# Stories in Our DNA – Ep 1: The Firelight Beginning Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/words-that-change-lives-6703362/stories-in-our-dna-ep-1-the-firelight-beginning Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/words-that-change-lives-6703362/stories-in-our-dna-ep-1-the-firelight-beginning.md Podcast: [Words that Change Lives](https://stenobird.com/podcast/words-that-change-lives-6703362) Published: 2026-04-20T07:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://words-that-change-lives.captivate.fm Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/274c5a90-40ad-4a0e-bdcd-2e15916099b1.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/words-that-change-lives-6703362/episodes/stories-in-our-dna-ep-1-the-firelight-beginning Duration seconds: 1445 ## Resource Why are we addicted to stories? Why do they move us, connect us, and sometimes even save us? In this powerful season opener, Helen takes you back to where storytelling began - the firelight. From ancient myths to neuroscience, from Darwin and Harari to boardrooms and dreams, this episode reveals why storytelling is hardwired into our biology, leadership, and healing. Helen also shares her own story, of losing her voice and finding it again through the power of narrative. In this episode: The evolutionary reason behind fear of public speaking Why Homo sapiens survived — and storytelling’s role in it What your dreams teach you about narrative How story builds trust, empathy, and connection Real-world coaching stories that show the power of story in action If this episode speaks to you, please follow, share, and leave a review. Download Your Stories In Our DNA Season 2 Companion Kite Here: Podcast season 2 - Helen Packham #StoriesInOurDNA #StorytellingPodcast #LeadershipThroughStory ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/words-that-change-lives-6703362/episodes/stories-in-our-dna-ep-1-the-firelight-beginning/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/words-that-change-lives-6703362/stories-in-our-dna-ep-1-the-firelight-beginning.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.