Wise Women Forward

Wise Women Forward

The origin story of humanity is wrong. This is the correction. A companion to the documentary Wise Women: Humanity’s Untold Origins, this podcast explores the ideas we were never meant to question—women’s power, post-reproductive wisdom, evolution, and the cultural systems that buried them. Hosted by filmmaker Christopher Henze and producer Dominique Debroux, Wise Women Forward features conversations with thinkers, elders, artists, and disruptors who challenge the myths of patriarchy, menopause, and “how things have always been.” This isn’t self-help. It’s a reframe of who we are—and where

  1. Oct 27

    Jenn Payeur: The Great Unraveling — From Corporate Success to Self-Wisdom

    Season 3 Premiere | Wise Women… Forward What happens when everything you've worked for stops making sense? Jenn Payeur built a successful career in the high-pressure world of corporate finance. But a serious health crisis forced her to reconsider everything she believed about success, self-sacrifice, and wellness. Today, as founder of Nature Provides, Jenn advocates for reconnecting with nature and exploring plant-based approaches to well-being. In this Season 3 premiere, Dominique Debroux and Jenn discuss her personal health journey, plant stem cell extracts, the wisdom of aging, and the importance of reclaiming our own needs after decades of putting everyone else first. From menopause and midlife reinvention to community, intuition, and discovering what genuinely brings us joy, this is a conversation about finding the courage to rewrite the next chapter. Because getting older doesn't mean becoming less. It can mean becoming more yourself. Connect with Jenn: Nature Provides: https://nature-provides.com/ Documentary signup: https://nature-provides.com/documentary-signup/ Watch Wise Women – Why Menopause Matters: Rent the film: https://bingeable.net/Jennpayeur Film website: https://www.wisewomenmovie.com/ Wise Women… Forward features conversations with formidable women sharing their personal journeys, work, and perspectives. The ideas expressed belong to our guests and should not be considered medical advice. #WiseWomenForward #JennPayeur #MidlifeReinvention

    Jenn Payeur: The Great Unraveling — From Corporate Success to Self-Wisdom

  2. Oct 13

    What If Women Ran the World? With Heather Orr (Hope Peddler)

    What if the answer to our biggest problems isn't another powerful man but an entirely different way of thinking about power? In this episode of Wise Women… Forward, Dominique Debroux welcomes feminist content creator Heather Orr, better known as Hope Peddler, for a provocative conversation about patriarchy, matriarchy, women's wisdom, and the possibility of building a fundamentally different society. Heather has spent years helping women put words to experiences they've lived but struggled to explain. Now she's asking a bigger question: What happens when women stop trying to succeed within broken systems and start imagining something better? Together, Dominique and Heather explore how gender conditioning shapes our understanding of leadership, why empathy may be humanity's most undervalued strength, and what we can learn from societies organized around cooperation rather than domination. They also explore the Wise Women Hypothesis and the possibility that postmenopausal women have an essential role to play in shaping our collective future. And perhaps most importantly, Heather shares a powerful insight about wisdom: It's not something women need to earn. It's something we need to uncover. An honest, hopeful, and occasionally radical conversation about what happens when women stop asking for a seat at the table and start questioning who built the table in the first place. FOLLOW HEATHER ORR | HOPE PEDDLER Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hope__peddler/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hope_peddler YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hope_peddler WATCH WISE WOMEN – WHY MENOPAUSE MATTERS 🎬 Rent the documentary: https://bingeable.net/HopePeddler Film website: https://wisewomenmovie.com Subscribe to Wise Women… Forward for conversations about menopause, women's leadership, reinvention, and the wisdom that comes with living long enough to know better. #WiseWomenForward #HopePeddler #HeatherOrr #Matriarchy #WomensLeadership #Feminism #WhenWiseWomenLead HASHTAGS

    What If Women Ran the World? With Heather Orr (Hope Peddler)

  3. Oct 5

    Menopause, Reinvention & Getting Things Done — with Tiffany Nieslanik, Erica Huss & Abby Ellin

    One thought she was dying. One thought she was losing her mind. One was thrilled when her period stopped. For this special on-the-road episode of Wise Women… Forward, Dominique heads to the Live Long Women’s Health Summit in New York City and asks three women the same three questions about menopause, aging, wisdom, leadership, and moving forward. Tiffany Nieslanik shares how unfamiliar perimenopause symptoms sent her searching for answers—and eventually made her question a healthcare system that leaves too many women unprepared. Erica Huss talks about the relief of finally understanding that what she was experiencing had a name, the strength she feels in midlife, and the power of women creating community and helping one another rise. And Abby Ellin has another take entirely: menopause meant freedom from periods, less nonsense, and more time to get down to the business of accomplishing something. Different women. Different journeys. A surprisingly similar destination. This isn’t the end of the story. It may be the part where we finally know enough about ourselves to decide what happens next. Wise Women… Forwardhttps://wisewomenforward.substack.com Rent the filmhttps://www.bingeable.net/wisewomen About Wise Womenhttps://www.wisewomenmovie.com #WiseWomenForward #Menopause #Perimenopause #WomensHealth #Midlife #HealthyAging #MidlifeReinvention #WomenOver50 #Longevity #FemaleLeadership

    Menopause, Reinvention & Getting Things Done — with Tiffany Nieslanik, Erica Huss & Abby Ellin

  4. Oct 2

    When Women Stop Being Quiet: Nory Boulton, Civic Sage

    What happens when a woman who spent years trying not to offend anyone decides she has something to say? She becomes Civic Sage. Nory Boulton describes herself as an accidental political influencer. In this episode of Wise Women… Forward, she joins Dominique Debroux and Christopher Henze for a candid conversation about finding your voice, turning anger into agency, and why speaking about uncomfortable things may be one of the most important things women can do. They explore Nory’s journey from a conservative Christian upbringing to becoming a progressive political voice; the conditioning that can keep women silent; raising boys in a culture still shaped by patriarchy; women’s largely unspoken calculations around personal safety; and what happens when women finally find language for things they’ve felt for years but never quite knew how to name. And perhaps the biggest question of all: Do wise women really need to step into their power—or is it time for society to recognize the power they already have? Follow Nory / Civic Sage:https://linktr.ee/civicsage Rent Wise Women — Humanity’s Untold Origins:https://www.bingeable.net/civicsage Learn more about the film:https://www.wisewomenmovie.com #WiseWomenForward #CivicSage #NoryBoulton #WhenWiseWomenLead #WomensVoices #FemaleLeadership #MidlifeWomen

    When Women Stop Being Quiet: Nory Boulton, Civic Sage

  5. Sep 22

    Helen Armstrong: Reclaiming Your Voice in Midlife

    Helen Armstrong spent 27 years as a senior HR executive in financial services, succeeding in a highly masculine corporate world while quietly managing the parts of herself she had learned weren’t safe—or appropriate—to show. Today, as founder of Claris Vox, Helen works with high-achieving women who are ready to stop performing, reconnect with themselves and reclaim the voices they learned to turn down. In this episode of Wise Women… Forward, Helen and Dominique talk about the conditioning that teaches women to seek approval, keep the peace and make themselves smaller; the often-overlooked “fawn” response; what happens when midlife begins loosening those old patterns; and why so many women have trouble answering one deceptively simple question: What brings you joy? Helen also shares her own remarkable experience of rediscovering her literal voice through singing and vocal toning—and why she believes voice, intuition, creativity, pleasure and self-trust are deeply connected. Maybe midlife isn’t about inventing a new woman. Maybe it’s about finally hearing the one who was there before the world taught her to go quiet. Find Helen Armstrong Helen’s work: www.helenarmstrong.life Download Helen’s free booklet, What Went Quiet: www.helenarmstrong.life/gifts/ Instagram: @helenarmstrong.life LinkedIn: Helen Armstrong Wise Women… Forward Info about the film: wisewomenforward.com Watch Wise Women: bingeable.net/wisewomen We don’t retreat. We advance. Forward.

    Helen Armstrong: Reclaiming Your Voice in Midlife

  6. Sep 15

    The Power of Connection: Mimi Fernandez on Women’s Health, Menopause & What Comes Next

    Mimi Fernandez has spent more than two decades working across public health, media and health communications—and she believes something important is finally happening: women are talking. In this episode of Wise Women… Forward, Mimi joins Dominique Debroux and Christopher Henze for a candid conversation about the changing landscape of women’s health, the growing openness around menopause, and the power of women advocating for themselves—and for one another. We talk about HRT, health screenings, menopause research, men becoming more curious and supportive, and why the seemingly small act of connecting people can create very big change. Mimi also shares something more personal: the questions about purpose that can arrive in midlife, the importance of friendship when your mind starts spiraling, and what she learned after coming through cancer treatment. And then there’s her deceptively simple call to action: Create more connection. Don’t hold back. Support each other. Share what you know. Because moving women forward doesn’t begin somewhere “out there.” It begins with us. Learn more about Mimi’s work:https://menopauseresearch.net/home Connect with Mimi:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mimifernandez1/ Learn more about Wise Women:https://wisewomenmovie.com Rent the film:https://bingeable.net/wisewomen

    The Power of Connection: Mimi Fernandez on Women’s Health, Menopause & What Comes Next

  7. Aug 25

    Who Were You Trained to Be? With Susanne Goldstein

    How much of who you are was actually chosen by you? Susanne Goldstein—consciousness architect, storyteller, feminine leadership mentor, and creator of Better Human—joins Dominique Debroux and Christopher Henze for a conversation about the unconscious “codes” we inherit from family, culture, gender, trauma, and the world around us. Susanne has spent nearly four decades working on a deceptively simple question: Can we interrupt our automatic reactions long enough to choose differently? Her answer begins with what she calls the “millisecond technique”—creating a tiny space between stimulus and response where awareness, and therefore choice, becomes possible. From there, we go somewhere particularly relevant to Wise Women: what happens as women age and some of those old codes begin to loosen? We talk about menopause and midlife, healing, healthy anger, purpose, resilience, women and money, feminine leadership, and the freedom that comes when you stop organizing your life around other people’s approval. And Susanne delivers a midlife relationship standard we may never forget: any man entering her life isn't competing with another man. He's competing with her complete freedom and peace. Exactly. This episode is about recognizing who you were trained to be—and discovering who you might become when you finally get to choose. Explore Susanne Goldstein and Better Human: Better Human Info about our movie: Wise Women - Humanity’s Untold Origins Rent the film: Wise Women on Bingeable Guest: Susanne Goldstein, Better HumanHosts: Dominique Debroux & Christopher HenzePodcast: Wise Women… Forward #WiseWomenForward #SusanneGoldstein #BetterHuman #Midlife #Menopause #FeminineLeadership #WomenOver50 #PersonalGrowth #Reinvention

    Who Were You Trained to Be? With Susanne Goldstein

  8. Aug 17

    I’m Allowed to Be Wise Now: Catherine O’Kane on Love, People-Pleasing & Coming Back to Yourself

    What happens when you stop trying to be everything for everyone? Dominique talks with Canadian registered clinical counsellor, relationship expert and author Catherine O’Kane, co-author with her husband Duane of Real: The Power of Authentic Connection. Their conversation goes straight into the stuff many of us have spent decades quietly carrying: people-pleasing, over-functioning, romantic expectations, gender roles and the impossible idea that one person should somehow fulfill all our needs. Catherine explains why humans are built for connection and community—and what can happen when we stop performing our assigned roles and begin showing up as whole, vulnerable people. They also talk about Catherine's own marriage, the subtle ways patriarchal expectations become embedded inside us, and the unexpected authority that can arrive with age. As Catherine says of her gray hair: “I’m allowed to be wise now.” And there's a particularly uncomfortable little truth for those of us who chronically give and give: when we over-function, Catherine argues, we may actually be training the people around us not to do their part. Ouch. Also: worth hearing. A warm, funny and wonderfully candid conversation about relationships, community, authenticity and what changes when a woman comes back to herself. Find Catherine Website: Catherine and Duane O’Kane Inc.Book: Real: The Power of Authentic Connection by Catherine & Duane O’KaneDocumentary: REAL And from Wise Women… Learn more about our film Wise Women – Why Menopause Matters at wisewomenmovie.com Rent the film at bingeable.net/wisewomen

    I’m Allowed to Be Wise Now: Catherine O’Kane on Love, People-Pleasing & Coming Back to Yourself
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About

The origin story of humanity is wrong. This is the correction. A companion to the documentary Wise Women: Humanity’s Untold Origins, this podcast explores the ideas we were never meant to question—women’s power, post-reproductive wisdom, evolution, and the cultural systems that buried them. Hosted by filmmaker Christopher Henze and producer Dominique Debroux, Wise Women Forward features conversations with thinkers, elders, artists, and disruptors who challenge the myths of patriarchy, menopause, and “how things have always been.” This isn’t self-help. It’s a reframe of who we are—and where

Information

  • Creator
    Wise Women Forward
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Wise Women Forward
  • Show Website
    Wise Women Forward

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