Stories Within Us

with Lisa Bush

Conversations with writers, poets, educators, activists, artists, and researchers whose work is questioning, disrupting, or altogether transforming how we view ourselves and each other.

Stories Within Us explores how our lived experiences—and the process of sharing those stories— has the power to connect, heal, and change.

Welcome to Season 7

S7:6 How to be a lifelong artist with Micheline Maylor

Micheline Maylor examines the craft of being a lifelong artist. Micheline discusses the importance of paying attention to what we are feeling, cross pollination of ideas, and breaking patterns. We also discuss being brave in your writing. Micheline says, “Bravery in writing is the thing that will take you far.”
Micheline and I dive into her latest work, The Bad Wife, a brave, first-hand account of how to ruin a marriage. To those wanting to spark your creativity, this is the conversation for you.

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S7:5 Changing the world with better stories with Natalie Meisner

When Natalie Meisner started her career in theatre, she was cast for roles that didn’t represent the women she knew or the women she wanted to become. So, Natalie started writing her own plays. In today’s episode, poet, playwright, and professor Natalie Meisner discusses the importance of LGBTQ2S+ representation in all stories. Natalie shares how comedy can be a catalyst for social change and how her book, Double Pregnant: Two Lesbians Make a Family, lifts the veil of silence around fertility and pregnancy while making us laugh at the same time.

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All Episodes

S6:1 Nurturing our Gender Diverse Kids with Anna Murphy

Political-minded powerhouse for 2SLGBTQIA+ and women’s issues Anna Murphy shares how parents & educators can create spaces our gender diverse kids need. She speaks to what needs to be done for gender diverse kids in Alberta’s schools, communities, and beyond. And provides us with next steps to fighting back against global stripping of 2SLGBTQ+ rights.

TW// 

self-harm, suicide

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S5:11 Healing and Music with D’orjay

Country music artist, healer, and author D’orjay speaks to us about healing, music, and her book, SHIT MY SHAMAN SAYS. D’orjay shares her healing journey and how it led to her work as a Shaman and Pranic Healer. Dorjay explains that a shaman is, “Someone who sees light in the darkness.”

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S5:10 Motherhood Tax with Dr. Maki Motapanyane

Today’s episode with Dr. Maki Motapanyane explores the ongoing, unceasing tension that exists for women navigating motherhood and careers. I found this conversation refreshingly validating; Maki doesn’t downplay the challenges mothers in the twenty-first-century face.

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S5:9 Radical Self-care and Communal Self-care with Dr. Bri Wiens

In this episode, I speak with activist-scholar Dr. Bri Wiens on radical self-care and communal self-care. Bri and I discuss the invisible labour that women are currently expected to do in the academy and in other places of work. Bri shares her research on feminist shadow networks, explaining, “They are quiet when they have to be; they are loud when they have to be.”

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S5:7 The importance of empathy, conversation, and action with Nagwan Al-Guneid

In today’s episode, I speak with sustainability leader, mother, and activist Nagwan Al-Guneid about her life-long passion for politics and her vision for the future of energy. We discuss the importance of empathy, conversations and coming together in order to create a just energy plan. Nagwan states,  “I believe energy transformation is about having conversations in diverse settings with diverse perspectives. It involves everybody.” 

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S5:6 Getting Unstuck with Miche Priest

In today’s episode, recovering hustle culture disciple Miche Priest walks us through the process of getting unstuck. She provides three steps we can take to finding solutions: widening the lens (not hyper focusing on two binaries), getting missing data, addressing the risks/fears holding us back. 

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S5:5 Have the audacity to dream

Why we need to dream—and dream big—especially during challenging times. I share my thoughts on why we must dream our own dreams and not what society expects us to dream. I tell a story involving a spreadsheet (because spreadsheets are beautiful) about how taking ownership of my dreams is something that I still struggle with to this day.

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S5:4 Modern Sexism and Anger

In today’s episode, I discuss something that has been on my mind for a while—Modern Sexism. Recently I’ve either experienced it or seen other women become entangled in it. However, I didn’t have the vocabulary to express what was happening.

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