The More Sibyl Podcast

부산의 마음| Busan, Memories, and 마음 (Heart): A Conversation With Mr. Kim Seohan | Episode 35 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
Some friendships don’t arrive with fireworks; they arrive quietly, like a warm breeze on an unfamiliar coastline. That’s what meeting Seohan was like for me. This episode is a gentle, honest look at how unexpected connections can shape how we survive, grow, and soften while living far from home.
In today’s conversation, recorded in Busan, South Korea, Seohan and I revisit the story of our friendship—one that began in Oklahoma, deepened over food and laughter, and quietly carried us through awkward transitions, cultural differences, and the strange tenderness of young adulthood. We talk about what it meant to be two immigrants navigating loneliness and identity in a place that looked nothing like any version of home we knew.
We reflect on the early days of shyness, the way vulnerability opened doors, and how the simplest gestures, a ride, a shared meal, a late-night conversation, can become anchors during life abroad. There’s an honesty to our friendship that makes this episode feel like sitting on a porch at sunset, listening to two old friends remember who they were before life scattered them to different continents.
You’ll hear stories about fear, courage, language, faith, and what it means to love people with intentionality. But more than anything, this episode is a reminder that God sometimes sends us the right people at the right time, not to stay forever, but to shape us in ways we only understand years later.
If you’ve ever lived abroad, healed abroad, or reinvented yourself far away from everything familiar…this one will sit close to your heart.
Listen, breathe, and maybe text that friend who walked you through a season you didn’t have words for.
 
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/busan-memories-and-%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%8C-heart-47ae5bac7510 

인간의 지형 | The One With Dr. Xin She – The Geography of Being Human: Across Borders, Between Worlds | Episode 34 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
What does it mean to belong everywhere and nowhere at once?
In this episode of The More Sibyl Podcast, I sit with Dr. Xin She, a pediatrician, global health scholar, researcher, mindfulness educator, polyglot, and Fulbright Fellow, whose life spans continents, cultures, and ways of knowing. Together, we explore what it means to heal beyond medicine, to find wholeness not in prescriptions but in purpose, compassion, and connection.Born in 1980s Shanghai, in a one-room home without hot running water, Dr. She’s earliest lessons in resilience came from bucket showers and blackouts long before she ever entered a clinic. Those childhood experiences later shaped her calling to global health, from Haiti’s pediatric wards to the U.S.–Mexico border, where a simple Coke bottle filled with stones can spark joy for a child processing trauma.
We talk about motherhood and migration, burnout and rebirth, and the tender work of raising a global citizen; a child who learns empathy not from textbooks, but from refugee camps, shared meals, and birthday cakes at the border. We also reflect on our Fulbright journeys, hers in Mexico and mine in Korea, and the quiet, unseen sacrifices our families make so we can stand in the places we feel called to. Our conversation moves through the meaning of work-life integration, the courage to say no without guilt, and the discipline of creating joy even in places marked by pain.
And woven through it all is a simple truth: despite our differences, people everywhere long for the same things: wellness, dignity, connection, and meaning. This episode is a reminder that across borders and experiences, there is always common ground.
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/the-geography-of-being-human-e6fd0d48d5fe 

잘 세워진 남자| The One with Dr. Timi Adepoju On Becoming a Well-Built Man: Faith, Balance, and the Architecture of Leadership| Episode 33 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
To close out our Prostate Cancer & Men’s Wellness Awareness Series, we sit with Dr. Timi Adepoju, a physician, leadership coach, entrepreneur, and living proof that adversity can be a launchpad.
From growing up in Ibadan during Nigeria’s era of scarcity to building thriving clinics and leadership programs in the U.S., his story is a masterclass in grit, grace, and growth. He reflects on how childhood lessons, faith, and a “make the most of what you have” mindset shaped the man he is today and why he refused to abandon his dream of becoming a physician, even when others urged him to take an easier road.
But this conversation isn’t just about achievement. It’s a full reset on men’s wellness and balance; a candid look at why men around the world are dying younger, how the “provider” mindset fuels silent exhaustion, and why rest, nutrition, yearly checkups, and breathing space are not indulgences, but survival tools.
Dr. Adepoju shares his own transformation from 100-hour workweeks to building rhythms of rest, intentional vacations, and sustainable balance. For leaders and multitaskers, his thoughts on clarity, structure, and letting go will resonate deeply: how to create systems, trust your team, set weekly anchors, and accept that the world will keep spinning even when you take a day off.
We also explore how he built Empower Children’s Clinic in Mississippi by turning barriers into blueprints — seeing poverty, health disparities, and limited pediatric access as opportunities to serve. “Light comes out of darkness,” he says, and his clinics, now in multiple locations, prove it.
In the end, we return to what greatness truly means. Vulnerability. Accountability. The courage to grow and evolve year after year. If you’re a physician with a vision, a man redefining strength, or anyone learning to balance ambition with well-being, this episode will both ground and inspire you.
Tune in to hear the full conversation; available now on all podcast streaming platforms.
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/becoming-a-well-built-man-fd6c07daa8c6 

깊은 믿음의 자리| The One with Mr. Mark Harris on Breaking the Silence on Prostate Cancer | Episode 32 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
In this episode, I sit down with Mr. Mark A. Harris, a men's health advocate whose story redefines what it means to face illness with faith, courage, and community.
Recorded on Father’s Day, this conversation goes beyond prostate cancer; it’s about legacy, love, and learning to “do it afraid.” Mr. Harris opens up about his prostate cancer diagnosis, the heartbreaking loss of his son to a rare cancer, and how both experiences shaped his mission to help men speak up, get checked, and live fully.
From the power of early detection to breaking the silence around men’s health, Mr. Harris reminds us that strength and softness can coexist, and that sharing your story doesn’t make you weak; it makes you a guide for others finding their strength.
🎧 Tune in to hear:
Why fear and shame shouldn’t stop men from seeking help
How illness reshapes relationships and faith
The importance of early detection and open conversations
What true advocacy looks like when love meets loss
This episode will move you, challenge you, and remind you that healing isn’t just about the body, it’s about connection, courage, and community.
Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that it’s okay to be strong and soft at the same time.
 
🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂:
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/breaking-the-silence-against-prostate-cancer-41885e507480 

암 너머의 인간 | The One with Dr. Andrew Roth — Men, Medicine, and Meaning: The Emotional Landscape of Prostate Cancer | Episode 31 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
What does it mean to live well, even in the face of illness? How do we care for those navigating both the physical and emotional realities of cancer?
In this episode of The More Sibyl Podcast, we sit down with one of the pioneers of psycho-oncology, Dr. Andrew Roth, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and longtime attending psychiatrist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Together, we explore the emotional ripple effects of a cancer diagnosis, how anxiety and shame often hide beneath stoicism, and why naming our fears can sometimes be the most courageous act of all. Dr. Roth introduces tools like the Distress Thermometer and MAX-PC (Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer), simple yet profound ways clinicians can detect emotional suffering early, before it turns into isolation. These tools, he explains, aren’t just checklists; they’re bridges that reconnect patients to language, to care, and to hope.
But perhaps the most powerful insight from Dr. Roth is this: healing doesn’t always mean cure. Sometimes it means learning how to live with uncertainty, reclaiming joy in moments that medicine can’t measure, and building relationships that remind us we are more than our diagnosis.
He speaks of the courage it takes for men to open up, for partners to listen without judgment, and for doctors to lead with empathy rather than ego. In sharing his own journey, from community organizing in Brooklyn to a lifetime of helping patients find meaning in the midst of uncertainty, Dr. Roth shows how emotional honesty can transform medical care and what it truly means to “live better” with illness.
Whether you’re a clinician, caregiver, patient, or loved one walking beside someone in pain, this conversation will leave you with a renewed understanding of how connection, courage, and curiosity can shape the way we heal and the way we live.
Because healing, as Dr. Roth reminds us, isn’t just medical. It’s profoundly human.
 
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/the-human-side-of-cancer-d06690f1375e
 
 

새로운 나 | The One With Roland Odeleye – Redefining Survival: On Prostate Cancer, Purpose, and the Power of Openness |Episode 30 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents:
At five or six years old, Mr. Roland Odeleye walked miles through the chaos of Nigeria’s 1966 military coup, guided by an inner compass that brought him home safely. That moment became a defining spark in his journey, from Bodija’s fruit-filled streets to a life of purpose, advocacy, and resilience in the face of prostate cancer.
In this deeply moving episode of The More Sibyl Podcast, I sit down with Mr. Roland Odeleye, a Nigerian-born patent attorney, nonprofit leader, and prostate cancer advocate, whose story redefines what it means to live with purpose after illness.
From his joyful childhood in Bodija, Ibadan, surrounded by fruit trees and family warmth, to decades of service providing free prostate screenings in Nigeria, Mr. Odeleye’s life reflects resilience rooted in community, faith, and knowledge. But when the advocate became the patient, his mission took on a new meaning.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, he chose active surveillance (regular checkups) instead of immediate surgery, leaning on his family and faith through the journey. Years later, when surgery became necessary, he faced the realities of recovery: physical limitations, emotional healing, and redefined manhood.
In this candid conversation, he opens up about:
Growing up in Ibadan and the lessons of love, diversity, and resourcefulness.
Building a foundation that offered free prostate and cataract screenings across Oyo State.
His prostate cancer journey, from diagnosis to surgery, and what “healing” really means.
Honest reflections on manhood, quality of life, and faith after prostate surgery.
Why he rejects the label “survivor” and calls himself “a man who lived through cancer and carries its legacy.”
His ongoing mission to track and support men from his foundation’s past medical outreaches.
Mr. Odeleye’s story is not one of mere survival, but a call to redefine strength through vulnerability, to talk openly about men’s health, and to find purpose even in pain.
Whether you’re on a health journey, supporting a loved one, or seeking inspiration, listen in to be inspired by a story that blends courage, humor, faith, and service, and reminds us all that healing is not a destination, but a daily act of purpose. Because, as the Yoruba saying goes, ”T’aba Mọ Ọna A kò baje”: if we know the way, we won’t get lost.
 
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/on-prostate-cancer-purpose-and-the-power-of-openness-3ebc6d3c6f8c

청소년의 소리| The One With The Mental Health Panel – Three Voices, One Mission: Breaking the Silence on Youth Suicide | Episode 29 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide and depression. Please take care of your heart before you listen.
How do we talk honestly about youth suicide, parenting, and mental health in communities where silence has been the norm? In this episode of The More Sibyl Podcast, we present a raw, necessary, and profoundly human conversation on one of the most pressing issues of our time.
Joined by Dr. Jessica Puri, Dr. Mathero Michelle Nkhalamba, and Doc Ayomide, this panel takes us inside the struggles too often hidden behind children’s smiles. From Jessica’s courageous story of attempting suicide at eight years old, to Michelle’s reflections on breaking cycles of toxic parenting, to Ayomide’s insights on why children need the language of emotions, each voice calls us to pay closer attention to the silent battles our young people fight.
Together, we explore what it means to create psychologically safe environments in homes, schools, faith-based spaces, and communities. We discuss how technology can be guided by wisdom rather than fear, why parents must confront their own unresolved trauma, and how the phrase “it takes a village” is more than just a proverb.
This episode offers more than reflection. It is a blueprint for prevention, equipping parents, teachers, and communities with tools to name emotions, build safe support networks, and confront the “not my kid” mindset
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caring friend, you’ll leave with the tools to spot silent suffering and the courage to discuss it openly.

학교 부모 현실| Raising Kids, Navigating Schools: What Parents Really Face | Episode 28 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
It’s back-to-school season, and while many families are packing lunches and buying supplies, some of us — especially in immigrant or multicultural homes — carry invisible loads. We’re advocating for kids who don’t “fit the mold,” navigating behavioral concerns, or trying to decode school systems never designed with us in mind.
That’s why we hosted “More Than a Backpack,” a live panel born out of my own rough start to kindergarten with my daughter. What followed was a raw, honest, and deeply needed conversation with parents and professionals who know this weight firsthand.
Ms. Farah, worship pastor, creative leader, and mom of six, shared wisdom from home and ministry. Her reminder: the system is too overwhelmed to parent our kids and knowing their individual needs is our sacred work.
Dr. Ihyembe, developmental-behavioral pediatrician, explained why some appointments can’t be squeezed into 15 minutes and how parents must see themselves as advocates, not outsiders. She drew a clear line between what pills can and can’t do and when to seek professional help.
Mr. Afolabiyi, husband and dad of three, spoke with candor about the quiet weight fathers carry, urging couples to stay united and keep children’s needs first.
Ms. Millicent, nurse practitioner, content creator, and mom of four, brought humor and honesty. She reminded us that “real” parenting isn’t about being perfect, and that grace and connection matter just as much as grades.
Ms. Shola Adewumi, mom of two and nursing student, shared her journey raising a son labeled “too emotional.” Guided by faith, she learned to trust her instincts and advocate for him in ways that mattered.
In my own reflections, I compared navigating U.S. schools with Nigeria’s system and saw how adaptation isn’t optional; it’s essential. Across all stories ran the same thread: parents filling gaps with lessons, encouragement, and relentless advocacy, because our children are more than grades or labels.
We closed with book recommendations that echoed this truth: parenting is less about perfection and more about presence, perspective, and persistence.
-            The Belonging Paradox – Dr. Otito Iwuchukwu
-            The Cost of Control – Sharon Hodde Miller
-            The Circle Maker – Mark Batterson
-             The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch
-             Mindset – Carol Dweck
-            21 Seconds to Change Your World – Mark Rutland
So if you’ve ever left a parent-teacher meeting with more questions than answers, or wished someone would say, “You’re not crazy. You’re not alone,” this conversation is for you. And if you know another parent carrying more than a backpack, share this episode. We see them. We’re in this together.
 
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/back-to-school-panel-534bb245fc71 
 

볼 수 있어야 꿈꾼다| From Ikorodu to the World: Testimony of Purpose and Possibility — The One With Testimony Adebiyi | Episode 27 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 볼 수 있어야 꿈꾼다| From Ikorodu to the World: Testimony of Purpose and Possibility — The One With Testimony Adebiyi | Episode 27 (2025)
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Miss Testimony Adebiyi, a passionate changemaker whose story begins in the low-income neighborhood of Ikorodu, Lagos. The daughter of a teacher and a pastor, Testimony grew up facing the harsh reality of being unable to attend school due to financial constraints. But instead of being defined by scarcity, she used it as fuel.
Now a first-class graduate in Library and Information Science and a Programs Coordinator at Millennium Campus Network, Testimony has impacted over 4,000 people globally through her work in education, leadership, and youth development.
She opens up about the pain of near-missed opportunities, the power of books and community, and her decision to live an intentional life rooted in faith, impact, and advocacy. She also shares her vision for the future: leading programs that support youth development, gender equality, and meaningful change, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa. We also dive into a spirited conversation about Gen Z values, digital distractions, and bridging generational gaps with compassion and curiosity. There’s honesty, laughter (yes, even a “japa” moment), and how she went from surviving survivor’s guilt to giving back through mentorship and storytelling. This is the story of a woman who turned obstacles into stepping stones.
 If you’ve ever felt like your beginnings were too small for the dreams you carry, this episode is your reminder to keep going.
 
🎧 Listen now and be inspired to make meaning of your journey and pay it forward.
 
Read blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/from-ikorodu-to-the-world-3f6307a9dd29

뿌리를 위하여| Back to the Roots: Why I Sent My American Kid to a Nigerian Boarding School — The One With Dr. Elizabeth Ajayi-Bridges | Episode 26 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 
Can you imagine sending your 8-year-old back to your home country for school after immigrating to another country? Before you say, “Heck no!” Especially my Naija people, you might want to listen to this episode.
This week, we’re joined by the remarkable Dr. Elizabeth Ajayi-Bridges: educator, community builder, founder, and mother extraordinaire. We both met in boarding school almost three decades ago.  In this captivating conversation, she takes us on a journey through her life as a Nigerian-American woman shaped by both Brooklyn and boarding school. And yes, she made the bold decision to send her American-born daughter back to Nigeria for high school, not as a punishment, but as an intentional investment in identity, discipline, and legacy.
From her own cross-continental upbringing to raising bicultural children, Dr. Elizabeth shares how early immersion in a Nigerian boarding school (beginning at age 8) sharpened her independence, forged resilience, and even earned her an unforgettable nickname. We unpack what it means to truly belong, as she redefines home not as a zip code but as “where you make an impact.”
This episode is for every parent questioning how to raise grounded kids in a culture that often feels disconnected from their roots, and for anyone navigating the in-between of heritage and new beginnings. We also explore her passion for civic leadership, the role of faith, and how she’s preparing the next generation to lead with both heart and heritage.
Tune in now to learn why, for some families, going “back” can be a powerful step forward.
Contact Dr. Elizabeth directly: e.ajayibridges@gmail.com
Let her know you found her through The More Sibyl Podcast.
 
🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂:
Read the blog here: https://mosibyl.medium.com/back-to-the-roots-why-i-sent-my-american-kid-to-a-nigerian-boarding-school-332912b8ae22