Co-Created

Stories don’t just inform us, they reshape how we care. We sit down with Dr. Mike Lang to trace how a single digital story and grows into workshops, screenings, and a culture that centres lived experience in health and wellness. From young caregivers supporting parents with ALS to adults navigating head and neck cancer, Mike shows how these short, voice-driven films become practical tools that can be embedded right into education platforms.`Ready to be part of it? Submit a digital story to the Common Language Story Slam or purchase a ticket to join us in person or virtually on April 30, 2026.About Our GuestMike's recent digital storytelling workshopsembedding digital stories into patient education for context and empathy"Like A Mountain" documentary on mindfulness for young caregiversbenefits of repeat workshops and a growing storytelling cultureStory Slam 2026 format, screenings, and livestream accesson-stage conversations that deepen meaning and learningCommon Language facilitator retreat to plan, reflect, and build skillsKitchen Table Nights, website resources, and training opportunitiesnewsletter options for project updates and podcast releasesOther Links MentionedJoin us at the Story Slam on April 30thSubmit your digital storyRead this episode's blog postWatch the Story Slam 2025 sizzle reelCheck out more of Mike Lang's workAbout Our GuestMike Lang, PhD, is the Founder & Lead Trainer and Common Language DST. Mike’s career as a Digital Storytelling facilitator started with a cancer diagnosis at the age of 25. To help process his cancer experience he created his first film after finishing his treatments and in the past 11 years has directed and produced 4 feature length documentaries and three web-series, winning awards and recognitions along the way. In early 2011, Mike recognized that the process of creating a film, that was so therapeutic for him, could be possible for anyone in our digital age… and his interest in the process of “Digital Storytelling” was born. Beginning by working with cancer survivors and caregivers, Mike has personally facilitated the creation of over 900 Digital Stories around the world in the last 12 years. His projects are all health and wellness focused with many projects in public health, healthcare quality improvement, health professions education, health research, global health in addition to projects that are primarily for therapeutic benefit. Mike has authored academic publications on Digital Storytelling and completed his PhD at the University of Calgary, looking specifically at developing a rigorous Digital Storytelling Methodology in health and wellness contexts.

Heather Alicia Knox combines her skills as a photographer, writer, and digital storytelling facilitator to help people capture their most meaningful moments and share them with the world. Her journey reveals how storytelling methodologies can complement each other beautifully. Trained as a Common Language DST facilitator and a Guided Autobiography instructor, Heather now helps people transform their written reflections into powerful short films. She discusses her work with various communities including expats, individuals with cognitive changes, and their care partners.Episode Key MessagesTrained as a guided autobiography instructor and now teaches with her husband GregCreated "From Page to Screen" program that helps people transform written stories into digital storiesWorks with "To Whom I May Concern" creating reader's theatre productions about cognitive changesPlanning a human interest film festival in Ajijic to showcase digital storiesNow focusing on legacy stories, tributes, and end-of-life narrativesWorks virtually with clients around the worldLaunched her new website at aliciaknox.comOther Links MentionedWatch a digital stories Heather has co-created Read this episode's blog postCheck out Heather's photography and storytelling services Listen to the Capturing Essence for Care podcast episode with HeatherRegister for the Sayulita writing retreatAbout Our GuestHeather Alicia Knox has over thirty years experience working in the non-profit sector. Her work has included international, arts and educational organizations. Throughout her career as a non-profit leader, Heather discovered the transformative power of storytelling for fundraising and donor communication. This insight inspired her evolution into a storytelling photographer, capturing narratives that connect and inspire. She became a digital storytelling facilitator with Common Language Digital Storytelling in 2022 and is certified through the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies as a Guided Autobiography Instructor. Together with her husband, Greg Kemp, who is also an instructor, they offer Guided Autobiography classes both locally and online. Since arriving in Mexico, Heather has continued her passion for community engagement, volunteering as a photography instructor for local Mexican youth. She has recently expanded her work to include "To Whom I May Concern," where she shares the powerful stories of individuals living with cognitive changes and their care-partners through a collaborative dialogue. Additionally, Heather has taken on the role of executive assistant for Common Language, further deepening her commitment to the art and impact of storytelling.

Jen Siran returns to discuss her journey from creating her first digital story to becoming a Common Language Digital Storytelling facilitator helping others tell their stories. She shares how persistence in seeking funding eventually led to success for her Caregiver's Corner project supporting heart families across Canada.Episode Key MessagesJen created three digital stories focused on experiences as a parent of a child with congenital heart diseaseSuccessfully secured funding from Western Canadian Children's Heart Network and developed Caregiver's Corner, offering digital stories and resources for heart familiesFacilitated anonymous storytelling for Safe Families charityDiscovered the therapeutic power of helping others unpack their storiesCurrently focusing on capturing legacy stories from family membersPassionate about using digital storytelling to bridge communication gaps in healthcareDescribes watching storytellers process their experiences as "unwrapping a gift"Join us for World Heart Day on September 29th for a special Kitchen Table Night featuring stories from parents of children with congenital heart disease, including Jen's story "The Overwhelm."Other Links MentionedSign up for the World Heart Day ScreeningRead this episode's blog postCheck out Caregiver's CornerWatch Jen’s digital storiesWatch the Safe Families story from our Story SlamListen to Jen's original podcast episodeAbout Our GuestJen Siran is a storyteller, advocate, and encourager at heart. Her journey as a mom and caregiver has shaped her passion for creating spaces where others feel seen, supported, and less alone. She’s known for weaving stories that bring hope, laughter, and connection—sometimes even managing to laugh at the chaos of everyday life (because if you don’t laugh, you might just cry). Jen believes deeply in the power of community, faith, and gentle support along life’s hardest paths. When she’s not writing or championing caregivers, you’ll likely find her wrangling family schedules, chasing creative ideas, or trying (and occasionally failing) to drink her coffee before it gets cold.  

Tom Lee's life took an unexpected turn when his colon cancer progressed to stage four metastatic status. Rather than retreating, this former engineering professor discovered a remarkable talent for pastel drawing that became the subject of his powerful digital story with the Canadian Cancer Society.Episode Key MessagesWhen diagnosed with terminal cancer, Tom turned to art as a meaningful way to engage with lifeTom's philosophy: "The cure for cancer is a life well-lived"Created a digital story about his artistic awakening with help from the Canadian Cancer Society The community aspect of storytelling workshops proved essential—"You can't do this journey alone"Tom shares his experience openly through YouTube videos that evolved from lighthearted to more profound reflectionsCurrently writing a book weaving together his off-grid cottage experiences, cancer journey, and academic reflectionsModern palliative care focuses on quality of life rather than extension at all costsEnd-of-life moments are meaningful and shouldn't be feared, they should be embraced and documentedOther Links MentionedWatch Tom’s digital storyRead this episode's blog postCheck out Tom's Youtube channelThe Waiting Room Revolution with Sammy WinemakerAbout Our GuestDr. Lee is a retired engineering faculty member and endowed chair holder at McMaster University. Prior to his appointment, he enjoyed three career decades in the commercialization of advanced engineering technologies. During his industry career, he built a global reputation for developing transformational multidisciplinary initiatives in engineering education and research. Dr. Lee also has a passion for outreach with significant contributions to FIRST Robotics, Shad Valley, and the Canadian Cancer Society. In 2019 he was inducted Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and honoured by Tsinghua University as Distinguished Honorary Professor. In 2022, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate LLD, from York University. In 2022, Dr. Lee was diagnosed with colon cancer which evolved to terminal metastatic cancer. This triggered his retirement from McMaster. In retirement, he has been exploring creative activities for personal enrichment and enlightenment including pastel drawing, video production, and outreach. This led to the epiphany that the cure for cancer is a life well lived and that his best days may still be ahead of him. This event was conceived to continue the Lee family’s efforts to make every day our best day. 

The most compelling marketing doesn't come from slick campaigns or catchy slogans—it emerges from authentic personal narratives that reveal why we do what we do. Mindfulness teacher and keynote speaker Trish Tutton joins us to explore how digital storytelling captured the pivotal moment that shaped her life's purpose.Discover how your authentic narrative might become your most powerful tool for reaching others.Episode Key MessagesEvery business comes from a story, especially purpose driven businessesDigital storytelling allowed Trish to share her pivotal life experience with potential clients before they even meet herCreating a succinct 3-minute digital story helped Trish refine her keynote presentationsSelecting images for digital storytelling requires thinking in metaphors and considering emotional impactSharing personal stories of loss creates connection through our common humanityTrish teaches mindfulness techniques that can be practiced in under 5 minutes dailyCreating digital stories can be healing for the storyteller while also serving business purposesOther Links MentionedWatch Trish’s digital storyRead this episode's blog postCheck out Trish's Worry Less, Live More course and her Mindful Mornings journalWatch the Look Back video about Ep 30 with Dr. Carmen LogieLearn more about Trish Tutton here.

What happens when a simple four-minute digital story manages to capture the essence of a centuries-old military band tradition? For Katlyn Lamont, a registered psychotherapist and newly-trained digital storytelling facilitator, the answer came in the form of tough military veterans moved to tears.Katlyn's journey with Common Language Digital Storytelling began unexpectedly when her youth addiction agency secured her a last-minute spot in facilitator training. With a background in media production from high school, she quickly found herself rekindling dormant creative skills. But the real magic happened when she faced a moment of clarity the morning of the story circle, scrapping her original draft to instead document her experience with the Lincoln and Welland Band.The story captured a pivotal moment for the band, which had played for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment since the War of 1812 but had recently received a cease and desist order, threatening their identity and traditions. Despite being relatively new to the band, Katlyn found herself documenting not just a musical group, but a living historical legacy kept alive by combat veterans whose service photos she incorporated into her digital story.When she gathered band members for a screening, complete with popcorn and snacks, Katlyn was worried they'd find inaccuracies. Instead, she witnessed hardened veterans brought to tears. Her band president summed up the impact perfectly: "What we've been trying to say to the community and to the regiment for months, you've just summed up in four minutes." The film quickly spread beyond that screening room to social media, and local politicians.The power of digital storytelling lies not just in its emotional impact but in its ability to advocate where traditional communications fall short. As Katlyn discovered, sometimes a personal narrative can accomplish what countless emails, letters, and meetings cannot. Whether you're looking to preserve history, drive organizational change, or simply document meaningful moments, digital storytelling offers a uniquely powerful medium that resonates across generations and bureaucratic boundaries.Ready to explore how your story might create ripples of change? Discover more about Common Language DST facilitator training here.Other Links MentionedWatch Katlyn's digital storyLearn more about the Lincoln & Welland BandRead this episode's blog postWatch the Looking Back video for Ep 29 about DST in ResearchLearn more about Katlyn through the blog post.

When Laryssa Lamrock created her digital story "Enveloped," she never anticipated how profoundly a four-minute video would transform her advocacy work with military families. As the National Strategic Advisor for Families at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Laryssa brings her lived experience as a military spouse, daughter, and mother to her work supporting those affected by service-related mental health challenges.The conversation explores the many ways digital stories become catalysts for healing and connection – from introducing presentations to facilitating psycho-educational workshops for family members affected by PTSD. We also discover how Laryssa's experience informed her work co-hosting the Mind Beyond the Mission podcast, where she brings the family perspective to conversations about military mental health.Episode Key Messages0:00 Introduction to Laryssa Lamrock2:33 Creating a Digital Story at Atlas5:12 Enveloped: Laryssa's Personal Digital Story9:33 Sharing Digital Stories with Others18:48 Supporting Young Adults' Storytelling Journey25:37 Mind Beyond the Mission Podcast28:20 Legacy Stories and Final ThoughtsOther Links MentionedWatch more digital stories from Atlas InstituteCheck out the Mindkit websiteWatch the Caregivers in the Wild episode mentionedListen to the Co-Created episode with Joy Pavelich mentionedRead this episode's blog postWatch the Looking Back video about Ep 28 with Wellspring AlbertaLearn more about Laryssa Lamrock here.

The power of digital storytelling lies in its ability to capture what textbooks and lectures cannot - the raw, human experience of navigating life's most challenging moments. In this deeply moving conversation with Kathy Cortes-Miller and Keri-Lyn Durant, co-hosts of the Disrupting Death podcast, we explore how digital storytelling creates transformative spaces for processing grief and sharing experiences around Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID).When qualitative researchers like Kathy hear countless personal narratives that most people never access, digital storytelling emerges as the perfect vehicle to bridge this gap. Through a five-year research project, their team has worked with individuals who accompanied loved ones through MAID, capturing these profound experiences in digital stories that serve multiple purposes - from personal healing to education and advocacy. The stories become catalysts for important conversations about death, caregiving, and end-of-life choices while empowering individuals to own their narratives.Episode Key Messages0:05 Storytelling as Catalyst for Discussion1:00 Meeting the Disrupting Death Co-Hosts3:00 Connecting Through Digital Storytelling5:35 The MAID Digital Story Workshops8:45 How Stories Create Impact18:40 Digital Stories for Education30:15 Future Storytelling ProjectsFind more stories and resources at the Disrupting Death podcast, which features a three-part series on digital storytelling and MAID.Digital Stories Part 1 Research Project & Diane SimsDigital Stories Part 2 Bridge C-14 ParticipantsDigital Stories Part 3 MAID Family Support ParticipantsOther Links MentionedWatch Keri-Lyn's digital storyRead this episode's blog postWatch the Looking Back video about Ep 27 with Dr. Burcu SimsekLearn more about Keri-Lyn Durant & Kathy Kortes-Miller here.