Not Just A Story™ with Rose Davidson

Rose Davidson
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For people drawn to real stories and meaningful conversations, Not Just a Story™ explores lived experience, resilience, healing, identity and personal transformation. Guests share the moments, choices and experiences that shaped who they became. We go beyond what happened to uncover why the story matters. Hosted by award-winning podcaster and Story Curator Rose Davidson. Follow for honest conversations that help you see yourself, others and the stories we carry differently.

  1. 4d ago

    Why I Can't Just Look Away | Rose Davidson

    Why do some stories stay with us long after we've heard them? And what happens when we reach a point where looking away no longer feels possible? In this solo episode of Not Just A Story™, Rose Davidson explores the connection between lived experience,personal storytelling and speaking up about injustice. Drawing on her own experiences, years of podcast conversations and growing involvement in human rights advocacy, Rose reflects on why certain issues affect us so deeply and what happens when concern turns into action. She discusses child protection, domestic and family violence, institutional accountability and the difficult questions we sometimes need to ask of systems designed to protect people. But this isn't simply a conversation about advocacy. It's also about uncertainty, self-doubt, emotional exhaustion and learning that caring deeply doesn't mean taking responsibility for everything. What does it mean to find your voice? Does one person's contribution really matter? And how do we keep speaking upwhen meaningful change can be difficult to see? A personal and thoughtful reflection on listening, questioning and recognising that even a small voice can contribute to a much larger conversation. Not Just A Story™ with Rose Davidson.Because every story deserves to be heard. ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year, and recognised as Thinkers360 Top Voice 2026 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    Why I Can't Just Look Away | Rose Davidson

  2. Oct 25

    Losing a Child to Addiction: Grief, Shame and Love | Katie Rizzo

    What happens to a family when addiction takes the life of someone they love? In this episode of Not Just A Story™ with Rose Davidson, writer and educator Katie Rizzo shares the loss of her son, Nicholas, in 2024, and the grief that followed. Nicholas was a talented soccer player whose sports injuries led to prescriptions for opioid pain medication. Katie remembers a young man who desperately wanted to be free of addiction, yet struggled to feel normal without the substances his body had come to depend on. Their family tried treatment, rehabilitation and support, often feeling they had to manage the situation alone. Katie speaks about the shame that surrounded Nicholas's addiction, theguilt parents can carry after losing a child, and the questions that have no simple answers. She also shares what helped her family begin to reconnect: grief groups, the understanding of others who have experienced loss, and learning to give one another grace. Katie's journalling became her book, The Trimesters of Grief, written for parents searching for words and companionship in an isolating time. This is not a conversation about blame. It is about love, loss and why no family should have to grieve in silence. Connect with Katie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl/ Instagram: @katierizzo007 Website: https://katierizzo.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katie.rizzo007? is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Substack: https://katierizzo504327.substack.com/ ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year, and recognised as Thinkers360 Top Voice 2026 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    Losing a Child to Addiction: Grief, Shame and Love | Katie Rizzo

  3. Oct 18

    Seeing the Hidden System Behind Toxic Relationships | Carine Van Hee

    What happens when you finally realise that the confusion, criticism and self-doubt you lived with were not random moments, but part of a pattern? In this episode of Not Just A Story™, Rose Davidson speaks with artist, author and speaker Carine Van Hee about recognising the hidden system behind toxic relationships. Carine shares how, years after leaving a difficult relationship, research into her family history helped her see patterns of manipulation, psychological abuse and control that she had never fully understood. That recognition became a turning point. Instead of continuing to ask, “Was it me?”, Carine began to understandwhat had happened, release some of the shame she carried, and find the courage to use her voice. Rose and Carine also talk openly about survival mode, the long process of rebuilding a sense of self, the importanceof lived experience, and why survivors may need language before they can make sense of what they have endured. Carine also shares how writing, art and speaking have become ways to connect with others and remind them they are not alone. This is a conversation about awareness, voice, healing and reclaiming your life. Sometimes, seeing the pattern is wherea different future begins. Connect with Carine: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinevanhee/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarineVanHeeArt Website: https://www.carinevanhee.com Her Book: https://www.carinevanhee.com/the-book ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year, and recognised as Thinkers360 Top Voice 2026 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    Seeing the Hidden System Behind Toxic Relationships | Carine Van Hee

  4. Oct 9

    From Success to Significance: Making Midlife Count | Stephen Keys

    What happens when the measures of success that once made sense no longer feel like enough? In this episode of Not Just A Story™ with Rose Davidson, Stephen Keys shares how midlife, divorce and volunteering led him to rethink achievement, purpose and what he wanted the second half of his life to stand for. Stephen spent much of his career measuring success through bigger roles, greater responsibility and stronger results. He valued achievement and still does. But when life shifted, so did the questions. Instead of asking only what he could accomplish, he began asking what that success was in service of. Volunteering helped him reconnect with community and showed him something unexpected: contribution works both ways. Giving time, skills and attention can support others, while also creating belonging, meaning and perspective for the person giving. Stephen now explores these ideas through The Giving Habit podcast and his writing on midlife, generosity and intentional living. This conversation is about redefining success without rejecting ambition, staying curious as life changes, and choosing how we want to use the years ahead. A thoughtful conversation for anyone wondering what comes next - and how to make it count in a meaningful way today. Connect with Stephen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-keys/ Website: https://thewisdomvault.org Substack: https://substack.com/@stephentwv ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year, and recognised as Thinkers360 Top Voice 2026🌐 Website: https://theimpactfulvoiceproject.com 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    From Success to Significance: Making Midlife Count | Stephen Keys

  5. Sep 25

    The Hidden Cost of Performing Success While Falling Apart | Joshua Griffin

    What does it cost to look successful when your private life is falling apart? Joshua Griffin built businesses, won national awards and led marketing across multi-million-pound portfolios. From the outside, it looked like progress. Behind the scenes, he was carrying £35,000 in personal debt, working sixteen-hour days and heading toward burnout. In this episode of Not Just A Story™ with Rose Davidson, Joshua shares the reality behind the version of success other people could see. He talks about keeping up appearances when stability did not exist, reaching the point where he could no longer keep going, and what happened when he had to start again. That second beginning was far from glamorous. Joshua was sleeping in his clothes to avoid the heating bill and selling belongings from his home while building Intrinzi, the agency he now co-founds. This is not a story about bouncing back overnight. It is about rebuilding with less performance, more honesty and a different understanding of what success means. Joshua’s story invites us to consider how much we can carry privately while still appearing fine - and what might change when we stop performing and begin rebuilding on our own terms. Connect with Joshua: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshualloydmd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuagriffinseo Website: https://www.joshgriffin.co.uk/ Newsletter: https://www.joshgriffin.co.uk/newsletter ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    The Hidden Cost of Performing Success While Falling Apart | Joshua Griffin

  6. Sep 25

    Communication Is the Work: Listen, Lead, Build Trust | Jay Jacobson

    Leadership communication isn't simply about speaking clearly. For Jay Jacobson, it begins with listening closely enough to understand what someone is saying, what they're asking for and what they may not yet have the words to express. Jay brings more than four decades of experience across funeral service, business ownership, disaster response, mentorship and leadership development to this conversation. In a world increasingly shaped by texting, email, AI and fast-moving expectations, Jay believes genuine communication still requires something deeply human - presence. Together, Rose and Jay explore why trust is built through the everyday ways we listen, respond and show up for others. They discuss emotional presence, clarity, mentorship and theresponsibility leaders carry when people are looking to them for guidance. Drawing from his career and the principles behind Lead by Legendary Example, Jay shares practical insights into what meaningful leadership can look like when communicationbecomes more than transmitting information. This episode is an invitation to consider not only how you communicate, but how well you understand the peoplein front of you. Because sometimes leadership begins with something very simple: listening. Connect with Jay: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayscookies/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php? id=100053175806211 Website: https://www.jacobsonprostaff.com ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    Communication Is the Work: Listen, Lead, Build Trust | Jay Jacobson

  7. Sep 9

    What Happens When You Finally Find Your Voice? | Rose Davidson

    What happens when you finally realise people are listening to you? In this deeply personal solo episode of Not Just A Story™, Rose Davidson reflects on an unexpected chapter inher own journey: discovering what it feels like to finally be heard. After years of interviewing others, creating spaces for people to tell their stories and encouraging people to trust their voices, Rose has found herself in unfamiliar territory. People are now listening to what she thinks, believes and cares about. And that feels both wonderful and frightening. Rose explores the difference between speaking and truly being heard, the vulnerability that comes with increased visibility, and the self-doubt that can appear when other people begin seeing value in your voice before you fullyrecognise it yourself. She also challenges the idea that having a voice means having every answer. You can ask questions, keep learning, acknowledge uncertainty and still have something meaningful to contribute. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered whether their voice matters. Perhaps finding your voice isn’t the moment you begin speaking. Perhaps it’s the moment you finally trust yourself enough to believe that what you have to say deserves to be heard. ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    What Happens When You Finally Find Your Voice? | Rose Davidson

  8. Sep 8

    Surviving Legal Abuse and 7.5 Years in Family Court | Lisa Johnson

    What happens when leaving a relationship does not end the control? In this episode of Not Just A Story™, Lisa Johnson shares her experience of representing herself in court through 7.5 years of legal conflict and what she came to understand about legal abuse. Lisa describes legal abuse as the weaponisation of legal processes to exhaust, intimidate and financially drain another person. She speaks from lived experience, having appeared in court scores of times and navigated a case that was later published in the Connecticut Law Journal. Her experience did not end with survival. Lisa went on to co-found Been There Got Out, where she now helps people facing high-conflict divorce, custody disputes and difficultco-parenting situations approach the legal process with greater clarity and preparation. We also talk about coercive control, the emotional and financial toll of prolonged litigation, and the importance ofrecognising patterns that may otherwise look like separate legal events. This conversation is not legal advice. It is a lived-experience discussion about what can happen when systems intendedto resolve conflict become another place where control is exercised, and what it can take to find your footing again without losing sight of your own wellbeing. Connect with Lisa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/been-there-gotout/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeenThereGotOut Website: https://beentheregotout.com/ ▼ ▼ Hosted by Rose Davidson, indie podcaster of global 5% podcast and 667 episodes, Winner Beam Award 2025 Podcast of the Year, Finalist Beam Award 2026 Social Change Maker of the Year 🌐 Website: https://rosedavidson.com.au 💬⁠Share your story⁠ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-davidson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-impactful-voice-project-2/

    Surviving Legal Abuse and 7.5 Years in Family Court | Lisa Johnson
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About

For people drawn to real stories and meaningful conversations, Not Just a Story™ explores lived experience, resilience, healing, identity and personal transformation. Guests share the moments, choices and experiences that shaped who they became. We go beyond what happened to uncover why the story matters. Hosted by award-winning podcaster and Story Curator Rose Davidson. Follow for honest conversations that help you see yourself, others and the stories we carry differently.

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