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The Chahta Chatter Podcast
PROJECT SPONSORED BY:
Chahta Chatter is a podcast where we re-story these traditional stories and reclaim narratives that empower us to reclaim our health.
Chahta Chatter is a research and wellness podcast led by Dr. Michelle Johnson-Jennings, who shares traditional Choctaw stories passed down through generations. These stories guide listeners through a process of narrative therapy, empowering them to positively reframe their experiences to improve health behaviors. The podcast centers Indigenous health frameworks and explores how culturally specific storytelling can support mental health awareness and motivation to change. In today’s digital age, Chahta Chatter seeks to address the gap in accessing culturally relevant health interventions, making it especially vital for those who may not be able to attend in-person land-based healing interventions due to daily responsibilities.
Episodes invite reflection and encourage listeners to reclaim their narratives as a way to dismantle internalized colonization and reconnect with cultural teachings. Dr. Johnson-Jennings, an expert in narrative reactive therapy, brings both academic insight and lived experience to each episode, along with co-host, Andrea Gonzalez. The podcast is rooted in both community and research, offering an accessible platform for Indigenous wellness. Chahta Chatter is available on major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout, with a new five-episode series launched in January 2025. Current research supports that knowledge dissemination through podcasts can influence self-efficacy around health behavior, and has been and given there exists a high preference for social media from Indigenous groups across the US, Chahta Chatter not just a podcast—but a culturally grounded intervention for collective wellness.
400+ downloads
We've reached over 400 downloads in the last 6 months.
20+ stories & counting
Our podcast is designed to disseminate Indigenous stories, with community blessings, and lead listeners in reflections around health to instigate change.
Our ancestors have used stories for generations upon generations for instructions on how to live a good way on the earth; they also have encoded ways in which we can heal.
Leadership & Committee Members
Primary Investigator, IWRI Co-Executive Director, Host: Dr. Michelle Johnson-Jennings
Dr. Michelle Johnson-Jennings is a Choctaw tribal member, clinical health psychologist, and a Full Professor at the University of Washington’s Schools of Social Work and Public Health. As co-Executive Director of IWRI, she leads groundbreaking research in land-based healing, Indigenous health frameworks, and culturally relevant interventions. Her work spans continents and empowers communities through storytelling and holistic health practices.
IWRI Program Coordinator, Co-Host: Andrea Gonzalez
Andrea Gonzalez is a proud Mexican-American with Indigenous ancestry who is passionate about ancestral connection, spirituality, and well-being. She is the Program Coordinator at University of Washington’s Indigenous Wellness Research Institute. Andrea has a Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Washington Tacoma, and spent her undergraduate years in a microbiology lab researching bacteria that play an important role in chronic periodontitis. She is multilingual and passionate about expanding her consciousness as a citizen of the world.
Producer and Research Assistant: Felipe Contreras
Felipe Contreras, proud Salvadorian and Puerto Rican, is an award-winning storyteller, filmmaker, and emerging nonprofit leader with over seven years of experience amplifying underrepresented voices and driving systemic change. Felipe has dedicated his career to elevating Indigenous narratives centered on cultural resilience and environmental stewardship, receiving multiple awards for his contributions to journalism, addressing mental health disparities among BIPOC and Indigenous men through culturally relevant storytelling, land-based practices, and more. His work reflects his deep commitment to equity, justice, and transformative storytelling. His documentaries and multimedia projects explore themes of identity, resilience, and systemic equity, blending compelling narratives with research-driven insights. Felipe holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Washington and a Master’s certification in Environmental Visual Communication from Fleming College.