In a world marked by division, disruption, and deep emotional and spiritual fatigue, how do we keep showing up—with purpose, compassion, and hope?

BE WELL is a monthly exploration of trauma healing at the intersections of faith, justice, and education, created by the Trauma Healing Initiative at McCormick Theological Seminary. Each episode gathers theologians, practitioners, educators, and artists to explore how trauma-informed approaches help us teach, learn, lead, and live with greater wholeness.

About this episode:
In this episode of the Be Well Podcast, we explore the sacred act of story linking — how stories carried across generations, communities, and lived experience become pathways for healing. Guests Rose Archer and Iris Reddick Manburg reflect on storytelling not as abstraction, but as embodied practice: a way of making meaning in precarious moments, witnessing one another’s vulnerability, and honoring truths that are still unfolding. Together, they examine how stories can help people survive, heal, and imagine otherwise—while also asking hard questions about safety, consent, contested narratives, and the responsibility of those who listen.

You’ll hear about:

• How storytelling can become a lifeline in moments of fear, uncertainty, and grief—not just reflection, but a means of survival and meaning-making.
• Why telling a story is also an act of witness, and how being truly seen can be both freeing and emotionally weighty.
• How theology, womanist thought, music, and creative practice can help people voice stories that are still unfolding.
• What it means to protect storytellers, especially when their truths are contested, vulnerable, or at risk of being consumed or erased.

Guests:
Rose Archer is a PhD candidate in African American Studies at Emory University, with a focus on Black feminism, literary studies, and the history of medicine. Her research explores how Black women's narratives, particularly in the realm of health and healing, connect across generations and societal shifts. Rose's work emphasizes the power of storytelling as a tool for understanding intergenerational trauma and fostering resilience within Black communities. Her academic pursuits are deeply rooted in a commitment to illuminating voices often marginalized in historical accounts, bringing a rich, analytical lens to the discussion of narrative as a healing modality.

Iris Reddick Manburg is a seasoned psychotherapist, clinical social worker, and educator with extensive experience in trauma recovery, grief counseling, and family systems. Her practice often involves guiding individuals and communities through the process of articulating their personal narratives as a central component of healing. Iris is passionate about the therapeutic power of storytelling, recognizing how shared narratives can build bridges of empathy, validate lived experiences, and facilitate profound personal and collective transformation. She brings a practical, compassionate, and deeply client-centered perspective to the discussion of how stories shape our understanding of pain and pathways to resilience.

Who this is for:
This episode is for pastors, chaplains, educators, caregivers, artists, and anyone who wants to understand how stories shape healing in both personal and communal life. It will especially resonate with listeners who are navigating grief, identity, faith, or justice work and are looking for deeper ways to listen, witness, and create space for truths that are tender, unfinished, and profoundly human.

Listen, share, and subscribe—because we believe that we can be well!