The Story Beneath https://www.thestorybeneath.ca/ en 2026 Unshaken Media Have you ever looked at someone and thought... "Wow... they really have it all together." Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments. After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do. Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time? Who are you when everything stops? We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover. What are the hidden costs of over-functioning? Being too self-reliant? What happens when you realize you’ve just been surviving, rather than thriving? The armour is off and the new goal is to better understand our own stories... hidden beneath. Because, there's always more to the story. More About the Host: Susanne Cookson is the creator and host of The Story Beneath and the founder of Unshaken Media. After more than three decades leading innovation and transformation in healthcare, and co-founding a company that helped millions of Canadians improve their health and wellbeing, Susanne retired to begin a different journey—one of understanding the story beneath her own life. Today, she is building The Story Beneath—a place where honest stories become meaningful conversations, meaningful conversations become community, and community reminds us that we are never as alone as we think. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/86d51dc4-853f-11f1-a0b7-f3fdb84b4c92/image/e9fa780b455667d27073a00155c2ee61.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress The Story Beneath https://www.thestorybeneath.ca/ no serial Because there's always more to the story. Susanne Cookson Have you ever looked at someone and thought... "Wow... they really have it all together." Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments. After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do. Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time? Who are you when everything stops? We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover. What are the hidden costs of over-functioning? Being too self-reliant? What happens when you realize you’ve just been surviving, rather than thriving? The armour is off and the new goal is to better understand our own stories... hidden beneath. Because, there's always more to the story. More About the Host: Susanne Cookson is the creator and host of The Story Beneath and the founder of Unshaken Media. After more than three decades leading innovation and transformation in healthcare, and co-founding a company that helped millions of Canadians improve their health and wellbeing, Susanne retired to begin a different journey—one of understanding the story beneath her own life. Today, she is building The Story Beneath—a place where honest stories become meaningful conversations, meaningful conversations become community, and community reminds us that we are never as alone as we think. Have you ever looked at someone and thought...

"Wow... they really have it all together."

Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments.

After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do.


Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time? Who are you when everything stops? We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover. What are the hidden costs of over-functioning? Being too self-reliant? What happens when you realize you’ve just been surviving, rather than thriving?


The armour is off and the new goal is to better understand our own stories... hidden beneath. Because, there's always more to the story.


More About the Host:

Susanne Cookson is the creator and host of The Story Beneath and the founder of Unshaken Media.

After more than three decades leading innovation and transformation in healthcare, and co-founding a company that helped millions of Canadians improve their health and wellbeing, Susanne retired to begin a different journey—one of understanding the story beneath her own life.

Today, she is building The Story Beneath—a place where honest stories become meaningful conversations, meaningful conversations become community, and community reminds us that we are never as alone as we think.

]]> Susanne Cookson sarah@sarahburke.ca The Cost of Being The Strong One In this episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares her experiences with family, marriage, and the expectations placed on her as a strong, capable woman. Through her story, she explores the cost of being 'the strong one,' and the importance of recognizing when to ask for help and prioritize self-care. Susanne shares the story behind the drive: a career she genuinely loved, chasing security and the freedom of knowing she'd never again have to depend on anyone. At 20, she fell for a charming man with a big, warm Italian family and married him pregnant at 21, in front of 450 guests, while her gut quietly screamed at her to slow down. When the drinking and unpredictability didn't stop, she left at 24 with her daughter. Her second marriage lasted 18 years. She was the organizer, the planner, the one who remembered every birthday and hosted every holiday. At work she had her sparkle; at home she got quieter, smaller, and eventually afraid to tell her own husband about a promotion she'd worked years for. Then came a panic attack on the side of a road and her body finally saying enough. This episode is about the difference between being able to handle something and being responsible for carrying it. If people call you strong, Susanne has a question for you: What happens when the person who always said yes, finally learns to say no? Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0000 full 1 3 Susanne Cookson Susanne explores the habits and patterns that made her 'the strong one' in her marriages. In this episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares her experiences with family, marriage, and the expectations placed on her as a strong, capable woman. Through her story, she explores the cost of being 'the strong one,' and the importance of recognizing when to ask for help and prioritize self-care. Susanne shares the story behind the drive: a career she genuinely loved, chasing security and the freedom of knowing she'd never again have to depend on anyone. At 20, she fell for a charming man with a big, warm Italian family and married him pregnant at 21, in front of 450 guests, while her gut quietly screamed at her to slow down. When the drinking and unpredictability didn't stop, she left at 24 with her daughter. Her second marriage lasted 18 years. She was the organizer, the planner, the one who remembered every birthday and hosted every holiday. At work she had her sparkle; at home she got quieter, smaller, and eventually afraid to tell her own husband about a promotion she'd worked years for. Then came a panic attack on the side of a road and her body finally saying enough. This episode is about the difference between being able to handle something and being responsible for carrying it. If people call you strong, Susanne has a question for you: What happens when the person who always said yes, finally learns to say no? Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ In this episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares her experiences with family, marriage, and the expectations placed on her as a strong, capable woman. Through her story, she explores the cost of being 'the strong one,' and the importance of recognizing when to ask for help and prioritize self-care.


Susanne shares the story behind the drive: a career she genuinely loved, chasing security and the freedom of knowing she'd never again have to depend on anyone.


At 20, she fell for a charming man with a big, warm Italian family and married him pregnant at 21, in front of 450 guests, while her gut quietly screamed at her to slow down.

When the drinking and unpredictability didn't stop, she left at 24 with her daughter. Her second marriage lasted 18 years. She was the organizer, the planner, the one who remembered every birthday and hosted every holiday. At work she had her sparkle; at home she got quieter, smaller, and eventually afraid to tell her own husband about a promotion she'd worked years for.


Then came a panic attack on the side of a road and her body finally saying enough. This episode is about the difference between being able to handle something and being responsible for carrying it. If people call you strong, Susanne has a question for you: What happens when the person who always said yes, finally learns to say no?


Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath

⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠

]]> 1878 no The Girl Who Learned to Survive This episode discusses childhood trauma, domestic violence, and violence involving an animal. Listener discretion is advised. Host Susanne Cookson takes us back to the little girl who learned how to survive. She reflects on the complexities of childhood trauma, domestic violence, and her journey to understanding herself, her relationships, and the panic attack that made her stop in her tracks.  She shares her experience growing up in an unpredictable and often dangerous home environment. She reflects on the lessons learned from her childhood, the coping mechanisms she developed, and the moment she decided to run away at the age of fifteen.  She looks back on her childhood, exploring how early experiences shape coping mechanisms and resilience, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and the patterns that emerge in adult relationships.  Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath Communnity Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:46:00 -0000 full 1 2 Susanne Cookson Host Susanne Cookson takes us back to the little girl who learned how to survive amidst childhood trauma, domestic violence, and the panic attack that made her stop in her tracks.  This episode discusses childhood trauma, domestic violence, and violence involving an animal. Listener discretion is advised. Host Susanne Cookson takes us back to the little girl who learned how to survive. She reflects on the complexities of childhood trauma, domestic violence, and her journey to understanding herself, her relationships, and the panic attack that made her stop in her tracks.  She shares her experience growing up in an unpredictable and often dangerous home environment. She reflects on the lessons learned from her childhood, the coping mechanisms she developed, and the moment she decided to run away at the age of fifteen.  She looks back on her childhood, exploring how early experiences shape coping mechanisms and resilience, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and the patterns that emerge in adult relationships.  Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath Communnity This episode discusses childhood trauma, domestic violence, and violence involving an animal. Listener discretion is advised.


Host Susanne Cookson takes us back to the little girl who learned how to survive. She reflects on the complexities of childhood trauma, domestic violence, and her journey to understanding herself, her relationships, and the panic attack that made her stop in her tracks. 


She shares her experience growing up in an unpredictable and often dangerous home environment. She reflects on the lessons learned from her childhood, the coping mechanisms she developed, and the moment she decided to run away at the age of fifteen. 


She looks back on her childhood, exploring how early experiences shape coping mechanisms and resilience, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and the patterns that emerge in adult relationships. 


Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath Communnity





]]> 1704 no The Moment She Stopped What happens when the life you worked so hard to build looks successful from the outside, but something inside you is asking you to stop? In the first episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares the moment that changed the way she began to understand her life: a panic attack that seemed to come out of nowhere. By every external measure, Susanne had built a life she could be proud of. A successful career. A thriving business. A family she loved. Decades spent working hard, solving problems, showing up and being the person others could depend on. She had become very good at being strong. But beneath all that competence and momentum was a growing sense that something wasn't quite right. The panic attack forced Susanne to stop long enough to ask a question she hadn't really known how to ask before: Why do I feel so unsettled? That question became the beginning of a much deeper journey—not toward having all the answers, but toward becoming curious about herself. Why do I believe I always have to be strong? Why does this situation make me feel unsafe? Why do I react this way? Where did I learn that? And what might be underneath it? Episode 1 explores the difference between simply being self-aware and becoming self-curious—looking beyond what we do and beginning to wonder why we do it. As Susanne reveals her journey, a conversation about resilience, childhood patterns, emotional safety, old wounds, family, relationships and what can happen when the person who has always kept moving...finally stops. Because sometimes the moment that feels like everything is falling apart...is actually the moment you begin to see the story beneath. Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:44:00 -0000 full 1 1 Susanne Cookson host Susanne Cookson shares the moment that changed the way she began to understand her life: a panic attack that seemed to come out of nowhere. What happens when the life you worked so hard to build looks successful from the outside, but something inside you is asking you to stop? In the first episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares the moment that changed the way she began to understand her life: a panic attack that seemed to come out of nowhere. By every external measure, Susanne had built a life she could be proud of. A successful career. A thriving business. A family she loved. Decades spent working hard, solving problems, showing up and being the person others could depend on. She had become very good at being strong. But beneath all that competence and momentum was a growing sense that something wasn't quite right. The panic attack forced Susanne to stop long enough to ask a question she hadn't really known how to ask before: Why do I feel so unsettled? That question became the beginning of a much deeper journey—not toward having all the answers, but toward becoming curious about herself. Why do I believe I always have to be strong? Why does this situation make me feel unsafe? Why do I react this way? Where did I learn that? And what might be underneath it? Episode 1 explores the difference between simply being self-aware and becoming self-curious—looking beyond what we do and beginning to wonder why we do it. As Susanne reveals her journey, a conversation about resilience, childhood patterns, emotional safety, old wounds, family, relationships and what can happen when the person who has always kept moving...finally stops. Because sometimes the moment that feels like everything is falling apart...is actually the moment you begin to see the story beneath. Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ What happens when the life you worked so hard to build looks successful from the outside, but something inside you is asking you to stop?


In the first episode of The Story Beneath, host Susanne Cookson shares the moment that changed the way she began to understand her life: a panic attack that seemed to come out of nowhere.


By every external measure, Susanne had built a life she could be proud of. A successful career. A thriving business. A family she loved. Decades spent working hard, solving problems, showing up and being the person others could depend on.


She had become very good at being strong. But beneath all that competence and momentum was a growing sense that something wasn't quite right.


The panic attack forced Susanne to stop long enough to ask a question she hadn't really known how to ask before:


Why do I feel so unsettled?

That question became the beginning of a much deeper journey—not toward having all the answers, but toward becoming curious about herself.

Why do I believe I always have to be strong?

Why does this situation make me feel unsafe?

Why do I react this way?

Where did I learn that?

And what might be underneath it?


Episode 1 explores the difference between simply being self-aware and becoming self-curious—looking beyond what we do and beginning to wonder why we do it.


As Susanne reveals her journey, a conversation about resilience, childhood patterns, emotional safety, old wounds, family, relationships and what can happen when the person who has always kept moving...finally stops.


Because sometimes the moment that feels like everything is falling apart...is actually the moment you begin to see the story beneath.


Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath

⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠

]]> 982 no Trailer: The Story Beneath https://www.womeninmedia.network/show/the-story-beneath/trailer/ Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments. After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do. Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time? Who are you when everything stops? We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover. Because…there's always more to the story. New episodes every other Thursday, follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:39:00 -0000 trailer Susanne Cookson Welcome to The Story Beneath Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments. After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do. Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time? Who are you when everything stops? We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover. Because…there's always more to the story. New episodes every other Thursday, follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath ⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠ Susanne Cookson is the host of The Story Beneath; a podcast dedicated to the heartbreaks, the victories, and the turning points that quietly became defining moments.

After more than thirty years shaking up the healthcare space, building and selling a multi-million dollar business, raising a beautiful family, and eventually retiring at 54, she realized there was still a lot of work to do.

Who are you without the deadlines and meetings, and nothing but time?

Who are you when everything stops?

We rarely know the whole story, and that’s the story Susanne wants to uncover.

Because…there's always more to the story. New episodes every other Thursday, follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.


Connect with Susanne and The Story Beneath

⁠https://thestorybeneath.ca/⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/the_story_beneath⁠

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