Inflection Time with Silken Laumann

At 16, Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe's car crashed through the ice into freezing water, leaving her trapped inside a sinking vehicle. In the middle of the unimaginable, she remembered something her mother had always told her: You can do hard things.

Today, Robyne is a resilience expert who studies how we navigate adversity and find our way forward. In this conversation with Silken Laumann, she shares what science and her own extraordinary life have taught her about resilience, anxiety, hope and the habits that help us through difficult moments.

Together, they explore why resilience isn't about being fearless, how focusing on the "next right step" can move us through overwhelm, and why belonging, acceptance, self-care and hope are essential to our ability to recover and grow.

A powerful conversation about what we're capable of when life doesn't go according to plan.

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Thank you for joining us on Inflection Time. We hope you enjoyed the episode. We'd love for you to follow, subscribe to, and share our podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Find show highlights on my Instagram @silkenlaumann

Inflection Time is developed and produced by Silken Laumann in partnership with Archer & Co and sponsored by Good Life Fitness and Ventum Financial.

A special thank you to:

Our incredible in-kind sponsors: Carter Wiley and Tall Boy Water. Executive Producers and Directors: Michelle Archer and Phil Kluba Producer: Christine Bays Creative Development by Sarah Carter

Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova is 23 years old and the world is just starting to find out who she is. Starring ins Jacob Tierney and Crave's hit series Heated Rivalry, based on Rachel Reid's beloved book, she joins Silken at a moment when Canadian storytelling is having its biggest global moment. In this conversation, Ksenia talks about growing up between Saint Petersburg and Toronto, the empathy that came from living between two cultures, and why she believes Canadian actors deserve to own their place on the world stage. She opens up about auditioning for Heated Rivalry , the overwhelming messages she has received from fans who finally feel seen, and what it is like to stay grounded when the whole world is watching. A conversation about identity, belonging, and what it looks like to be at the very beginning of something big.

It is moving day for George Stroumboulopoulos. He steps outside and sits down with Silken like he has all the time in the world. That is George. One of Canada's most recognizable voices. He has spent decades in conversation with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, including Silken Laumann.

George takes a moment to reflect with Silken, sharing the insights gained from a childhood marked by instability, the challenges of facing fear and what that taught him about letting go of control. He reflects on ego, craft, presence, and why he has never once connected who he is to what he does. With eight Gemini Awards and a career that has refused to stay in one lane, this is a conversation about investing in the moment, showing up fully, and the quiet power of just being real.

Try Good Life Fitness Today https://try.goodlifefitness.com/7-day-pass

Thank you for joining us on Inflection Time. We hope you enjoyed the episode. We'd love for you to follow, subscribe to, and share our podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Find show highlights on my Instagram @silkenlaumann

Inflection Time is developed and produced by Silken Laumann in partnership with Archer & Co and sponsored by Good Life Fitness and Ventum Financial.

A special thank you to: Our incredible in-kind sponsors: Carter Wiley and Tall Boy Water.

Executive Producers and Directors: Michelle Archer and Phil Kluba Producer: Christine Bays Creative Development by Sarah Carter.

Former hockey player Matt Kenny, spent years carrying a secret inside a sport that had no space for who he was. He also shares how receiving an MS diagnosis over Zoom during the pandemic became the moment that changed everything. Matt joins Silken to talk about the cost of hiding his identity, the darkness that followed his diagnosis, and the slow journey back to himself.

He is now running major marathons worldwide, speaking openly about his experience, and writing a book. With humour, honesty, and a lot of heart, Matt reflects on what it means to let yourself be seen, and why he believes every human being wants to know they matter.

Try Good Life Fitness Today https://try.goodlifefitness.com/7-day-pass

Thank you for joining us on Inflection Time. We hope you enjoyed the episode. We'd love for you to follow, subscribe to, and share our podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Find show highlights on my Instagram @silkenlaumann

Inflection Time is developed and produced by Silken Laumann in partnership with Archer & Co and sponsored by Good Life Fitness.

A special thank you to: Our incredible in-kind sponsors: Carter Wiley and Tall Boy Water. Executive Producers and Directors: Michelle Archer and Phil Kluba Producer: Christine Bays Creative Development by Sarah Carter.

Leanne Taylor is a seasoned leader, social innovator, and fierce advocate for equity and athlete well-being. In this conversation, Leanne opens up to Silken about the moments that shaped her—from working with elite athletes at the Canadian Olympic Committee to leading systemic change in sport and beyond. Her story is one of courage, conscience, and claiming her space. With humour, heart, and honesty, Leanne reflects on the cost of speaking up, the joy of aligning with your values, and why owning your voice is one of the greatest acts of leadership.

Dawn Smyth is the NBA's Associate VP & Head of International Youth Development, overseeing programs that impact more than 60 million young people around the world. In this conversation, Dawn reflects on her path from sidelined athlete to global leader—how a career-ending injury helped her discover a new kind of influence off the court. She speaks with honesty about the barriers she faced as a woman in sport and what it's taken to not only break them down, but to stay soft, bold, and strategic while doing it.

Try Good Life Fitness Today https://try.goodlifefitness.com/7-day-pass

Thank you for joining us on Inflection Time. We hope you enjoyed the episode. We'd love for you to follow, subscribe to, and share our podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

Find show highlights on my Instagram @silkenlaumann

Inflection Time is developed and produced by Silken Laumann in partnership with Archer & Co and sponsored by Good Life Fitness and Ventum Financial.

A special thank you to: Our incredible in-kind sponsors: Carter Wiley and Tall Boy Water.

Executive Producers and Directors: Michelle Archer and Phil Kluba Producer: Christine Bays Creative Development by Sarah Carter.

Dan Hill is the Grammy and Juno award winning singer-songwriter behind "Sometimes When We Touch," one of the most iconic ballads in music history. In this episode, Dan opens up about identity, race, family, grief, vulnerability, and what it means to be a man who feels deeply in a world that often doesn't reward that. He reflects on music not just as art but as a lifeline, a mirror, and a way to stay soft in a world that can harden us.

Julian LeBlanc is an actor, entrepreneur, and founder of LeBlanc School of Acting. In this conversation, he opens up about following intuition, healing through storytelling, and why confetti (yes, really) might be the best metaphor for celebrating each other. His journey is one of freedom, vulnerability, and redefining success.