The Imperfects
The Imperfects is a podcast hosted by Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton, and Josh van Cuylenburg. They talk to interesting people who share their struggles and imperfections, or offer wisdom on the subject. The show features segments like The Vulnerabilitea House and The Academy of Imperfection, and includes insights from psychologist Dr Emily. The goal is to find valuable takeaways for listeners' own imperfect lives.
Episodes
Beginning For Beginners with Hamish Blake & James van Cuylenburg
Have we ruined the art of being a beginner?
💌 To join our journaling club, with 9,900+ others, subscribe to my imperfect email - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
With guest host Hamish Blake, we welcome back friend (family?) of the show James van Cuylenburg to expertly guide us through beginners’ mindset: what is it, how can we harness it, and what is the best way to mod
How To Audit Your Mental Load with Prof. Leah Ruppanner
It’s time we talked about the mental load. Again.
💌 To join our journaling club, with 9,900+ others, subscribe to my imperfect email - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Consider this a companion episode to our infamous, most shared episode of 2023, The Elephant in the Relationship where Hugh and Penny introduced us to their mental load, and how they were trying to make it
“MND Took Everything” Matt Nable on Grief, Depression & What Really Matters
In the end, Matt Nable wished his brother would give in.
Motor neurone disease had taken everything, except his brother’s will to live.
💌 To join our journaling club, with 9,000+ others, subscribe to my imperfect email - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Joining us in the studio today is writer, actor, boxer, and former rugby league player, Matt Nable.
Recognisable for pl
Zoë Foster Blake - Perimenopause, ADHD & Everything That Helped with Dr Fatima Khan
This is not your mother’s perimenopause.
💌 To join our journaling club, subscribe to my imperfect email - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Joined by guest host Zoë Foster Blake, and Dr Fatima Khan, we’re diving head first into perimenopause: the what, the why, and the how-the-f**k to deal with it.
Typically beginning in your late 30’s, and in your brain of all places, pe
How OCD Hijacks Your Brain with Angie Greene
Angie’s OCD obsessions are that she has committed her worst, most insidious, fears.
💌 Join 9,500+ others in our newsletter community - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Officially diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) when she was 19, some of Angie’s earliest memories are of obsessions, compulsions and seeking reassurance.
Joining us in the studio, Angie talk
Luke Bateman - Gambling With My Life
Mid 20's and $250,000 in debt. Gripped by a gambling addiction. How do you recover?
💌 Join 9,500+ others in our newsletter community - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
From the outside, it looked like Luke Bateman was living the dream: a professional NRL career with ludicrous pay checks and sponsorship deals.
On the inside, Luke was battling a crippling gambling addictio
Dr Emily - The Phenomenon That Is Imposter Syndrome
Do you live in fear of being found out as a fraud? That despite your years of competency, achievement and high performance someone will uncover the truth?
Well, you’re in the right place. Our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove is here to tell you that your imposter syndrome is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, it’s not even a syndrome.
💌 Get practical take-aways from this episode, and join
Andy Lee - DO NOT Listen To This Episode!
When he was 15, Andy Lee’s mum forgot who he was.
💌 Join 9,400+ others in our newsletter community - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Given only two weeks to live, Andy tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh how this news impacted his family, impacted his childhood, and continues to impact his sense of self.
And then, we’re going all the way back to the early days of Radio Karate,
Philippa Northeast - My Brilliant Career Took Years of Rejection
Have you ever watched the person you love most get everything you ever wanted? Did you harden around envy, or shrink with comparison? Were you able to find happiness for their success?
Philippa Northeast, Logie nominated and lead of Netflix’s My Brilliant Career, is a star quickly rising. Her most significant role? The little sister of our producer, Bridge.
💌Join 9,400+ others in our newsletter
Matt D'Avella Tried No-Sleep-Parenting For 10 Months
What impact does sleep deprivation really have on your wellbeing? What about your parenting? What about your identity?
Matt D’Avella has amassed over 4 millions subscribers on YouTube undertaking 30-day wellness challenges, and promoting his minimalist lifestyle.
In life that was meticulously controlled, having kids changed everything.
💌Join 9,400+ others in our newsletter community - http://bi
How Childhood Cancer Motivated Josh Niland: One of the World’s Greatest Chefs
How does having cancer as a child impact the way you live as an adult?
Uber successful chef and restauranteur Josh Niland doesn’t do things in halves (no, literally, have you read his book The Whole Fish?).
From opening a restaurant at 26, to becoming the first Australian to win the James Beard Book of the Year award when he was just 30, Josh’s creativity came from a place of desperation to explor
Dr Emily - Tough Love vs Shame
Is tough love to blame for our shame?
💌Join 9,200+ people getting a Dr Emily values worksheet and takeaways from this week’s episode in our newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
We all know that parent or coach on the sideline who takes under 10’s basketball a liiitttllleee too seriously. And occasionally, tough love might seem to work in the moment, long term, the shame train isn’t going anywhere
The Nature of Being Alone
Can nature help us to feel less alone?
💌Join 9,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Psychologist on the incredible, Alone Australia series (remember our seminal episode with Gina Chick?), Mark Mathieson is in the Academy of Imperfection to help us understand how nature reg
Briggs - What Racism Feels Like (feat. Nazeem Hussain)
What is racism, really?
💌Join 9,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - https://www.theimperfects.com.au/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/
Adam Briggs, rapper, writer, actor, senator and Yorta-Yorta man, joins Hugh, Josh and guest host Nazeem Hussain, to have an honest conversation about racism in Australia.
We explore the impact of The Voi
Sex for Normal People with Ita O'Brien
Sex is sometimes a taboo topic. Not today! Intimacy expert Ita O’Brien tells us all about the new normal in the bedroom, and how she’s introduced it to Hollywood.
💌Join 9,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In 2017, Ita O’Brien changed how Hollywood approached sex scenes when she pioneered intimacy co-ordinati
Our Phone Odyssey Begins
Could you live without your phone for a month?
🩵To hear more episodes like this, join A Little More Imperfects!
Patreon - www.patreon.com/theimperfects
Apple - http://apple.co/theimperfects
This week it's just the three of us. And like Odysseus before us, we embark on a life changing epic.
Where he fought the trojans, monsters, cannibals, sirens, the oceans, a cyclops and ACTUAL GODS!!
We wil
Dr Emily - You, Me & Jealousy
To be jealous is to be human. It is what you do with that feeling that counts.
💌Join 8,300+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove is in the studio to talk about THAT podcast moment: the one where Ryan admitted he was jealous of Hugh and Hamish Blake’s relationship. The one
Joe Brumm & Hamish Blake - A Bluey-print For Dads
Want can you learn from playing with a child?
In today's Academy of Imperfection, Bluey creator Joe Brumm joins us (for real life), with Hamish Blake stepping in as guest host.
💌Join 8,300+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In this episode we dig into the world of play - ”the voluntary overcoming of unnecessary
Janelle Booker & Hamish Blake - The ADHD Playbook for Parents
How do you raise a child whose brain works differently?
This episode is for parents of kids with ADHD. And parents who have ADHD. And people who don’t have a diagnosis, but would consider themselves ‘fast and loose’. And for everyone who knows someone who fits the above criteria.
💌Join 8,300+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://b
Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia) - In Trust We Trust
How do you choose who to trust? And how do you show others that you are trustworthy?
💌Join 8,100+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In this Academy of Imperfection, we are joined by Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia. No biggie (BIG biggie).
And if there’s one thing Jimmy knows, it's how to garner and imbue th
Dr Emily - You're Full of Grit
Do you think you have grit?
💌Join 8,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Research has shown that the most common characteristic of elite performers and high achievers is grit.
Understood as the passion and perseverance for very long term goals, Grit is not about natural ability or talent, but rather how we cho
Ellyse Perry - It Starts With Trying
At just 16, Ellyse Perry was the youngest person to ever debut for the Australian International Cricket team. 13 days later, Ellyse debuted for the Matildas.
💌Join 7,800+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Arguably one of the greatest athletes of our time, Hugh, Ryan and Josh chat to Ellyse about how she stays so
We're Doing a One-Off Live Show!
We have a BIG announcement.
August 19. Balwyn Cinema. Our first ever live podcast recording. With Hugh, Ryan, Josh, Dr Emily, and you?
ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS WE ARE?!
And you could win your way there! THE ULTIMATE GOLD CLASS DOUBLE PASS includes: 2 x tickets, flights or a limo if you're already in Melbourne, accomodation for the night, popcorn, choc top, sparkling wine and a personal escort to your
Ryan Holiday - A Stoic Life & Death
We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. At least, that’s what the Stoic’s say.
💌Join 7,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Today we are joined (deep breath Hugh) by Stoic philosopher Ryan Holiday.
Using the wisdom of the past to appreciate the present, Ryan’s work is dedicated
Joel Pearson - I Think, Therefore AI
In the age of AI, do you feel that your future is more uncertain?
💌Join 7,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In today’s Academy of Imperfection, we’re joined by Dr Joel Pearson; a neurofuturist, whose work centres around predicting how AI will impact every aspect of our lives from now on.
While many of us (u
Dr Emily - What To Do With Envy
What is your envy telling you?
💌Join 7,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk about the green-eyed monster, and more importantly, how we can work with it to incorporate more gratitude, appreciation and awareness into our lives (hallelujah
Reuben Williams - What Happened After My Sexual Assault
Can you think of a moment that turned your life into ‘before’ and ‘after’?
For Reuben Williams, that moment was not his sexual assault, rather, the decision he made in the aftermath to pursue justice.
💌Join 7,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Incredibly vulnerable, Reuben talks Hugh, Ryan and Josh through w
Jan Fran - Wars For Your Attention
In a world so divided by hate, how can we choose to show love?
This week we are joined by journalist Jan Fran, who unpacks the horror of witnessing horror.
💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Talking through her unravelling relationship with social media and the utter helplessness she feels watching a
Dr Edna Lekgabe - New Baby… New Brain… Matrescence.
According to perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe, matrescence is the motherhood equivalent of adolescence. Puberty 2.0, if you will.
💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Joining us in the academy of imperfection, Dr Edna explores the cataclysmic identity shift women undergo during mo
Shane Jacobson - Permission To Laugh
How do you make sure your kids are proud of who they are?
💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Propelled to international stardom after the release of Kenny, Shane Jacobson’s overnight success was years in the making.
Joining us in the studio, Shane is incredibly generous in sharing the cataclysmic imp
Esther Perel - It’s Not Them, It’s You
Are you stuck, focusing on what's wrong in your relationship?
Deeply embedded in the work of intimacy, desire and relationships, psychotherapist and best-selling author Esther Perel, ask us to take a look at ourselves first, rather than listing the short comings of our partner.
💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit
Dr Emily - Overcome With Overwhelm?
Looking for strategies to help deal with the overwhelm of, well, everything? Same.
Dr Emily, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk through overwhelm; how to greet it, how to get through it, and how to build your resilience towards it.
💌Join 6,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In this epis
Hamish Macdonald - After The Facts
Is it true that we live in a world without facts?
With AI becoming increasingly intertwined with our lives, and fake news infiltrating our screens, where do you go for truthful information and how do you know what to trust?
💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
This Academy of Imperfection is not all do
Bri Lee - Babies+Climate=Anxiety
Is climate anxiety affecting your decision to have kids?
💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House is Bri Lee; prolific author, advocate and change maker.
Answering the question, “what moment from your life are you grateful for that profoundly changed you?”, Bri talks
Ben Crowe - Play School
When Ben Crowe, world-renowned professional mentor and leadership coach, tells us his favourite mantra, we listen.
“I am enough no matter what, but I’m not done yet”.
📺 If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/-0WWUuxvcyQ
Back in The Academy of Imperfection FOR THE THIRD TIME, Ben is here to talk to Hugh, Ryan and Josh about purpose, play and lov
Matt Preston - Only 14 Summers Left
According to Matt Preston, he only has 14 more summers. And he’s determined to make the most of them.
💌Join 5,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Known predominantly for his role on the inaugural (and incredibly successful) seasons of MasterChef Australia, alongside his excellent choice of cravats, Matt Presto
Gina Chick - Don't Fight Life
Gina Chick grew up… different. She wasn’t like the other kids, and they let her know about it. But as an adult she learned to see her “different” as a strength, which led to her most well-known achievement, outlasting everyone else for 67 days in the Tasmanian wilderness to win ALONE Australia.
But as you’ll hear, that’s only a part of her story - as is the fact that she’s very close friends with
Dr Emily - Acceptance, That's Radical
Pain is inevitable, but suffering does not have to be.
💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist and general provider of wisdom, is here to talk about radical acceptance.
Drawing inspiration from our holy grail episode with Gina Chick, Dr Em deep dives radical ac
Maggie Dent - ‘Good Enough’ Parenting is Good Enough
You just have to be a good parent 30-40% of the time. According to the research, and parenting expert Maggie Dent.
💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In our Academy of Imperfection, Maggie schools parents Hugh and Josh, and trusted non-parental figure Ryan, about the ‘no matter what’ rule, the importa
Bron Lewis - Is It Me or Postnatal Anxiety?
What do you do when your 3 day-old-baby just doesn’t wake up?
💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Motherhood is really hard. And Bron Lewis isn’t afraid to talk about it (anymore).
Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, Bron answers the question ‘when was a time you genuinely needed help and were you
Dr Lucy Hone - A Life Worth Grieving
Two cataclysmic events have shaped Dr Lucy Hone’s relationship with grief, and resilience.
💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Today in the Academy of Imperfection, we welcome Dr Lucy Hone. Dr Lucy’s work focuses on making sense of the senseless, and helping others to do the same.
As a legitimate expe
Claudia Karvan - Love, Her Way
Stop. Everything. Now. It’s Claudia Karvan day.
💌Join 5,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
An icon of the screen, and of the heart, Claudia is Australian entertainment royalty.
Claudia’s life itself feels like a movie (no one else grew up in a nightclub, did they?) and it was an absolute privilege to listen
Soul Searching Summer - Ryan’s TV Show
Ryan’s got news.
Well, past-Ryan had news, and now future-Ryan is going to reflect on how present-day-Ryan is currently feeling about said news. Get it? It’s reflecting on a reflection about a rejection.
Today we’re giving you two for the price of none, and bringing you two of the most memorable moments from our subscriber based show A Little More Imperfects.
With both segments focusing on wild
Spooky Summer - Hugh’s Haunted House
Do you believe in ghosts? Josh doesn’t, Ryan does, and Hugh is actually being haunted.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale! One show left! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
It’s the second episode of our super sexy summer series (the alliteration is wild in this episode), and we’re revisiting the time that Hugh got haunted.
Blending together a few episodes of A Little More Imperfects
Psychology Summer - Your Inner Fan with Dr Emily
Today, we come to you with a gift: bonus Dr Emily. Thank you in advance for the standing ovation.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale! One show left! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Welcoming you into the world of A Little More Imperfects, our subscriber-based platform available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts, our resident psychologist Dr Emily reaches into the reflection pond, to di
The Little Drummer Girl - A Christmas Scandal
Little heads up, this episode contains some language that is exclusively found on the naughty list, and therefore, isn’t suitable for kids.
Now, it’s time to spill some Vulnerabili-TEA.
It’s our annual holiday episode, and this year, with many thanks to comedian Becky Lucas, we welcome into the studio Little Drummer Girl. Who has some, um, grievances to air.
Little Drummer Girl is taking us bac
Dave Hughes - Me, Myself & Ego
Dave Hughes has a complicated relationship with his ego.
Performing in prestigious venues around the world, Dave Hughes has solidified himself as one of Australia’s comedy icons, but the journey was (and still is) far from easy.
Joining us in the studio today, Dave vulnerably shares how the burden of feeling unworthy affected his ability to give and receive love.
Dave chats to Ryan about how mu
Mary Fowler - Forgiving Yourself-Harm
We’re nervous. We’re excited. We’re nervous and excited. Because it’s Mary freaking Fowler day.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, all the way from Manchester, Mary answers the question ‘what do you worry about the most?’
With wisdom far beyond her 22 years, Mary explains to Hugh, Ryan and Josh the imposs
Dr Emily - You Had Me At Communication
Is your communication style a red flag?
It’s our favourite time of the month and Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk the talk (and walk the walk) about healthy communication.
The impact of our learning history (colloquially known as “baggage”) gets a heavy feature in this episode, as Ryan, Josh and Bridge unpack their communication styles, and how this has
Jamila Rizvi - Awoken by a Broken Brain
Jamila Rizvi has not been the perfect sick person.
When Jamila was last in our studio, she was deep in the grief stage.
Jamila’s life had been irrevocably changed by the imposition of a brain tumour, and the myriad of health complications due to surgery. To put it simply, Jamila didn’t know who Jamila was anymore, and that terrified her.
This week, in the Vulnerabilitea House, Jamila answers th
Troy Kinne - It’s What’s Inside That’s Backwards
Troy Kinne’s heart is in the right place. As in, it’s on the wrong side.
In fact, many of Troy’s organs are in the ‘wrong’ place. Which can be hard on the immune system, but great material for a stand-up comedian.
Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, and answering the question, ‘when is a time you’ve felt ashamed?’ Troy takes us on a journey, from being offered a (life)line by a fish and chip
Dr Emily - Am I Sick or Is It Anxiety?
Do you ever feel anxious about your health?
Same. And it is the fundamental uncertainty of our health which can make this anxiety really exhausting, complicated and, well, hard, to live with.
Back in the studio with our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, we’re going to unpack this perpetual state of worry; how it’s exacerbated by our fight or flight response, how to respond when someone’s
Bryan Brown - The Value of Being Alive
Not to be dramatic, but Bryan Brown is an Australian icon of the silver screen.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Cast in over 80 film and tv projects throughout his career, working with people such as Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller and Sigourney Weaver (possibly biggest name drop we’ve ever had), Bryan was all set for a life of numbers and math
Hugo Toovey - The Reality of Surviving Cancer. Twice.
Hugo Toovey has beaten cancer, twice. But this is far from the whole story.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
In this special bonus episode, Hugo joins Hugh, Ryan and Josh to talk about health; how to know when to go to a doctor, how to wrangle with the emotions of being cancer free and how to be vulnerable with the people who love you most.
E
Melanie Bracewell - Untangling a Toxic Relationship
Have you ever dated someone you knew, logically, was a bad idea? A puppeteer twenty years your senior, perhaps?
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Melanie Bracewell has, and she joins us in the Vulnerabilitea House to answer the question, ‘who do you go to advice for? Why?’ (spoiler: it’s not her puppeteer ex-boyfriend).
Unpacking the disarming
Dr Emily - Goals For Your Goals
Whether you’re a ‘new year new me’ aficionado, a 5-year planner, or get sweaty at the thought of setting goals, this episode is for you.
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Joined by our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, we’re unpacking goal setting, which at its core, is the intention to change our behaviour.
In this episode, Hugh, Ryan
Kemi Nekvapil - A Compass for When You're Lost
If you’re not navigating your life through your values, what are you using?
🎟️ Our live show Together Again is on sale now! Tickets here - https://bit.ly/4mEK9Ep
Our lord and saviour is back (in a secular, informal way).
Kemi Nekvapil is back in the Academy of Imperfection to talk all things values: what they are, how we choose them, and how you add croissant as one of yours. Extending the conv
Josh van Cuylenburg - Midlife Crisis Averted
The mid-life update we've all been waiting for.
In the final instillation of the Vulnerabilitea Volume 2 Cards Announcement Week, where Ryan, Hugh and Josh have each answered one of the 52 brand-spanking-new-vulnerable-questions, it’s Josh’s turn.
Answering the question, “what moment from your life are you grateful for, that profoundly changed you?” Josh reflects on the recording of the episod
Hugh van Cuylenburg - This Is Burnout
Hugh’s turn!
This week, to celebrate the launch of our BRAND NEW Vulnerabilitea House Cards (with 52 brand-new life changing questions), Ryan, Hugh and Josh will each be answering a VII question on an episode this week.
Ryan kicked us off on Monday, and you can listen to that episode here (it’s a goody) - https://bit.ly/3VBvcrH
In this episode, Hugh answers the question “When was a time when yo
Ryan Shelton - The Friend I Want To Be
It’s a different sort of episode(s) this week.
Because, drum roll please*,* we have a BRAND-NEW deck of Vulnerabilitea House Cards, with 52 brand-new, life-changing questions.
That’s right baby, Volume II is available for purchase. Now.
This week, we are releasing three whole episodes (lucky you).
Each episode will feature either Ryan, Hugh or Josh in the spotlight as they answer one of our ne
Mitch Brown - AFL’s First Openly Bisexual Man
This moment is bigger than Mitch Brown.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy.
Tie up your laces and pull up your socks, this story is ones for the ages.
As the first male AFL player in the sport’s 129 year history to come out as bisexual, Mitch, and the public’s reaction to his story, epitomises the importance of visibility, role models and the creatio
Matt Okine - Comedy & Tragedy
Matt Okine has been privy to a few life changing events.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Hailing from Triple J infamy (the radio station ……. not the athletic event), Matt has seen success across television screens, the comedy scene and music stage.
A triple threat, you might say.
Joining us in the studio, Matt is incredibly vulnerable in sharing
Karissa Lewis - We're Not Better Off Without You
Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
On average in Australia, 9 people die by suicide each day, and for every suicide, it is suggested 135 people find themselves in the impact zone.
Today we speak to Karissa Lewis, a lived experience practitioner, who sits with those in perhaps their
Dr Emily - The Meaning of Mid-Life
Mid-life crises have a bad rap.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
Joined by our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, this emisode is for everyone, but especially for those who’s back goes out more than them, and who are trying to fill the void with purpose (or a ponytail, or a sports car).
Technically, you’re in your mid-life from about
Hannah Ferguson - Outspoken But Not Broken
Not shut down by the fear of humiliation, Hannah Ferguson believes her biggest failure would be to never try in the first place.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
In saying that, everything Hannah tries (and touches), inevitably turns to gold (media company, podcast, author, you get the point).
In this episode of The Vulnerabilitea House, Hannah ans
Dyson Heppell - Whatever It Takes… To Forgive
Inside what might be the biggest scandal in Australian sporting history, Dyson Heppell, at 23 years old, found himself at the centre with a choice to make.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/4lMOdTj
A leader from the beginning of his career, Dyson was living his childhood dream playing AFL for the Essendon Bombers when everything turned upside down.
In this
Andy Cooks - Andy Doesn't Drink (Anymore)
Hey Babe, what’s for (vulnerabili)tea?
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/4lMOdTj
Andy Hearnden, better known for his online moniker Andy Cooks, is a professional chef and home cook extraordinaire, with more YouTube and TikTok followers than the population of a small country.
Joining us in the Vulnerabilitea House, Andy answers the question, “what’s been you
Dr Emily - We're Longing for Belonging
Do you ever wonder whether you belong?
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/4lMOdTj
According to Dr Emily Musgrove, our resident psychologist, belonging is an evolutionary need, literally built into our DNA. And in our current loneliness epidemic, the feeling of belonging uncertainty can impact our sense of safety, identity and even physical health.
This week,
Dis Works - A Game-Changing Study of The Resilience Project
Well, well, well, it’s time to prove things.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/4lMOdTj
Today we’re jumping in your ears for a public service announcement: The Resilience Project (TRP) is officially backed by some rock-hard, super-sciencey evidence.
Founded by our very own Hugh (you know, from the podcast), TRP delivers emotionally engaging programs to over
Joe Williams - Concussion, Bipolar & Being a Dad
Approached by 5 NRL clubs by the time he was 13, Joe was a sporting prodigy.
💌 subscribe to our newsletter, my imperfect email, here - http://bit.ly/4lMOdTj
Thrust into the spotlight Joe was introduced to a world of concussions, accolades and copious amounts of drugs and alcohol.
Now 18 years sober, Joe is honest about how he found his power through truth and the experiences and learnings thro
Jess Hill - A 'love' of Control
Domestic violence is an epidemic in Australia, and Jess Hill has dedicated a good chunk of time trying to understand why.
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
Joining us in the Academy of Imperfection, Jess explains to Hugh, Ryan and Josh the unrelenting system of entrapment that many women find themselves in, including a detailed look at the hi
Vincent Fantauzzo - A Brush With Pain
Art saved Vincent Fantauzzo’s life.
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
In this episode, Vincent paints the picture of his childhood in Broadmeadows, a childhood marked with violence and abuse, and how undiagnosed dyslexia deeply affected Vincent’s ability to read and write, as well as his memory. Now known worldwide for his award winning portr
Dr Emily - That Guilty Feeling
How often do you feel guilty?
Guiding us on a guilt trip today is our resident psychologist (and published author) Dr Emily Musgrove.
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
Differentiating guilt from shame or regret, Dr Emily takes us back to the very beginning to explain the purpose and function of guilt as a pro-social behaviour which your cave-perso
Cate Campbell - Even Olympians Have Depression
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au - this week, featuring a reflection from none other than Cate Campbell.
By the time she was 16, Cate Campbell had figured out her social currency: achievement, in the form of gold medals, no less.
Four time Olympian and world record holder Cate joins us in the Vulnerabilitea House to answer the question ‘How and wh
Campbell "Struthless" Walker - Withdrawing with Drawing
Do you think of yourself as a creative person? How does being creative make you feel?
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
Today we welcome into the Academy of Imperfection (reluctant) expert Campbell Walker, better known by his online moniker, Struthless.
Drawing on his hypothesis that creativity is the antithesis of destruction, Struthless discusse
Isaac Humphries - Coming Out On Court
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
There is currently only one gay man actively playing in a professional, top-tier basketball league anywhere in the world. And today, we had the enormous privilege of welcoming him into the studio.
Demonstrating Olympic-level vulnerability, Isaac Humphries made global headlines in 2022 when he came out as gay to his
Dr Emily - Using The Force For Good
This is where the fun begins.
💌 Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
Today we welcome the Return of the Dr Emily, our resident psychologist, to talk about the Force in all its (clinical) glory.
Amongst the immense excitement of Hugh, Ryan and Josh, Dr Emily talks through the lightness and darkness inside us all, and how the presence of a good men
Nas Campanella - The First Blind Newsreader in the World
As the title suggests, Nas Campanella is really cool (and accomplished and driven and resilient).
Subscribe to our newsletter, the Vulnerabilitea-mail - www.theimperfects.com.au
You might recognise her voice from the Triple J cinematic universe or know her work as the Disability Affairs Reporter for the ABC. But what you might not know is that Nas is vision impaired, or that a neurological
Dr Louise Newson - It's Hormones. Period.
It’s that time of the month (sorry), and we’re welcoming back Dr Louise Newson to talk all things hormones.
In case you missed it, last time we had Dr Louise on the pod, she shared her expertise on perimenopause and menopause. This, to no surprise, was Apple Australia's most shared podcast episode in 2024.
Today, Dr Louise talks to the guys about hormones; what they are, how they impact our live
Dr Emily - How To Get UNSTUCK
Quick! Is anyone here an author? Yes! And her book is finally here!
Our favourite psychologist, Dr Emily Musgrove, has published the most anticipated book of the year, Unstuck: A guide to finding your way forward to the life you want to live.
Feeling stuck, and the yearning for something to change, is a human experience. And in Unstuck, Dr Emily doesn’t just acknowledge this feeling, she walks w
