Carrying Stories: Researcher Well-being and the Cost of Caring with Rachel Knight

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This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast

Gerry Scullion

326 episodes

6 days ago

Welcome to This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast, the global show for designers, innovators, and changemakers who want to create better products, services, and experiences. Hosted by Gerry Scullion, with over 1-million downloads worldwide. Each episode dives into conversations with leading voices in service design, UX design, interaction design, customer experience, and design strategy. Together, we explore the methods, mindsets, and real-world stories that bring human-centered design and design thinking to life. Whether you’re a UX researcher, service design practitioner, product manager, or design leader, you’ll find actionable insights, practical tools, and inspiration to elevate your practice and drive meaningful change. Tune in and join the global human-centered design community — learn how to design with purpose, create inclusive solutions, and shape a more thoughtful future.

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Carrying Stories: Researcher Well-being and the Cost of Caring with Rachel Knight

This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast

50 minutes

3 months ago

Carrying Stories: Researcher Well-being and the Cost of Caring with Rachel Knight

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Episode overview
In this deeply human episode, Gerry Scullion speaks with Wellington-based design researcher Rachel Knight about the emotional realities of working in social impact. From navigating trauma-informed projects to setting boundaries as a freelancer, Rachel shares powerful insights on staying grounded while doing meaningful work.

This conversation is essential listening for anyone working in design research, especially those engaging with vulnerable communities or emotionally charged topics.

🔑 Three Key Takeaways

Researcher well-being is non-negotiable: plan for self-care like you plan for scope.
Freelancers carry unique risks—build your own emotional safety nets.
Lived experience is valuable but can carry hidden costs if not properly supported.

Don’t miss this raw and reflective episode. Subscribe and share it with your team.

Links

the original self-care p ost on Linkedin and the comments where people shared a bunch of resources
see more about the projects mentioned or get in touch via Rachel's website or sign up to her newsletter for more insights and updates from social impact projects

Click here to watch a video of this episode.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Creators & Guests

Gerry Scullion - Host
Serdar Mele - Editor
Stef Murphy - Producer

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