Stories for Action

About Stories for Action

Stories for Action’s mission is to spark positive connections and locally-led actions that contribute to strong communities and thriving environments. Join us for conversations with people taking bold steps, bridging divides, and creating calls to action; providing personal accounts, inspiration, and nuanced looks at topics at the intersection of people and place. Stories for Action produces documentary films, this podcast, and hosts story workshops for community groups, classrooms, and organizations. Learn more at www.StoriesforAction.org.

Publisher

Lara Tomov

Category

education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Sept 2020

Latest episode

4 Jun 2025

Latest episodes

55 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Jun 2025

   The City of Whitefish; planning in the midst of class gentrification in Montana

   NATHAN DUGAN of ShelterWF discusses Whitefish, Montana's growth policy update and a special interest group's proposed changes that threaten to undermine public input, highlighting the struggle to preserve local communities amid rising wealth and tourism in this interview.

2. 

   4 Mar 2025

   The Sober Life: Recovery through community, in Montana & beyond

   Addiction intersects with nearly all of our lives - directly or indirectly. Whether it's alcohol, pills, or other forms of drugs, addiction not only impacts the individual, but is felt through entire communities, having an immense impact on human life, economies, medical services, and more. But current mainstream pathways for addiction recovery in the U.S. are costly and perpetuate vicious cycles of addiction. In this episode, we look at the topic of addiction and improved pathways to recovery, by focusing on the organization Alliance for Youth and one of their programs, The Sober Life, based in Great Falls, Montana. Their approach fills a critical gap of creating community and joy around sobriety, which has lead to long-term recovery success, with measurable impacts to public health, local economies, and overall community well-being. We hear from Alliance for Youth's Development Director, Thomas Risberg, and learn about the Wellbriety Movement, which provides culturally based healing for Native and non-Native folks. We also hear from participants and group leaders in The Sober Life's Red Road to Wellbriety program; Bobby Takes Enemy and Destiny. This episode is made possible through support from Headwaters Foundation, working side-by-side with Western Montanans to improve the health of our communities. Stories for Action is a hybrid production company based in Montana, that produces short films, a podcast series, and hosts story workshops…all with a mission to spark positive action through the power of storytelling. Learn more about our work at www.StoriesforAction.org or on FB & IG @StoriesforAction. LINKS: Alliance for Youth The Sober Life Substance Abuse Prevention Alliance of Cascade County Wellbriety with Don Coyhis - full talk White Bison, Inc. Healing Together Conference (Colorado, June 2025) Hosted by Wellbriety Movement & other partners Wellbriety Movement Montana’s Peer Network Rocky Mountain Treatment Center - (Great Falls, MT) Never Alone Recovery Support Services-NARSS (Ronan, MT) Beautiful Minds Recovery - (Butte-Silver Bow County & Missoula County) Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Services - including substance abuse services, for adults & youth Services for Veterans (Western Montana Mental Health Center) Eastern Montana Veterans Home (Glendive, MT) STEP, Inc. - sober living (Billings, MT) Rimrock - rehab services (Billings, MT) Many Rivers Whole Health (Kalispell, MT) Free Alcohol & Drug Rehab Centers in Montana Recovery Centers of Montana MT Dept of Health & Human Services - Substance Use Disorder Services & Resources Addiction Recovery: A Systematized Review Effects of Social Support and 12 step involvement, article Role of Recovery Support Services in Addiction Recovery, article SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - Helpline SAMHSA Treatment Locator Info for family members of those experiencing addiction Western Montana Health Center, Youth Services Neighborworks Montana - home lending & ownership resources statewide “The Montana Legislative Session from an Indigenous Perspective” - Stories for Action podcast episode #recovery #addiction #addictionrecovery #rehab #sober #sobriety #soberlife #greatfalls #montana #community #localleadership #peersupportservices #recoverysupportservices #alcoholic #alcohol #406 #meth #fentanyl #drugfree #alcoholfree #health #publichealth #healthyliving #prevention #youth #kratom #vaping #methinmontana

3. 

   11 Feb 2025

   Rivers, Community, & a Call for Reconnection

   In this episode, we hear about different community-guided and collaborative efforts taking place around river health (and therefore the well-being of the land and people), in the region of Missoula, Montana. You'll hear from those whose lives connect to these rivers; to inspire ways for folks to engage, but also to gain insight to all of the moving parts that contribute to a healthy community and watershed. This episode is the recording of a panel and community discussion we hosted after a screening of the film Life in the Land: The Upper Yellowstone River in Missoula in November 2024. The panel includes Brian Chaffin (Executive Director of Clark Fork Coalition), Jennifer Harrington (Director of UM's Native American Natural Resource Program), Sarah Christensen (area rancher, Pintler Mountain Beef), and Travis Craft (area fishing guide, Thunder Hammer Fly Fishing). The event was co-hosted by Jessie Thomas of Sustainable Wellness , whose philosophy is "the world needs us to show up for ourselves and each other. Your health is where we start". The event was also hosted by the International Wildlife Film Festival and The Roxy Theater. Stories for Action is a hybrid production company based in Montana, that produces short films, a podcast series, and hosts story workshops…all with a mission to spark positive action through the power of storytelling. Learn more about our work at www.StoriesforAction.org or on FB & IG @StoriesforAction. LINKS: Clark Fork Coalition UM's Native American Natural Resource Program Thunder Hammer Fly Fishing Pintler Mountain Beef Tribal Consultation Policy & Practice: Jennifer Harrington's Graduate Thesis, regarding CSKT involvement with Superfund process Frenchtown Smurfit Stone Community Advisory Group PLWA - Public Land Water Access Association Article: Bitterroot landowner proposes fences across Mitchell Slough Sustainable Wellness The Redside Foundation - providing health and support services for the outdoor guiding community Life in the Land #rivers #Montana #collaborativeconservation #superfund #agriculture #familyranching #ranching #watershed #clarkfork #bitterrootriver #blackfootriver #bitterrootvalley #community #rural #water #cleanwater #publicland #river #fishing #flyfishing #montanafishing #Montanarivers #getoutside #collaborate #stewardship #conservation

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

562,003

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

8 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

21

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

77

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.