriculum for specific learning outcomes and student conversationsStrategic partnerships and why a facilitator collective helps the work spread with qualityUganda milestones and how community-led stories drive maternal, child, and adolescent health changeCalgary Story Slam highlights and how stories open space for hard topics like grief and lossFormat changes for the Story Slam and why live attendance feels differentWhat the Common Language retreat builds through story share, deep craft talk, and momentumGrowth in facilitator training and the increasing involvement of researchersNew initiatives at U of C including Nurse Story, the Healing Lens Research Lab, and research on SIDS grief supportMike’s next meaningful moment idea and why noticing it mattersOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postWatch the 2026 Common Language Story SlamLearn more about the work in Uganda & East AfricaAbout Our Guest Dr. Michael Lang is an Assistant Professor (Teaching and Research) in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary and Director of the Healing Lens Research Lab, a transdisciplinary research and creative practice lab dedicated to advancing documentary film and digital storytelling as rigorous, ethical, and impactful methodologies in health and wellness contexts. Situated within the Faculty of Nursing, the Lab brings together health researchers, clinicians, filmmakers, digital storytelling facilitators, educators, and community partners to explore how stories, when created and mobilized with care, can shape education, influence practice, and support individual and collective wellbeing. Dr. Lang’s work sits at the intersection of health research, documentary filmmaking, and knowledge translation, with a particular focus on how narrative and visual practices can deepen understanding of illness, caregiving, patient experience, and human flourishing. Over the past fifteen years, he has facilitated the creation of more than 1,000 digital stories with patients, family caregivers, healthcare providers, students, and community members, and has trained over 100 facilitators through Common Language Digital Storytelling, an international organization he founded to support ethical storytelling practice in healthcare, education, and community settings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
  2. What Changes When We Treat Stories Like Data with Dr. Katharine Smart

    20 May

    What Changes When We Treat Stories Like Data with Dr. Katharine Smart

    Digital storytelling can move a room to honesty in minutes, creating space for real talk about burnout, shame, and the human side of medicine. This episode we connect with Dr. Katharine Smart and reflect on how short films can help clinicians and families feel seen as whole people and how stories can fuel better care and stronger advocacy.We talk through what it looks like when digital stories show up at conferences like the Canadian Conference on Physician Health, why the multimedia format holds attention in a distracted world, and how vulnerability can feel safer when the “work” is done before anyone steps on stage. We also dig into the clinician’s role as a receiver of stories and how deep listening changes care, especially in pediatrics, mental health, and complex family consults. If you’ve ever wondered how to share 18 years of context in one appointment, you’ll hear why a short digital story can reveal the whole person beyond the chart. Episode Key Messages What a digital story is and why the format worksUsing physician and family stories to open mental health conversations at conferences like the Canadian Conference on Physician HealthWhy vulnerability lands fasterShame in medical culture and how storytelling can soften itShifting from acute care to deep listening and longer consultsUsing digital stories to support complex care and transitions to adult careAccessibility and ethics, underrepresented voices, consent, and story ownershipWorkshop story circles as community buildingA citizen digital story campaign to drive healthcare accountability and reformOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postWatch the CMA panelLearn more about Digital Storytelling & Healthcare Provider WellnessListen to Spark Conversations - a podcast by Children's Healthcare CanadaWill we see you at the Children's Healthcare Canada conference in Calgary?Check out Health Signals with Dr. Alika LafontaineThe Outrage Cure by Dr. Alika LafontaineOther Episodes Mentioned Ep 23 with Dr. Daisy Dulay Ep 48 with Dr. Will Bynum of the Shame LabAbout Our Guest Dr. Katharine Smart is a pediatrician, national medical leader, and unapologetic advocate for children who believes healthcare systems don’t change unless we’re willing to challenge them. Based in Canada’s north and the Okanagan, she works at the intersection of clinical care, policy, and community partnership to improve outcomes for children and families in rural and remote regions. She is the past president of the Canadian Medical Association and, in 2021, became only the 10th woman to lead the organization in its 155-year history. Named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women, Dr. Smart is widely recognized for her leadership on health equity, primary care, and combating medical misinformation. A sought-after keynote speaker, media commentator, and podcast host, Dr. Smart brings evidence, urgency, and candour to conversations about the future of healthcare — and why getting it right for children is the only way forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  3. Through Her Lens: Cameras For Girls with Amina Mohamed

    6 May

    Through Her Lens: Cameras For Girls with Amina Mohamed

    On this episode of Co-Created we're joined by Amina Mohamed, the Founder and Executive Director of Cameras For Girls, to talk about what happens when a founder story becomes a digital story and why that format can reveal the “three-dimensional” truth you can’t always reach in a talk, a webinar, or a standard nonprofit promo. Amina takes us from her family’s refugee journey from Uganda to Canada, through years in film and television, and back to Uganda where she meets young women facing limits on education and opportunity. From that turning point, Cameras For Girls grows into a practical pathway into media careers, combining photography training, ethical storytelling, business skills, and the gift of a camera with the real goal: helping young women enter male-dominated media spaces and land fair paid jobs in places like Uganda and Tanzania. Episode Key Messages Amina’s origin story from Uganda to Canada and back againWhy Cameras for Girls focuses on fair paid jobsTeaching photography, business skills, and ethical storytellingRejecting extractive storytelling and top-down developmentTurning a “why” into a three-minute digital storyEditing surprises and choosing images responsiblyUsing a founder video for donors, funding, and social mediaEncouraging participants to tell their own stories in their own voiceOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postWatch Amina's digital storyLearn more about Cameras For GirlsAbout Our Guest Amina Mohamed is the Founder and Executive Director of Cameras For Girls, a Canadian charity she launched in 2018 to address gender inequality in Africa’s male-dominated media industry. Born in Uganda, Amina came to Canada as a refugee after her family was exiled under the regime of Idi Amin. Growing up between cultures, she discovered photography as a powerful way to express herself when words failed. That early experience shaped the vision behind Cameras For Girls: creating opportunities for young women across Africa to find their voice through visual storytelling.Through a year-long training program combining photography, ethical storytelling, and business skills, Cameras For Girls equips young women with the tools, training, and mentorship needed to build sustainable careers in media. Participants receive professional cameras, hands-on instruction, and ongoing career support designed to help them enter and succeed in the workforce. To date, the organization has trained nearly 200 women through in-person programs across East Africa and has reached more than 2,000 additional participants through its Online Learning Hub. Amina is also a leading advocate for ethical storytelling, challenging outdated and colonial narratives often present in international media. Her work emphasizes dignity-centered storytelling that honours the lived experiences of the women and communities whose stories are shared. Her leadership and impact have earned international recognition. Amina has spoken at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Summit, been featured in publications including Vogue, and received the Estée Lauder Beautiful Forces Grant in recognition of her work advancing women’s leadership.Today, Amina continues to expand Cameras For Girls’ programs across Africa while advocating for gender equality, ethical media practices, and new pathways for women to build sustainable careers in storytelling and journalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  4. Double the Magic: Storytelling for Healing and Impact with Melody Williamson

    22 Apr

    Double the Magic: Storytelling for Healing and Impact with Melody Williamson

    Cameras off. Quiet chat. A stack of slides. Then a short digital story plays and suddenly the room wakes up. That flip from passive listening to real connection is what we’re chasing, and it’s why we keep coming back to digital storytelling as a tool for healing, community building, and change. We’re joined by Melody Williamson, a Level 3 digital storytelling facilitator, trainer, and longtime collaborator inside the Common Language Digital Storytelling Collective. Melody shares how digital storytelling keeps expanding as a tool for healing, community, and real-world change. We share what we’re learning from nonprofit projects, research partnerships, facilitator training, and the moments when a story makes people come alive. Episode Key Messages Melody’s roots in storytelling, inclusion, and group workHow Wellspring uses digital stories with patients, families, staff, volunteers, and caregiversWhy nonprofits benefit from a wider library of perspectivesCollaborations with researchers, including projects tied to antibiotic resistanceStory Slam as a catalyst for community healing and new partnershipsDigital storytelling facilitator training as “double the magic” through teaching othersMentorship meetings, story review, entrepreneurship support, and continuing educationBringing digital stories to conferences to spark connection beyond slidesAI tools, interpretive meaning, and why story arcs change engagementOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postListen to Melody's original Co-Created episodeGet your tickets to the Story SlamLearn more about the Common Language Level 1 Facilitator TrainingCheck out the Common Language CollectiveOther Episodes Mentioned Ep 28 with WellspringEp 46 with Gillian HattoEp 54 with Becky McCallAbout Our Guest Melody Williamson, MSc., B.A., of Melody Williamson Stories, is a Level 3 Common Language Digital Storytelling Facilitator. Like all of us, Melody has been a storyteller all of her life - from reading books on her mother’s lap to a career in professional theatre, to her consulting work in equity and social justice issues.In recent years, she has combined all of her skills and experience into her passion for giving voice to those voices that aren’t typically heard and creating connection between people through digital storytelling. Her word is "Moment-us" and she loves helping people connect with meaningful moments in their lives! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  5. When Science Meets Story: Lessons from a PhD Defense with Becky McCall

    8 Apr

    When Science Meets Story: Lessons from a PhD Defense with Becky McCall

    Catch up with Dr. Becky McCall after she defends her PhD and unpack what it takes to research digital storytelling inside a biomedical topic like antimicrobial resistance. We also get real about what stories can and cannot do on their own, then zoom out to targeting, dissemination, and new projects that translate stories into health system change. Episode Key Messages finishing a seven-year PhD and surviving the defenseusing digital storytelling to engage antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic resistancedefending an arts-based method through a behavioural science lensbuilding projects beyond Storybug, including care home storytelling“digital fragmentation” and why incomplete records affect antibiotic decisionstargeting stories through narrative framing and audience investmentplanning with partners, storytellers, organizations, and funderswhat Becky wishes she had known at the start of her PhDrecruiting storytellers through trust and patient organizationsthe Common Language Story Slam as a model for shared viewing and discussionOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postCheck out the Storybug websiteListen to Becky's original Co-Created episodeOther Episodes Mentioned Ep 6 with Melody WilliamsonEp 32 with Mike Wilson of Loughborough UniversityEp 48 with Dr. Will Bynum of the Shame LabAbout Our Guest Dr. Becky McCall is based in London, UK, and has recently completed her first set of five digital stories that focus on people with experiences of antibiotic resistant infection. The work forms part of Becky’s PhD research (University College London) and aims to help address a gap in public engagement with one of the world’s top 10 humanitarian health crises (antimicrobial resistance-AMR). Becky is also a medical journalist writing for both medical and consumer press, recently including Foresight Global Health, Medscape.com, The Lancet, The Times and the Mail on Sunday. She has also worked in radio and TV. She'll make any excuse to travel; seeking inspiration in places and most importantly, people - firmly believing everyone has a story to tell. Connect with Becky McCall here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  6. Health Promoting Experiences of Storytellers: A Meta-Synthesis

    25 Mar

    Health Promoting Experiences of Storytellers: A Meta-Synthesis

    Fear of childbirth does not always look like panic. Sometimes it shows up as silence, stoicism, anger, or a private sense that you have lost control of your own body and your own story. We sit down with nurse, midwife, and researcher Jonathan Dominguez Hernandez to talk about how digital storytelling in healthcare can help people make meaning from vulnerable moments, and why the process needs strong ethics when trauma is close to the surface. We break down his meta-synthesis findings and why narrative, ethics, and facilitation style can determine whether storytelling becomes support, advocacy, or too much. Episode Key Messages • Jonathan’s path from pediatric nursing to midwifery and public health research • What it is like being a male midwife across countries and workplace cultures • How digital storytelling training shaped Jonathan’s research direction • Why he shifted from group workshops to one on one online storytelling • Ethics, consent, ownership, and when stories can or cannot be shared • How the meta-synthesis was built from qualitative studies and assessed for confidence • Four key themes: re-authoring lived experience, processing emotions, ripple effects of empathy, gaining agency • Trauma informed facilitation and the role of distress protocols • What research misses when it ignores the narratives people borrow and retell • How salutogenesis and sense of coherence guide narrative analysis in fear of childbirth Other Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postRead Jonathan's meta-synthesis from Frontiers in Digital HealthLearn more about Jonathan's workAbout Our Guest ​​Jonathan Dominguez Hernandez is a researcher, educator, and midwife specialising in public health, Evidence-Based practice, and qualitative health research. He currently works as a researcher and lecturer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, where his work focuses on sex- and gender-sensitive healthcare, perinatal mental health, and inclusive approaches to care. With a background that combines clinical practice, public health, law, and education, Jonathan has worked across the UK, Austria, Switzerland, and Spain in both frontline maternity care and academic leadership roles. His research explores how narratives and digital storytelling can support health and wellbeing, and he is particularly interested in translating research into practical, compassionate, and Evidence-Based guidelines for clinical practice.  Alongside teaching and research, he contributes to international guideline development and interdisciplinary projects aimed at improving maternal and perinatal health outcomes. Jonathan is currently completing a PhD in Public Health at Lancaster University, focusing on dialogical narrative analysis and health-promoting storytelling in women’s reproductive health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  7. Isolation to Impact: DST in Cancer Care with Jackdaw Bones

    4 Mar

    Isolation to Impact: DST in Cancer Care with Jackdaw Bones

    One gesture can keep a patient in care. That’s the charge running through our conversation with Jack Bones, a transgender cancer survivor whose digital story takes us from a tense biopsy room to a stage where an audience of clinicians wiped away tears and leaned into hard, necessary dialogue. We walk through how a politicized identity collided with late-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma, how bias nearly closed a door, and how a single act of compassion reopened it. Episode Key Messages • the craft of digital storytelling as patient advocacy • bias in clinical encounters and its real-world risks • the technician’s gesture that restored safety and trust • workshop process from script to screening • reactions at the BC Cancer Summit and productive dialogue • reaching missing audiences in shame and stigma work • plans to use film and allegory for future stories • the ocean moment as a metaphor for freedom • how stories support training, orientation and culture change Other Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postWatch Jack's digital storyJack created their digital story in a BC Cancer workshop facilitated by Krystle SchofieldCheck out Jack's work, Brassthorn ArtAbout Our Guest Jackdaw Bones describes them self as an "eremite" and occasionally ventures out of their home in the woods to show the shiny things they've made, in true covid style. They've been a practising artist ever since their youth, using the lenses of cameras and inks to explore ideas of self, relationships to the natural world, and the terror/joy of living. Jack is a dropout from an art school that has since disappeared to make way for training industrial workers, though they consider their experiences with disastrous experiments over the years their most valuable teacher. They revel in the beautiful chaos of learning from other artists, from books, other artists, and fucking up. The process is where the joy lay for them, and indeed that joy is built into the foundation of every piece they make. They are disabled, and a cancer survivor. They have worked hard over the years to get to the level where they can produce art without sacrificing their health, so while their pieces may not be perfect, the imperfection belies the passion, determination, joy, and gratitude they feel when practising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
  8. The Storyteller’s Yellow Pages with Lisa Joworski

    18 Feb

    The Storyteller’s Yellow Pages with Lisa Joworski

    What if a two-minute story could change how a care team sees you? We dive into the power of short, first-person narratives to bring dignity, clarity, and warmth back into healthcare, especially in dementia care where behaviour, memory, and language can obscure the person beneath the chart. Lisa Joworski returns to share how Capturing Essence For Care has evolved from interviews into a connector hub for life story methods, linking digital storytellers, guided autobiographers, videographers, and families who want practical ways to preserve identity. Episode Key Messages why capturing essence improves care and communicationwhat digital storytelling is and why ownership stays with the storytellercreating clear elevator pitches and scripts that set expectationsmany paths to story including music, photos, writing and family podcastsbuilding a connector hub for life story resources across methodsBeth’s digital story, Story Slam and the impact of public sharing, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 21advocacy links to Waiting Room Revolution and practical workbooks, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 16 VR training for person-centred communication and reading environments, Capturing Essence for Care Ep 17using AI for drafts while keeping the human voiceprompts that unlock memory such as tattoos and scarsupcoming projects and finding one’s voice with assertivenessOther Links Mentioned Read this episode's blog postWatch Lisa's digital storyListen to Lisa's original Co-Created episodeGet your ticket to the April 30th 2026 Story SlamAbout Our Guest Lisa Joworski works in Therapeutic Recreation and is a Life Story Resource who brings together storytellers, artists, musicians, advocates, people living with dementia, healthcare practitioners, and life story experts. Each conversation of her Capturing Essence for Care podcast offers insights and practical approaches for the beautiful ways we can honour our own stories and the stories of those we love—not just for memory's sake, but for the fullness of living and for the care we may one day need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
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About

Co-Created is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of digital storytelling. Hosted by Kristy Wolfe, each episode features conversations with storytellers and facilitators who craft powerful digital stories, diving into how these stories are created, who shares them, and why they matter. Whether you're fascinated by storytelling or love discovering new perspectives, this podcast offers a deep dive into the art of meaningful narrative. Co-Created is presented by Common Language DST, a leader in digital storytelling facilitation training for health and wellness changemakers. Supported by the team at Snack Labs, this podcast is a collaborative effort that promotes ethical storytelling and empowers audiences to engage with personal stories in a deeper way. Subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts! Sound Design: Donovan Morgan Music: Doldrums by Ellen Braun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    Snack Labs
  • Creator
    Snack Labs
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Leading Through Stories
  • Show Website
    Co-Created

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