Woman, Wiser

In part two, Sikin dives into the sprint, the striving and the stories that keep us in cycles of urgency.We unpack burnout as a nervous system story: how perfectionism, people-pleasing and over-functioning once protected us but now keep us from rest and trust.Through the lens of biology, culture and compassion, we explore why modern life has become incompatible with our natural rhythms and what it takes to find our way back.This episode is an invitation to pause, to listen and to begin the quiet practice of returning to yourself.

Burnout has long been framed as a simple equation: too much work, not enough rest. But what if the story is more complex — and more human?In this first of two parts on burnout, Sikin reframes burnout as more than exhaustion, acknowledging the role of underwhelm and the invisible misalignments between our energy and our environments. Through this lens burnout becomes about both capacity and about connection — a mismatch between what we need and what we’ve been taught to give or accept.This conversation opens the door to awareness, reflection and choice — and begins to reveal what a wiser relationship with work, worth and wellbeing can look like.

Join host Sikin in conversation with Bryonie Wise as they explore the metabolics of grief, emotional sobriety, and creative clarity. In this intimate dialogue, Bryonie reflects on her lived experience of navigating loss through the lens of sobriety—where pain becomes a portal and readiness meets resistance. Together, they unpack how grief can be both grounding and liberating. This episode invites listeners into a space of curiosity, courage honest reflection on what it means to stay present through death and loss. You can find Bryonie here:@heart_roars https://www.bryoniewise.com/Bryonie Wise (aka B) is a multidimensional being who loves library books, road tripping and the many ways sunlight communicates with trees. A death worker and poet at heart, B is grief-fluent and has a background which includes a BAA in Photography, extensive experience with making beautiful books, as well as 500+ hours of yoga teacher training, paired with years and years of holding safe and sacred creative/movement spaces. She is also the author of two independently published poetry books: Stories My Mama Told After She Was Gone and Heart Roar: A Book of Tiny Prayers.

In this episode, we explore the quiet urgency to reshape how we see ourselves and how we’re seen. Sikin reflects on the layered versions of identity we carry through personal narrative and reflective prompts. She unpacks the stories we absorb, the values we enact and the micro-moments that shape lasting change.If you’ve ever felt the pull to rewrite your script, this episode offers a grounded invitation to begin. It’s a guide for anyone navigating identity shifts, creative pivots and coming home to yourself.

In this episode of Woman, Wiser, Sikin sits down with long time friend, Melanie Ng to unpack what it’s like to be a woman in the public eye and what it means to rewrite the expected arc of career woman and mother. Along the way, they reflect on the evolution of their friendship and how staying connected through distance, decades and life’s pivots becomes its own kind of legacy.Melanie Ng is an award-winning national journalist/producer/host, award-nominated podcaster and recognized community leader and volunteer. With 20 years experience in the media world, Melanie has done it all. As a news anchor, reporter and host for Breakfast Television and CityNews as well various Ontario radio and TV stations, Melanie has covered some of the biggest local, national and international stories to make headlines. Breakfast Television was honoured as “Best Morning Show” for three years in a row (2019-2022), with Melanie at the helm. She has also been recognized for her journalistic work, honoured by RTDNA Canada for her news feature on a former residential school. From moderating political debates to anchoring Toronto International Film Festival red carpets, reporting overseas at a Royal wedding to co-hosting a podcast on parenting, Melanie’s biggest strength is her versatility. She is currently the host of CityNews 24/7 in Toronto, an all-news LIVE network featuring in-depth newsmaker interviews and breaking content. Melanie is also a co-host of “The Big Story” podcast, where she takes deep dives into complex issues. Prior to pursuing a career in broadcast journalism, Melanie worked in public relations with a focus on corporate communications. She also enjoys diversifying her skills - as a media/journalism teacher at Seneca College and even flexing her creative muscle as an actor in television shows and commercials.

In this opening episode, we explore the quiet shifts that shape midlife and how women are releasing roles, timelines and expectations that no longer fit. Sikin shares her story of turning 40—a moment when what looked like starting over was actually a return to self, a quiet entry into wisdom, authorship and emotional clarity. This episode reflects on what we walk away from in midlife and what we reclaim in the process.

Woman, Wiser is a podcast for women who’ve outgrown the script. Whether you’re in midlife or simply in a season of clarity—this space is for you. Creator, Sikin, brings lived experience and honest conversation to the mic in a series of solo and co-led episodes. Welcome to this space where real power isn't loud. It's lived.