On this week’s episode, The Black Woman’s Confidant welcomes Dr. Nikia Smith to share her journey with burnout and how she healed from the exhausting hustle culture. Dr. Nikia is a practicing, board-certified anesthesiologist, a wellness coach, and the founder of She Is Fire Forged, a wellness brand supporting high-achieving women of color through burnout recovery and radical rest. After over a decade in medicine, she knows firsthand what it’s like to chase the dream, hit every milestone, and still struggle with self-worth. Dr. Nikia shares vital insights on sustainable goal-setting, reclaiming personal autonomy, achieving success without sacrifice, and the core belief that rest is a fundamental right, not a reward.
About Dr. Nikia Smith
Dr. Nikia Smith is a practicing board-certified anesthesiologist, wellness coach, and retreat facilitator. She’s also the founder of She Is Fire Forged, a transformative wellness brand that helps high-achieving women of color reclaim their peace, power, and purpose. With over a decade (and counting!) of experience in the high-stress world of medicine, Nikia brings a deeply informed lens to conversations around burnout, boundaries, and emotional restoration.
Nikia specializes in guiding women—especially Black women in leadership and healthcare—through the exhaustion that comes from constantly being everything for everyone. She equips her clients with the tools to say no without guilt, build lives rooted in their own definitions of success, and live in softness over survival mode. Through retreats, coaching, and community care, Nikia curates spaces where women are invited to pause, reset, and reimagine what thriving truly looks like. Her work blends evidence-based wellness tools with embodied spiritual practice, creating a holistic path forward rooted in softness, sustainability, and self-trust.
Outside of her work, Nikia prioritizes rest, joy, and connection. You’ll find her reading, recharging with loved ones, and spending time with her niece, modeling what’s truly possible for a strong and powerful woman in this world.
Key Points
00:17 Introducing Dr. Nikia Smith
1:14 Dr. Nikia’s background
2:20 The beginning of burnout
4:33 Feelings of failure
6:56 The breaking point
9:42 Taking back autonomy
11:15 The system is broken
12:30 Focusing on health versus productivity
14:30 Burnout is not new
15:30 Is it burnout or are the systems not designed for us
16:25 When goals don’t align
17:48 Moral injury
20:37 How to reconcile your morality with the company culture
22:30 Fighting back against the system
25:00 Moving in a way that honors your values
26:10 Dr. Nikia’s journey into coaching
29:20 Learning when to pull back
33:50 Dr. Nikia’s advice on how to rest
36:50 Its not a solo mission
Episode Resources
Follow Dr. Nikia Smith on Instagram @NikiaSmithMD
Follow Dr. Nikia Smith on Youtube @NikiaSmithMD
Dr. Nikia’s Coaching Site She Is Fire Forged
Connect with Dr. Nicole
Follow the Podcast @theblackwomansconfidant
Follow Dr. Nicole on Instagram @drnicolepsych
Follow Dr. Nicole on Facebook Dr. Nicole Psych
Follow Dr. Nicole on X @drnicolepsych
Follow Dr. Nicole on tik tok @drnicolepsych
