Shocking and upsetting stories may get clicks and views in media and culture, but they don't create the change we need, explains Nathalie McDermott. Nathalie works with all sorts of storytellers: people with first-hand experience, journalists, creatives and campaigners. She shifts their focus from stories of trauma, to stories of empowerment. Throughout her career, Nathalie noticed that trauma-led stories were forcing people with lived experiences into the role of victims. This reduced audiences into the role of rescuers or blamers, making them feel fatalistic and hopeless. Using research from psychology, Nathalie shows why shifting storytelling through empowerment dynamics can be revolutionary – not only for creating a healthier media environment, but also for inspiring the long-term change society needs.Nathalie is the Founder and Co-CEO of Heard, a charity that works with people and the media to inspire content and communication that changes hearts and minds. With 20 years of experience in the media and charity sectors, Nathalie is passionate about finding common ground on big, important issues, such as climate change, poverty, domestic abuse and migration. Her work aims to create the necessary conditions for long-term social change.This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx