The Entangled Health Podcast Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-entangled-health-podcast The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy. The show is hosted by Madison Murphy Barney, a public health storyteller and strategist. With her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Madison has worked with federal ministries of health, leading hospitals and healthcare systems, billion-dollar foundations, teaching hospitals, and large nonprofits to operationalize storytelling initiatives. Each episode of The Entangled Health Podcast weaves together story, strategy, and systems change. You’ll hear how organizations can use storytelling to: Build trust with communities Reconnect staff to purpose Influence policy and shift narratives Generate resources for lasting change This podcast is for leaders, practitioners, and dreamers who know that connection is medicine. 🔗 Stay Connected Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling Let's connect on LinkedIn Lean more about how we can work together Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com Links & Resources: Quiz: https://form.jotform.com/Mmbarney/storytelling-quiz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-murphy-barney/ Website: https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health Email Address: mbarney@entangledhealth.com © 2026 Madison Murphy Barney 5614779f-7e40-5a1b-a771-f3385e0b8337 no Trailer: Welcome to the Entangled Health Podcast en Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:00:14 -0700 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:01:46 -0700 https://img.transistorcdn.com/aOMTeina1rKOQ4u8Z_8nvd0orf23UFdqnLb4pPvVlQw/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80MDI2/OWU5ZTc1NjQxNTc3/OWM0Njk4ZDc1NjI3/MGE4ZC5wbmc.jpg The Entangled Health Podcast episodic Madison Murphy Barney The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy. The show is hosted by Madison Murphy Barney, a public health storyteller and strategist. With her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Madison has worked with federal ministries of health, leading hospitals and healthcare systems, billion-dollar foundations, teaching hospitals, and large nonprofits to operationalize storytelling initiatives. Each episode of The Entangled Health Podcast weaves together story, strategy, and systems change. You’ll hear how organizations can use storytelling to: Build trust with communities Reconnect staff to purpose Influence policy and shift narratives Generate resources for lasting change This podcast is for leaders, practitioners, and dreamers who know that connection is medicine. 🔗 Stay Connected Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling Let's connect on LinkedIn Lean more about how we can work together Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com Links & Resources: Quiz: https://form.jotform.com/Mmbarney/storytelling-quiz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-murphy-barney/ Website: https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health Email Address: mbarney@entangledhealth.com The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy. Chase Mitchell No No The Tree of Life: What Cedar Teaches Us About Endurance in Community Work 19 19 The Tree of Life: What Cedar Teaches Us About Endurance in Community Work full a7f1bb63-b3b6-480c-aa0e-693c8159cd80 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b696064f Cedar doesn't bloom and disappear. She stands, shelters, and heals, and the whole forest depends on it.

In this episode, we talk about what it takes to build narrative practice that doesn't burn out, dry up, or blow over when leadership changes or funding shifts. Cedar grows slowly, roots deeply, and provides shelter year-round. Her fallen needles feed the soil. Her oils protect her without aggression. In temperate rainforests, she's a keystone species: remove cedar, and the whole system shifts.

We make the case for evergreen narrative infrastructure over seasonal storytelling. We talk about why strategic pace is not the same as urgency: fast, efficient, impactful, just not urgent. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why root work comes before visible growth, and what that means for StoryLab Sessions and trust-building. The argument against treating storytelling as a seasonal activity. How ethical storytelling guidelines and consent practices function like cedar's natural defenses. What it means to be a keystone in your organization, and why that's a vulnerability if it's held by one person. And why slow growth is key to the work of health and justice organizations.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Cedar doesn't bloom and disappear. She stands, shelters, and heals, and the whole forest depends on it.

In this episode, we talk about what it takes to build narrative practice that doesn't burn out, dry up, or blow over when leadership changes or funding shifts. Cedar grows slowly, roots deeply, and provides shelter year-round. Her fallen needles feed the soil. Her oils protect her without aggression. In temperate rainforests, she's a keystone species: remove cedar, and the whole system shifts.

We make the case for evergreen narrative infrastructure over seasonal storytelling. We talk about why strategic pace is not the same as urgency: fast, efficient, impactful, just not urgent. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why root work comes before visible growth, and what that means for StoryLab Sessions and trust-building. The argument against treating storytelling as a seasonal activity. How ethical storytelling guidelines and consent practices function like cedar's natural defenses. What it means to be a keystone in your organization, and why that's a vulnerability if it's held by one person. And why slow growth is key to the work of health and justice organizations.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1390 Cedar doesn't bloom and disappear. She stands, shelters, and heals, and the whole forest depends on it.

In this episode, we talk about what it takes to build narrative practice that doesn't burn out, dry up, or blow over when leadership changes or funding shifts. Cedar grows slowly, roots deeply, and provides shelter year-round. Her fallen needles feed the soil. Her oils protect her without aggression. In temperate rainforests, she's a keystone species: remove cedar, and the whole system shifts.

We make the case for evergreen narrative infrastructure over seasonal storytelling. We talk about why strategic pace is not the same as urgency: fast, efficient, impactful, just not urgent. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why root work comes before visible growth, and what that means for StoryLab Sessions and trust-building. The argument against treating storytelling as a seasonal activity. How ethical storytelling guidelines and consent practices function like cedar's natural defenses. What it means to be a keystone in your organization, and why that's a vulnerability if it's held by one person. And why slow growth is key to the work of health and justice organizations.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Engineer the Conditions: What Beavers Teach Us About Building for the Ecosystem 18 18 Engineer the Conditions: What Beavers Teach Us About Building for the Ecosystem full d27adc2b-9658-4c90-8734-5efc3fcaea53 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d029cc7 Beavers are ecosystem engineers. Their dams create wetlands, improve water quality, support biodiversity, and benefit species they'll never meet. That's the argument for narrative infrastructure at its most expansive.

In this episode, we talk about why a single story is not a strategy. Rather, a story bank and healthy narrative infrastructure create conditions for stories to do their work across time, across campaigns, across staff turnover. We make the case against siloing storytelling in the comms department, because beavers don't build as individuals, they build as a colony, and narrative strategy is organizational infrastructure that everyone maintains.

We also talk about planning for winter, about building narrative reserves when things are flowing so you have what you need when they're not. And about repair: the dam breaks, you fix it. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why a story bank is a dam and not a filing cabinet. The ripple effects of narrative infrastructure. The case for making storytelling everyone's work, not just comms. Why building from existing organizational assets beats importing frameworks from somewhere else. What beavers and disaster response have in common.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Beavers are ecosystem engineers. Their dams create wetlands, improve water quality, support biodiversity, and benefit species they'll never meet. That's the argument for narrative infrastructure at its most expansive.

In this episode, we talk about why a single story is not a strategy. Rather, a story bank and healthy narrative infrastructure create conditions for stories to do their work across time, across campaigns, across staff turnover. We make the case against siloing storytelling in the comms department, because beavers don't build as individuals, they build as a colony, and narrative strategy is organizational infrastructure that everyone maintains.

We also talk about planning for winter, about building narrative reserves when things are flowing so you have what you need when they're not. And about repair: the dam breaks, you fix it. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why a story bank is a dam and not a filing cabinet. The ripple effects of narrative infrastructure. The case for making storytelling everyone's work, not just comms. Why building from existing organizational assets beats importing frameworks from somewhere else. What beavers and disaster response have in common.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 20 May 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1247 Beavers are ecosystem engineers. Their dams create wetlands, improve water quality, support biodiversity, and benefit species they'll never meet. That's the argument for narrative infrastructure at its most expansive.

In this episode, we talk about why a single story is not a strategy. Rather, a story bank and healthy narrative infrastructure create conditions for stories to do their work across time, across campaigns, across staff turnover. We make the case against siloing storytelling in the comms department, because beavers don't build as individuals, they build as a colony, and narrative strategy is organizational infrastructure that everyone maintains.

We also talk about planning for winter, about building narrative reserves when things are flowing so you have what you need when they're not. And about repair: the dam breaks, you fix it. 

IN THIS EPISODE

Why a story bank is a dam and not a filing cabinet. The ripple effects of narrative infrastructure. The case for making storytelling everyone's work, not just comms. Why building from existing organizational assets beats importing frameworks from somewhere else. What beavers and disaster response have in common.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Reciprocity In Action: What the Three Sisters Teach Us About Real Partnership 17 17 Reciprocity In Action: What the Three Sisters Teach Us About Real Partnership full 55b8bf16-d894-4ff1-b59a-93668f7822d8 https://share.transistor.fm/s/989a5d0b Most organizational partnerships and coalition storytelling efforts fail because they're modeled on extraction, not reciprocity. The Three Sisters give us the antidote.

The Three Sisters is a traditional Indigenous agricultural system developed primarily by the Haudenosaunee, at least 3,000 years old. Corn, beans, and squash planted together in the same mound. Corn grows tall and provides structure. Beans climb the corn and fix nitrogen in the soil that feeds everything. Squash spreads along the ground, protecting the soil and deterring pests. Together they're more space-efficient, drought-resistant, and nutritionally complete than any one crop alone.

In this episode, we talk about what strengths-based collective leadership looks like when each partner contributes what they're built to contribute. We make the case for reciprocity in storytelling: the process of gathering stories should also build trust, surface strategy, and strengthen the community's own narrative capacity. And we talk about why sequence matters, because you can't plant everything at once and expect your garden to grow.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why different contributions beat identical efforts in coalition work. The difference between extractive storytelling and ethical storytelling that returns something to the soil. Why the Story Lab comes before the strategy and the listening comes before the design. How the same framework travels but always adapts to place.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Most organizational partnerships and coalition storytelling efforts fail because they're modeled on extraction, not reciprocity. The Three Sisters give us the antidote.

The Three Sisters is a traditional Indigenous agricultural system developed primarily by the Haudenosaunee, at least 3,000 years old. Corn, beans, and squash planted together in the same mound. Corn grows tall and provides structure. Beans climb the corn and fix nitrogen in the soil that feeds everything. Squash spreads along the ground, protecting the soil and deterring pests. Together they're more space-efficient, drought-resistant, and nutritionally complete than any one crop alone.

In this episode, we talk about what strengths-based collective leadership looks like when each partner contributes what they're built to contribute. We make the case for reciprocity in storytelling: the process of gathering stories should also build trust, surface strategy, and strengthen the community's own narrative capacity. And we talk about why sequence matters, because you can't plant everything at once and expect your garden to grow.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why different contributions beat identical efforts in coalition work. The difference between extractive storytelling and ethical storytelling that returns something to the soil. Why the Story Lab comes before the strategy and the listening comes before the design. How the same framework travels but always adapts to place.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 06 May 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1466 Most organizational partnerships and coalition storytelling efforts fail because they're modeled on extraction, not reciprocity. The Three Sisters give us the antidote.

The Three Sisters is a traditional Indigenous agricultural system developed primarily by the Haudenosaunee, at least 3,000 years old. Corn, beans, and squash planted together in the same mound. Corn grows tall and provides structure. Beans climb the corn and fix nitrogen in the soil that feeds everything. Squash spreads along the ground, protecting the soil and deterring pests. Together they're more space-efficient, drought-resistant, and nutritionally complete than any one crop alone.

In this episode, we talk about what strengths-based collective leadership looks like when each partner contributes what they're built to contribute. We make the case for reciprocity in storytelling: the process of gathering stories should also build trust, surface strategy, and strengthen the community's own narrative capacity. And we talk about why sequence matters, because you can't plant everything at once and expect your garden to grow.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why different contributions beat identical efforts in coalition work. The difference between extractive storytelling and ethical storytelling that returns something to the soil. Why the Story Lab comes before the strategy and the listening comes before the design. How the same framework travels but always adapts to place.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Story Is Infrastructure: What Orb Weaver Spiders Teach Us About Building the Web 16 16 Story Is Infrastructure: What Orb Weaver Spiders Teach Us About Building the Web full d689e140-bdcb-4ef0-b60f-38c1567f8fe2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ac19cf36 Circulation without infrastructure is just wandering. In this episode, we meet the orb weaver spider, referred to in many Indigenous traditions as Grandmother Spider, and explore what her web-building teaches us about narrative infrastructure.


The orb weaver doesn't start with the pretty spiral. She starts with structural threads connecting far-off but key anchor points. Then she builds outward, thread by thread. She dismantles and rebuilds daily, because maintenance is not failure, it's the work. And she doesn't chase. She builds a system and then senses what it catches.

We talk about the Nepal story from John Paul Lederach's work: after their civil war in 2006, community groups formed "spider groups" that traveled to each divided community, listening, eating together, and listening some more. They called it a practice of collective empathy. Thread by thread, they built a web of understanding before anyone was ready for the big gathering. This is the episode where we say the thing we're always saying: story is not fluff, it's infrastructure. And Grandmother Spider has 3,000 species to back it up.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why narrative strategy starts with anchor points, not campaigns. How story banks work like webs: you build the infrastructure and then the stories you need for moments you couldn't predict are already there. The case against the one-and-done storytelling project. What the Nepal spider groups teach us about building understanding before convening. And what doula wisdom has to do with sensing over chasing.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Circulation without infrastructure is just wandering. In this episode, we meet the orb weaver spider, referred to in many Indigenous traditions as Grandmother Spider, and explore what her web-building teaches us about narrative infrastructure.


The orb weaver doesn't start with the pretty spiral. She starts with structural threads connecting far-off but key anchor points. Then she builds outward, thread by thread. She dismantles and rebuilds daily, because maintenance is not failure, it's the work. And she doesn't chase. She builds a system and then senses what it catches.

We talk about the Nepal story from John Paul Lederach's work: after their civil war in 2006, community groups formed "spider groups" that traveled to each divided community, listening, eating together, and listening some more. They called it a practice of collective empathy. Thread by thread, they built a web of understanding before anyone was ready for the big gathering. This is the episode where we say the thing we're always saying: story is not fluff, it's infrastructure. And Grandmother Spider has 3,000 species to back it up.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why narrative strategy starts with anchor points, not campaigns. How story banks work like webs: you build the infrastructure and then the stories you need for moments you couldn't predict are already there. The case against the one-and-done storytelling project. What the Nepal spider groups teach us about building understanding before convening. And what doula wisdom has to do with sensing over chasing.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1078 Circulation without infrastructure is just wandering. In this episode, we meet the orb weaver spider, referred to in many Indigenous traditions as Grandmother Spider, and explore what her web-building teaches us about narrative infrastructure.


The orb weaver doesn't start with the pretty spiral. She starts with structural threads connecting far-off but key anchor points. Then she builds outward, thread by thread. She dismantles and rebuilds daily, because maintenance is not failure, it's the work. And she doesn't chase. She builds a system and then senses what it catches.

We talk about the Nepal story from John Paul Lederach's work: after their civil war in 2006, community groups formed "spider groups" that traveled to each divided community, listening, eating together, and listening some more. They called it a practice of collective empathy. Thread by thread, they built a web of understanding before anyone was ready for the big gathering. This is the episode where we say the thing we're always saying: story is not fluff, it's infrastructure. And Grandmother Spider has 3,000 species to back it up.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why narrative strategy starts with anchor points, not campaigns. How story banks work like webs: you build the infrastructure and then the stories you need for moments you couldn't predict are already there. The case against the one-and-done storytelling project. What the Nepal spider groups teach us about building understanding before convening. And what doula wisdom has to do with sensing over chasing.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Circulate, Serve, Pollinate: What Bees Teach Us About Community-Driven Strategy 15 15 Circulate, Serve, Pollinate: What Bees Teach Us About Community-Driven Strategy full cb5a9513-d3a4-46d1-bff1-853a152869c2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/2cba8c03 The most powerful coordination doesn't come from a single leader running the show. It comes from circulation, from service, from organisms doing their work and creating conditions for the whole ecosystem to thrive. In this episode, we kick off the Wild Lessons series by looking at what bees can teach organizations trying to build trust with communities, coordinate across coalitions, and move from extractive storytelling to something real.


We dig into the "Paradox of Coordination" that entomologists named in the 1950s: how do whole collectives achieve common purpose without centralized control? We talk about John Paul Lederach's work on movements that fly like bees and thread like spiders. And we make the case that circulation, showing up where people actually are rather than convening them where it's convenient for you, is the foundation of community-driven strategy.


If your organization defaults to the town hall, the survey, or the annual report scramble, this one's for you.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why bees circulate instead of convene, and what that means for how organizations engage communities. The difference between extracting and pollinating, and how the act of listening can also be the act of building. Why iteration beats events: the case for retainers, story banks, and sustained narrative infrastructure. What it looks like when different roles serve a shared ecosystem, and why coalition work depends on it.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> The most powerful coordination doesn't come from a single leader running the show. It comes from circulation, from service, from organisms doing their work and creating conditions for the whole ecosystem to thrive. In this episode, we kick off the Wild Lessons series by looking at what bees can teach organizations trying to build trust with communities, coordinate across coalitions, and move from extractive storytelling to something real.


We dig into the "Paradox of Coordination" that entomologists named in the 1950s: how do whole collectives achieve common purpose without centralized control? We talk about John Paul Lederach's work on movements that fly like bees and thread like spiders. And we make the case that circulation, showing up where people actually are rather than convening them where it's convenient for you, is the foundation of community-driven strategy.


If your organization defaults to the town hall, the survey, or the annual report scramble, this one's for you.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why bees circulate instead of convene, and what that means for how organizations engage communities. The difference between extracting and pollinating, and how the act of listening can also be the act of building. Why iteration beats events: the case for retainers, story banks, and sustained narrative infrastructure. What it looks like when different roles serve a shared ecosystem, and why coalition work depends on it.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1088 The most powerful coordination doesn't come from a single leader running the show. It comes from circulation, from service, from organisms doing their work and creating conditions for the whole ecosystem to thrive. In this episode, we kick off the Wild Lessons series by looking at what bees can teach organizations trying to build trust with communities, coordinate across coalitions, and move from extractive storytelling to something real.


We dig into the "Paradox of Coordination" that entomologists named in the 1950s: how do whole collectives achieve common purpose without centralized control? We talk about John Paul Lederach's work on movements that fly like bees and thread like spiders. And we make the case that circulation, showing up where people actually are rather than convening them where it's convenient for you, is the foundation of community-driven strategy.


If your organization defaults to the town hall, the survey, or the annual report scramble, this one's for you.


IN THIS EPISODE

Why bees circulate instead of convene, and what that means for how organizations engage communities. The difference between extracting and pollinating, and how the act of listening can also be the act of building. Why iteration beats events: the case for retainers, story banks, and sustained narrative infrastructure. What it looks like when different roles serve a shared ecosystem, and why coalition work depends on it.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No The Pitfalls of Urgency (For Communities): When Speed Erodes Trust 14 14 The Pitfalls of Urgency (For Communities): When Speed Erodes Trust full aa4e104c-9933-43c4-95f3-8e4533dbc941 https://share.transistor.fm/s/849b6444 In this episode, we shift the lens from organizations to communities. When institutions move quickly communities often experience something very different:

  • Listening fatigue
  • Extractive storytelling
  • Broken feedback loops
  • Policy and operational choices that don’t reflect their needs

Story-driven strategy does not require slowness. In fact, it will make you faster, more efficient, and more impactful, just without the pitfalls of urgency.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> In this episode, we shift the lens from organizations to communities. When institutions move quickly communities often experience something very different:

  • Listening fatigue
  • Extractive storytelling
  • Broken feedback loops
  • Policy and operational choices that don’t reflect their needs

Story-driven strategy does not require slowness. In fact, it will make you faster, more efficient, and more impactful, just without the pitfalls of urgency.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 755 In this episode, we shift the lens from organizations to communities. When institutions move quickly communities often experience something very different:

  • Listening fatigue
  • Extractive storytelling
  • Broken feedback loops
  • Policy and operational choices that don’t reflect their needs

Story-driven strategy does not require slowness. In fact, it will make you faster, more efficient, and more impactful, just without the pitfalls of urgency.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No The Pitfalls of Urgency (For Organizations): When Moving Fast Undermines Trust 13 13 The Pitfalls of Urgency (For Organizations): When Moving Fast Undermines Trust full c38eecde-f048-40f2-8933-69cd83aa16b6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8ae5ce19 In this episode of The Entangled Health Podcast, we explore the hidden cost of urgency inside organizations.

In public health, philanthropy, nonprofits, and health systems, urgency is often rewarded. Grant deadlines. Political pressure. Board expectations. Media cycles. The need to show impact now.

But urgency and strategy are not the same thing.

And when it comes to storytelling, community engagement, and trust-building, urgency can quietly undermine the very outcomes we’re trying to create.

In this episode, we unpack the difference between speed and urgency.

Story-driven strategy can move quickly. A Story Lab Session can create clarity in hours. A listening strategy can be designed in weeks.

But trust cannot be rushed.

If you’re a decision-maker navigating pressure right now, this episode is an invitation to move with ethical velocity instead of fear-driven speed.

Because if we want systems that heal, we cannot build them at the speed of panic.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> In this episode of The Entangled Health Podcast, we explore the hidden cost of urgency inside organizations.

In public health, philanthropy, nonprofits, and health systems, urgency is often rewarded. Grant deadlines. Political pressure. Board expectations. Media cycles. The need to show impact now.

But urgency and strategy are not the same thing.

And when it comes to storytelling, community engagement, and trust-building, urgency can quietly undermine the very outcomes we’re trying to create.

In this episode, we unpack the difference between speed and urgency.

Story-driven strategy can move quickly. A Story Lab Session can create clarity in hours. A listening strategy can be designed in weeks.

But trust cannot be rushed.

If you’re a decision-maker navigating pressure right now, this episode is an invitation to move with ethical velocity instead of fear-driven speed.

Because if we want systems that heal, we cannot build them at the speed of panic.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1175 In this episode of The Entangled Health Podcast, we explore the hidden cost of urgency inside organizations.

In public health, philanthropy, nonprofits, and health systems, urgency is often rewarded. Grant deadlines. Political pressure. Board expectations. Media cycles. The need to show impact now.

But urgency and strategy are not the same thing.

And when it comes to storytelling, community engagement, and trust-building, urgency can quietly undermine the very outcomes we’re trying to create.

In this episode, we unpack the difference between speed and urgency.

Story-driven strategy can move quickly. A Story Lab Session can create clarity in hours. A listening strategy can be designed in weeks.

But trust cannot be rushed.

If you’re a decision-maker navigating pressure right now, this episode is an invitation to move with ethical velocity instead of fear-driven speed.

Because if we want systems that heal, we cannot build them at the speed of panic.

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No From Conversation to Constellation: How a Single StoryLab Session Becomes a Five-Year Strategy 12 12 From Conversation to Constellation: How a Single StoryLab Session Becomes a Five-Year Strategy full 3c127015-d276-4964-bbca-085494d9b4a6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c8e253b2 What happens when an organization carves out 2-3 hours for genuine conversation about storytelling? In this episode, we explore the StoryLab session: a structured visioning process that meets organizations exactly where they are and helps them see where storytelling could take them. 

We break down the four lenses of listening that shape every session (listening, capacity, budget, and operations), explain how assessment transforms into actionable vision, and make the case for why strategy built on deep understanding outlasts strategy built on assumptions. Whether you're considering a partnership or simply curious about what intentional storytelling infrastructure looks like, this episode pulls back the curtain on how meaningful, long-term impact begins with a single conversation.


In This Episode:

  • Why a StoryLab session is fundamentally different from a discovery call or intake meeting 
  • The four diagnostic lenses: listening, capacity, budget, and operations
  • How we move from "where you are" to "where you could be" within a single session
  • The concept of storytelling interventions as building blocks toward culture change 
  • What organizations actually receive after a StoryLab session 
  • The "evergreen" principle: designing for longevity, not just the immediate project
  • Signs your organization might be ready for this kind of strategic conversation


Key Takeaways:

1. Deep listening changes everything. Most organizations have never been asked what they want their stories to do. Starting with that question, rather than jumping to tactics, reshapes what becomes possible.


2. Strategy emerges from understanding, not templates. A five-year storytelling strategy isn't a rigid plan imposed from outside. It's a constellation that takes shape as you understand an organization's true capacity, constraints, and aspirations.


3. Constraints are information, not obstacles. Honest conversation about budget, staffing, and operational realities doesn't limit imagination. It grounds it in what can actually be sustained.


4. Each intervention builds toward something larger. A single story project has value on its own, but when designed intentionally, individual projects compound into organizational culture shift over time.


5. Storytelling infrastructure outlasts storytelling campaigns. The goal isn't content production. It's building systems and practices that allow stories to do ongoing work for communities and organizations.


Questions to Reflect On:

  • What stories is your organization telling right now, and who's doing the telling?
  • If storytelling were fully integrated into your work five years from now, what would be different? 
  • What institutional knowledge is at risk of being lost if you don't capture it intentionally?
  • Who in your organization would steward storytelling work, and do they have
    the capacity to do it well?

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> What happens when an organization carves out 2-3 hours for genuine conversation about storytelling? In this episode, we explore the StoryLab session: a structured visioning process that meets organizations exactly where they are and helps them see where storytelling could take them. 

We break down the four lenses of listening that shape every session (listening, capacity, budget, and operations), explain how assessment transforms into actionable vision, and make the case for why strategy built on deep understanding outlasts strategy built on assumptions. Whether you're considering a partnership or simply curious about what intentional storytelling infrastructure looks like, this episode pulls back the curtain on how meaningful, long-term impact begins with a single conversation.


In This Episode:

  • Why a StoryLab session is fundamentally different from a discovery call or intake meeting 
  • The four diagnostic lenses: listening, capacity, budget, and operations
  • How we move from "where you are" to "where you could be" within a single session
  • The concept of storytelling interventions as building blocks toward culture change 
  • What organizations actually receive after a StoryLab session 
  • The "evergreen" principle: designing for longevity, not just the immediate project
  • Signs your organization might be ready for this kind of strategic conversation


Key Takeaways:

1. Deep listening changes everything. Most organizations have never been asked what they want their stories to do. Starting with that question, rather than jumping to tactics, reshapes what becomes possible.


2. Strategy emerges from understanding, not templates. A five-year storytelling strategy isn't a rigid plan imposed from outside. It's a constellation that takes shape as you understand an organization's true capacity, constraints, and aspirations.


3. Constraints are information, not obstacles. Honest conversation about budget, staffing, and operational realities doesn't limit imagination. It grounds it in what can actually be sustained.


4. Each intervention builds toward something larger. A single story project has value on its own, but when designed intentionally, individual projects compound into organizational culture shift over time.


5. Storytelling infrastructure outlasts storytelling campaigns. The goal isn't content production. It's building systems and practices that allow stories to do ongoing work for communities and organizations.


Questions to Reflect On:

  • What stories is your organization telling right now, and who's doing the telling?
  • If storytelling were fully integrated into your work five years from now, what would be different? 
  • What institutional knowledge is at risk of being lost if you don't capture it intentionally?
  • Who in your organization would steward storytelling work, and do they have
    the capacity to do it well?

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1750 What happens when an organization carves out 2-3 hours for genuine conversation about storytelling? In this episode, we explore the StoryLab session: a structured visioning process that meets organizations exactly where they are and helps them see where storytelling could take them. 

We break down the four lenses of listening that shape every session (listening, capacity, budget, and operations), explain how assessment transforms into actionable vision, and make the case for why strategy built on deep understanding outlasts strategy built on assumptions. Whether you're considering a partnership or simply curious about what intentional storytelling infrastructure looks like, this episode pulls back the curtain on how meaningful, long-term impact begins with a single conversation.


In This Episode:

  • Why a StoryLab session is fundamentally different from a discovery call or intake meeting 
  • The four diagnostic lenses: listening, capacity, budget, and operations
  • How we move from "where you are" to "where you could be" within a single session
  • The concept of storytelling interventions as building blocks toward culture change 
  • What organizations actually receive after a StoryLab session 
  • The "evergreen" principle: designing for longevity, not just the immediate project
  • Signs your organization might be ready for this kind of strategic conversation


Key Takeaways:

1. Deep listening changes everything. Most organizations have never been asked what they want their stories to do. Starting with that question, rather than jumping to tactics, reshapes what becomes possible.


2. Strategy emerges from understanding, not templates. A five-year storytelling strategy isn't a rigid plan imposed from outside. It's a constellation that takes shape as you understand an organization's true capacity, constraints, and aspirations.


3. Constraints are information, not obstacles. Honest conversation about budget, staffing, and operational realities doesn't limit imagination. It grounds it in what can actually be sustained.


4. Each intervention builds toward something larger. A single story project has value on its own, but when designed intentionally, individual projects compound into organizational culture shift over time.


5. Storytelling infrastructure outlasts storytelling campaigns. The goal isn't content production. It's building systems and practices that allow stories to do ongoing work for communities and organizations.


Questions to Reflect On:

  • What stories is your organization telling right now, and who's doing the telling?
  • If storytelling were fully integrated into your work five years from now, what would be different? 
  • What institutional knowledge is at risk of being lost if you don't capture it intentionally?
  • Who in your organization would steward storytelling work, and do they have
    the capacity to do it well?

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No The Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health: Why Story Is the Structure 11 11 The Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health: Why Story Is the Structure full 0fc204ad-3e49-4f40-a941-3b0305e565fc https://share.transistor.fm/s/ac6a46f8 Public health doesn’t fail because we’re missing one solution.
It fails because we keep treating complex systems like they can be fixed in parts.

In this episode, I introduce the Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health—a framework
for understanding why health outcomes depend on multiple, imperfect layers
working together, and why people keep falling through the cracks when those layers
aren’t aligned.

Those layers include:

  • Access to responsive care and services
  • An ecosystem of community support and opportunity
  • Policies and practices that truly see and serve us
  • A healthy, abundant environment to live, connect, and belong

Each layer matters. None are sufficient on their own.

And here’s the key insight:
Story-driven strategy is the wrapper that holds these layers together.

Story isn’t marketing. It isn’t a testimonial tacked on at the end. Story is how systems listen, learn, and align. Without it, even the best programs, policies, and investments fragment—and people fall through.

This episode is for anyone working in public health, healthcare, philanthropy, nonprofits, or systems change who knows that siloed solutions aren’t enough—and wants language, structure, and strategy for doing this work differently.

What We Cover

  • Why public health interventions fail even when they’re well-funded and well-intentioned
  • The Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health and its four interdependent layers
  • Why “gaps” in systems aren’t personal failures—they’re structural realities
  • How story reveals where systems actually break down in real life
  • Why story-driven strategy is infrastructure, not communications
  • What changes when organizations use story to align care, policy, community, and environment 
  • How to move from fragmented efforts to coherent, people-centered systems

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Public health doesn’t fail because we’re missing one solution.
It fails because we keep treating complex systems like they can be fixed in parts.

In this episode, I introduce the Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health—a framework
for understanding why health outcomes depend on multiple, imperfect layers
working together, and why people keep falling through the cracks when those layers
aren’t aligned.

Those layers include:

  • Access to responsive care and services
  • An ecosystem of community support and opportunity
  • Policies and practices that truly see and serve us
  • A healthy, abundant environment to live, connect, and belong

Each layer matters. None are sufficient on their own.

And here’s the key insight:
Story-driven strategy is the wrapper that holds these layers together.

Story isn’t marketing. It isn’t a testimonial tacked on at the end. Story is how systems listen, learn, and align. Without it, even the best programs, policies, and investments fragment—and people fall through.

This episode is for anyone working in public health, healthcare, philanthropy, nonprofits, or systems change who knows that siloed solutions aren’t enough—and wants language, structure, and strategy for doing this work differently.

What We Cover

  • Why public health interventions fail even when they’re well-funded and well-intentioned
  • The Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health and its four interdependent layers
  • Why “gaps” in systems aren’t personal failures—they’re structural realities
  • How story reveals where systems actually break down in real life
  • Why story-driven strategy is infrastructure, not communications
  • What changes when organizations use story to align care, policy, community, and environment 
  • How to move from fragmented efforts to coherent, people-centered systems

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1692 Public health doesn’t fail because we’re missing one solution.
It fails because we keep treating complex systems like they can be fixed in parts.

In this episode, I introduce the Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health—a framework
for understanding why health outcomes depend on multiple, imperfect layers
working together, and why people keep falling through the cracks when those layers
aren’t aligned.

Those layers include:

  • Access to responsive care and services
  • An ecosystem of community support and opportunity
  • Policies and practices that truly see and serve us
  • A healthy, abundant environment to live, connect, and belong

Each layer matters. None are sufficient on their own.

And here’s the key insight:
Story-driven strategy is the wrapper that holds these layers together.

Story isn’t marketing. It isn’t a testimonial tacked on at the end. Story is how systems listen, learn, and align. Without it, even the best programs, policies, and investments fragment—and people fall through.

This episode is for anyone working in public health, healthcare, philanthropy, nonprofits, or systems change who knows that siloed solutions aren’t enough—and wants language, structure, and strategy for doing this work differently.

What We Cover

  • Why public health interventions fail even when they’re well-funded and well-intentioned
  • The Swiss Cheese Model of Public Health and its four interdependent layers
  • Why “gaps” in systems aren’t personal failures—they’re structural realities
  • How story reveals where systems actually break down in real life
  • Why story-driven strategy is infrastructure, not communications
  • What changes when organizations use story to align care, policy, community, and environment 
  • How to move from fragmented efforts to coherent, people-centered systems

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Storytelling for Rural Health Equity: A Conversation with Chelsey Canavan 10 10 Storytelling for Rural Health Equity: A Conversation with Chelsey Canavan full 6b74f9d4-b02f-4080-bc8a-2b0f9b8f24db https://share.transistor.fm/s/ba93cccd In rural communities, the standard metrics often miss what matters most. So how do health organizations build trust and make the case for their work when the data tells an incomplete story? In this episode, I sit down with Chelsey Canavan, my client at the Center for Advancing Rural Health Equity at Dartmouth, to explore how storytelling has become central to their work. We discuss why rural health settings demand different approaches, demystify storytelling for health and justice orgs, and trust building through story. Whether you work in health equity, rural health, or any setting where numbers alone can't capture impact, this conversation offers a grounded look at what becomes possible when organizations learn to lead with story.

In this episode:

  • Why traditional data often fails rural health contexts
  • Making storytelling accessible for data-driven teams
  • Story as a trust-building practice, not just a communications tactic
  • Lessons from three years of partnership

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> In rural communities, the standard metrics often miss what matters most. So how do health organizations build trust and make the case for their work when the data tells an incomplete story? In this episode, I sit down with Chelsey Canavan, my client at the Center for Advancing Rural Health Equity at Dartmouth, to explore how storytelling has become central to their work. We discuss why rural health settings demand different approaches, demystify storytelling for health and justice orgs, and trust building through story. Whether you work in health equity, rural health, or any setting where numbers alone can't capture impact, this conversation offers a grounded look at what becomes possible when organizations learn to lead with story.

In this episode:

  • Why traditional data often fails rural health contexts
  • Making storytelling accessible for data-driven teams
  • Story as a trust-building practice, not just a communications tactic
  • Lessons from three years of partnership

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 2206 In rural communities, the standard metrics often miss what matters most. So how do health organizations build trust and make the case for their work when the data tells an incomplete story? In this episode, I sit down with Chelsey Canavan, my client at the Center for Advancing Rural Health Equity at Dartmouth, to explore how storytelling has become central to their work. We discuss why rural health settings demand different approaches, demystify storytelling for health and justice orgs, and trust building through story. Whether you work in health equity, rural health, or any setting where numbers alone can't capture impact, this conversation offers a grounded look at what becomes possible when organizations learn to lead with story.

In this episode:

  • Why traditional data often fails rural health contexts
  • Making storytelling accessible for data-driven teams
  • Story as a trust-building practice, not just a communications tactic
  • Lessons from three years of partnership

--

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Why You Should Hire the Doula to Do Your Strategy Work 9 9 Why You Should Hire the Doula to Do Your Strategy Work full 7435b257-dc0f-42a1-a627-c51fdeaf670b https://share.transistor.fm/s/5721d4dd What if the best strategic mind for your organization isn't the one with the sharpest certainty—but the one most comfortable in the unknown? This episode explores why doula skills are strategy superpowers, and why the work of birth and the work of story are fundamentally the same.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> What if the best strategic mind for your organization isn't the one with the sharpest certainty—but the one most comfortable in the unknown? This episode explores why doula skills are strategy superpowers, and why the work of birth and the work of story are fundamentally the same.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 2032 What if the best strategic mind for your organization isn't the one with the sharpest certainty—but the one most comfortable in the unknown? This episode explores why doula skills are strategy superpowers, and why the work of birth and the work of story are fundamentally the same.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Before & After Storytelling: How Organizations Transform When They Truly Listen 8 8 Before & After Storytelling: How Organizations Transform When They Truly Listen full 1e5c1e1b-0391-4c43-989f-6dea7239c439 https://share.transistor.fm/s/28eff055 Most health and justice organizations still treat storytelling as a comms

task—something you gather for a campaign or report. But when narrative becomes

part of the organizational body, everything shifts.

In this episode, we explore the real Before → After transformation that happens when

organizations start to deeply listen, center lived experience, and build story into their

strategic infrastructure.


We cover:

  • Increased health-seeking behaviors
  • Stronger and more responsive programs
  • Higher staff retention and satisfaction
  • Deeper patient–provider connection
  • A powerful bank of evergreen advocacy tools
  • Expanded funding opportunities driven by community story

This episode is a guide to imagining what becomes possible when your organization

moves from extractive storytelling to relational narrative strategy.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Most health and justice organizations still treat storytelling as a comms

task—something you gather for a campaign or report. But when narrative becomes

part of the organizational body, everything shifts.

In this episode, we explore the real Before → After transformation that happens when

organizations start to deeply listen, center lived experience, and build story into their

strategic infrastructure.


We cover:

  • Increased health-seeking behaviors
  • Stronger and more responsive programs
  • Higher staff retention and satisfaction
  • Deeper patient–provider connection
  • A powerful bank of evergreen advocacy tools
  • Expanded funding opportunities driven by community story

This episode is a guide to imagining what becomes possible when your organization

moves from extractive storytelling to relational narrative strategy.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1606 Most health and justice organizations still treat storytelling as a comms

task—something you gather for a campaign or report. But when narrative becomes

part of the organizational body, everything shifts.

In this episode, we explore the real Before → After transformation that happens when

organizations start to deeply listen, center lived experience, and build story into their

strategic infrastructure.


We cover:

  • Increased health-seeking behaviors
  • Stronger and more responsive programs
  • Higher staff retention and satisfaction
  • Deeper patient–provider connection
  • A powerful bank of evergreen advocacy tools
  • Expanded funding opportunities driven by community story

This episode is a guide to imagining what becomes possible when your organization

moves from extractive storytelling to relational narrative strategy.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Doing Communications Differently: A Conversation with Dorian Johnson 7 7 Doing Communications Differently: A Conversation with Dorian Johnson full 314e8677-5d2c-4964-8677-f0e2e255110e https://share.transistor.fm/s/fbd05462 Today’s guest is Dorian Johnson — a health communicator, strategist, and storyteller

whose work challenges the traditional, top-down ways public health has been taught

to “message” to communities. Instead, Dorian pushes us to see communication as

relationship, as accountability, and as a form of practice that must be rooted in

listening.


Together, we explore:

  • What traditional health communications gets wrong
  • Storytelling as a tool for connection across power
  • Community engagement that is real—not performative
  • Doing communications differently
  • The future of public health communications

This conversation is warm, honest, and deeply grounded. If your organization is

wrestling with trust, relevance, or community connection—this episode will help you

rethink what’s possible.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Today’s guest is Dorian Johnson — a health communicator, strategist, and storyteller

whose work challenges the traditional, top-down ways public health has been taught

to “message” to communities. Instead, Dorian pushes us to see communication as

relationship, as accountability, and as a form of practice that must be rooted in

listening.


Together, we explore:

  • What traditional health communications gets wrong
  • Storytelling as a tool for connection across power
  • Community engagement that is real—not performative
  • Doing communications differently
  • The future of public health communications

This conversation is warm, honest, and deeply grounded. If your organization is

wrestling with trust, relevance, or community connection—this episode will help you

rethink what’s possible.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 2634 Today’s guest is Dorian Johnson — a health communicator, strategist, and storyteller

whose work challenges the traditional, top-down ways public health has been taught

to “message” to communities. Instead, Dorian pushes us to see communication as

relationship, as accountability, and as a form of practice that must be rooted in

listening.


Together, we explore:

  • What traditional health communications gets wrong
  • Storytelling as a tool for connection across power
  • Community engagement that is real—not performative
  • Doing communications differently
  • The future of public health communications

This conversation is warm, honest, and deeply grounded. If your organization is

wrestling with trust, relevance, or community connection—this episode will help you

rethink what’s possible.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Listening to Complexity: Why Simplifying Health Breaks Reality 6 6 Listening to Complexity: Why Simplifying Health Breaks Reality full 9e0f95ed-990e-4695-877e-6fb648c7d042 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a287c3c0 We’re taught to simplify things, but what if simplicity in our work creates a false reality? In this episode, we explore how embracing complexity leads to more effective, human-centered strategy. Learn why storytelling isn’t just a communication tool—it’s how we return to truth, design from reality, and create programs that actually serve.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> We’re taught to simplify things, but what if simplicity in our work creates a false reality? In this episode, we explore how embracing complexity leads to more effective, human-centered strategy. Learn why storytelling isn’t just a communication tool—it’s how we return to truth, design from reality, and create programs that actually serve.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 942 We’re taught to simplify things, but what if simplicity in our work creates a false reality? In this episode, we explore how embracing complexity leads to more effective, human-centered strategy. Learn why storytelling isn’t just a communication tool—it’s how we return to truth, design from reality, and create programs that actually serve.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Interdependence Is Infrastructure: Building Health Through Relationships 5 5 Interdependence Is Infrastructure: Building Health Through Relationships full 1ce5e42a-c655-45ed-8df4-b2de97c1e07d https://share.transistor.fm/s/d68d5323 Bridges and roads aren’t the only infrastructure that matters. In this episode, we unpack how lasting health and justice are built through relationships, trust, and story. Hit play to explore the concept of “relational infrastructure,” the role of community wisdom in system design, and how organizations can shift from service delivery to true ecosystem building.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Bridges and roads aren’t the only infrastructure that matters. In this episode, we unpack how lasting health and justice are built through relationships, trust, and story. Hit play to explore the concept of “relational infrastructure,” the role of community wisdom in system design, and how organizations can shift from service delivery to true ecosystem building.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0800 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1068 Bridges and roads aren’t the only infrastructure that matters. In this episode, we unpack how lasting health and justice are built through relationships, trust, and story. Hit play to explore the concept of “relational infrastructure,” the role of community wisdom in system design, and how organizations can shift from service delivery to true ecosystem building.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No The 5 Pitfalls of Organizational Storytelling—and How to Avoid Them 4 4 The 5 Pitfalls of Organizational Storytelling—and How to Avoid Them full df65c874-f0f5-4637-a23d-5534f98f1158 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5bfcab77 From extraction to hero narratives, explore the most common storytelling

mistakes organizations make—and the practices that build trust instead of eroding it.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> From extraction to hero narratives, explore the most common storytelling

mistakes organizations make—and the practices that build trust instead of eroding it.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1287 From extraction to hero narratives, explore the most common storytelling

mistakes organizations make—and the practices that build trust instead of eroding it.


🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Weaving Story Into What You Already Do 3 3 Weaving Story Into What You Already Do full fb01e401-92b7-4de5-909e-be6b4b38583d https://share.transistor.fm/s/58984b1e Learn how to integrate storytelling into existing operations to avoid overwhelm, increase impact, and make strategy sustainable—plus a look inside my Story Lab Sessions.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Learn how to integrate storytelling into existing operations to avoid overwhelm, increase impact, and make strategy sustainable—plus a look inside my Story Lab Sessions.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1127 Learn how to integrate storytelling into existing operations to avoid overwhelm, increase impact, and make strategy sustainable—plus a look inside my Story Lab Sessions.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Storytelling Is Strategy: Building Futures That Actually Work 2 2 Storytelling Is Strategy: Building Futures That Actually Work full 7adb8c3e-58e3-415d-a99b-3db972762661 https://share.transistor.fm/s/c0215eb3 Discover how grounding organizational strategy in lived experience creates buy-in, trust, and transformation that data alone can’t deliver.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Discover how grounding organizational strategy in lived experience creates buy-in, trust, and transformation that data alone can’t deliver.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2025 01:01:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1344 Discover how grounding organizational strategy in lived experience creates buy-in, trust, and transformation that data alone can’t deliver.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No What is Entangled Health? 1 1 What is Entangled Health? full 3dd70af6-8784-4ee8-8be8-bb62cce99a18 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ae1509d9 Discover what becomes possible when we listen to complexity in health and justice organizations.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Discover what becomes possible when we listen to complexity in health and justice organizations.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 1654 Discover what becomes possible when we listen to complexity in health and justice organizations.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No Trailer: Welcome to the Entangled Health Podcast Trailer: Welcome to the Entangled Health Podcast trailer ae1790e9-6e75-4c95-9eef-79e836b7ab66 https://share.transistor.fm/s/af1dc9f9 The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy.

The show is hosted by Madison Murphy Barney, a public health storyteller and strategist. With her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Madison has worked with federal ministries of health, leading hospitals and healthcare systems, billion-dollar foundations, teaching hospitals, and large nonprofits to operationalize storytelling initiatives.

Each episode of The Entangled Health Podcast weaves together story, strategy, and systems change. You’ll hear how organizations can use storytelling to:

Build trust with communities

Reconnect staff to purpose

Influence policy and shift narratives

Generate resources for lasting change

This podcast is for leaders, practitioners, and dreamers who know that connection is medicine.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy.

The show is hosted by Madison Murphy Barney, a public health storyteller and strategist. With her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Madison has worked with federal ministries of health, leading hospitals and healthcare systems, billion-dollar foundations, teaching hospitals, and large nonprofits to operationalize storytelling initiatives.

Each episode of The Entangled Health Podcast weaves together story, strategy, and systems change. You’ll hear how organizations can use storytelling to:

Build trust with communities

Reconnect staff to purpose

Influence policy and shift narratives

Generate resources for lasting change

This podcast is for leaders, practitioners, and dreamers who know that connection is medicine.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0700 Madison Murphy Barney Madison Murphy Barney 122 The Entangled Health Podcast explores what is possible when we honor story as strategy.

The show is hosted by Madison Murphy Barney, a public health storyteller and strategist. With her Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Madison has worked with federal ministries of health, leading hospitals and healthcare systems, billion-dollar foundations, teaching hospitals, and large nonprofits to operationalize storytelling initiatives.

Each episode of The Entangled Health Podcast weaves together story, strategy, and systems change. You’ll hear how organizations can use storytelling to:

Build trust with communities

Reconnect staff to purpose

Influence policy and shift narratives

Generate resources for lasting change

This podcast is for leaders, practitioners, and dreamers who know that connection is medicine.

🔗 Stay Connected

Take the Quiz → Discover where your organization most needs storytelling

Let's connect on LinkedIn

Lean more about how we can work together at https://madisonmurphybarney.com/entangled-health

Reach out with questions and inquiries at mbarney@entangledhealth.com

]]> No