How long have you been holding on to that grudge? Are you picturing that person or moment right now? Have you ever considered what a step towards forgiveness might look like? These are BIG questions, and thank God, Dr Emily, our resident psychologist, is here to talk us through it all. In today’s episode, Dr Em begins by acknowledging that resentment is a normal human emotion. Phew. However, holding on to resentment for prolonged periods of time can have a serious impact on your physical...

You may know Peter Bol as the 800m runner, who came fourth in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and second in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Or, if you’re Hugh, you may have hundreds of photos of Peter training. Wherever you are on the Peter-obsession-meter, we think you’re going to love this episode. Our chat with Peter starts in Sudan, where Peter and his family moved as a unit, through Egypt, before settling in Australia. They were chasing safety and opportunity, two values that continue to ground...

In this long-awaited Academy of Imperfection, we chat to psychologist Janelle Booker, who specialises in ADHD and Highly Sensitive Person trait. There is SO MUCH to learn (and love) about an ADHD brain. We learn how ADHDers are often extremely creative, innovative, and talented, and in the right conditions, absolutely thrive. However, ADHDers may struggle with executive functions such as time keeping, organisation and emotional regulation, which can make daily life really hard and...

Chef extraordinaire, creative genius and owner of Attica, Ben Shewry is welcomed back to the studio, this time into the Vulnerabilitea House. In this episode, Ben answers the question, “When was a time you stayed silent, and regretted it?” and talks about his own culpability in racism, and how this event shaped the person that he is today. Hugh and Josh share a moment they wish they could have back, and how they have been moving through the shame to do better next time. In determining what...

It’s tiiimmmmeeee, to get vulnyyyyy (again). And this time, we’re talking about year 12 exams. With the WHOLE TEAM! Whether you’ve hid a possum in your cupboard the night before your English exam, or lost your voice on stage in your drama final, or maybe didn’t even take exams, we’ve been there, and we’re here to tell you, it will be okay. So, get out your papers and pens (do kids still use these?), sit down and enjoy. Love, The Imperfects. To watch this full episode on YouTube, follow...

As an author, journalist and broadcaster, Dr Julia Baird has spent the last decade researching awe, wonder, grace and forgiveness (...and now the title makes sense!). Finding joy and purpose through ocean swimming, Julia shows us how impactful nature and community can be when we say yes to adventure (and also what to do when caught in a rip). With Josh out sick, Ryan and Hugh do the heavy lifting with bountiful good questions, Ryan becomes enlightened and discovers the meaning behind church...

The birth of a child is completely overwhelming, in every way. What gets you through is your newfound love and connection. Right? But what happens when your heart doesn’t break open with love? What happens when you don’t feel what you’re meant to be feeling? Jack Post is a pillar of Australian radio. Cackling Jack of Hamish and Andy, Side-Kick of the Christian O’Connell Show, Jack has worked hard to always be in the right place at the right time. In this Vulnerabilitea House, Jack is so...

We’re gettin’ vullllnnnnyyyyy. Oooohhhhh yeahhhhhh. Yeah, that’s right. We’re trying something new. And, in the coolest way possible, we really hope you like it. Specifically, Josh is gettin’ vulny, and letting us in on a little something he’s been working on (or hoping to work on) (he’s nervous). We’re so proud of you Josh, and we can’t wait to see everyone there x TO BUY TICKETS TO JOSH’S GIG (!!!!!) - follow this link: https://bit.ly/3zG9XxG To watch this full episode on YouTube,...

Do you believe that if you stop worrying, the worst-case scenario will happen? According to Dr Emily, uncertainty, is the only certainty (mic drop) (jaw drop) (the crowd goes silent). If you weren’t having an existential crisis yet, strap yourself in, because today we’re talking worry and uncertainty. In this emisode, our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove talks us through our new-age uncertainty intolerance, and why we continuously seek reassurance and data to drive our...

Author, business lady and skincare wizard (according to her customs card), Zoë Foster Blake is nothing short of prolific. Chatting with Hugh, Ryan and Josh in this Vulnerabilitea House, Zoë talks through the pressure and responsibility she felt during her loneliest time. Striking ‘luck’ as a dirty word, Zoë’s compulsion to be productive and produce ‘good work’ has earned her a multitude of publishing awards for her numerous books, the production of one of her novels into a TV show, the...

Dr Billy Garvey gets kids. A developmental and behavioural paediatrician with over twenty years experience, Billy is an expert at up-skilling kids with the fundamental skills of empathy, kindness, compassion and self-esteem. Due to the extremely high demand for his expertise (the clinic waiting list is most likely seven years long at this point), Billy decided to co-produce his own podcast ‘Pop-Culture Parenting’, and has also just released a book Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your...

For Nathan Buckley, self-reflection is critical for becoming the person he wants to be.  Placed on a pedestal during his playing career (for good reason), Bucks was Collingwood’s favourite son, and GOD he felt the pressure. Communicating only through criticism, both to himself and his teammates, Bucks says he was "demented" in the way he trained. In this episode, Bucks shares the steps he took to change his entire approach to playing and coaching footy. Importantly, unlearning that playing...

Do you feel like you're on your own side? Are you able to speak to yourself with kindness? Or stick up for yourself in front of others? That, my friend, is self-compassion and it can be incredibly hard to do.  Dr Em says, "compassion" in Latin translates to “with suffering.” And SELF-compassion is how we relate, reflect and react when our self is suffering. In this episode, Dr Em talks about why cultivating a self-compassionate voice is SO DIFFICULT, but how it's also pivotal in getting us...

In this Vulnerabilitea House, Grace addresses her adolescent self with a simple message - “It wasn’t your fault.” Australian of the Year, Next Generation Leader (as voted by Time Magazine), ultra-marathon runner and changer of laws, Grace Tame can't be tamed. Here she discusses the uncomfortable truths of her child sexual abuse, grooming & rape. She shares how survival mode became her new normal while dealing, and continuously recounting, her trauma in the public eye. Talking body,...

Have you ever felt excluded? Or like you don't belong? It turns out that belonging is a fundamental human need. To thrive, we need to feel safe, we need to feel welcome, but very importantly, we need to know the tribe has our back. In this Academy of Imperfection, Hugh, Ryan and Josh chat to founder of Good Human, Rana Hussain. Rana is a host of The Outer Sanctum podcast, a board member of Reconciliation Australia and consultant to a plethora of elite sporting clubs on bettering their...

‘The Inspired Unemployed’ began when a couple of tradies, Jack Steele and Matt ‘Falcon’ Ford, began an Instagram to catalogue the skits they were writing and filming overseas. Since then, Jack and Falcon have launched Australia’s fastest selling beer, collaborated with Fendi and Louis Vuitton, have 2 million followers on Instagram, launched a podcast exclusive to Spotify AND star in their own TV show The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers. Life, from the outside, seems pretty much...

Settle in and grab your notebooks, you’re in for a good one. We’re joined by Maria Ruberto, director and founder of Salutegenics Psychology, who just happens to be Ryan and Josh’s (ex) psychologist. Maria is the co-designer of Resilience First Aid, an internationally recognised two-day certification program, which teaches the neuroscience of resilience (Ryan took sooooo many notes). We discuss with Maria the relationship between biology and behaviour, and the six domains of resilience....

Jackson Tozer embodies the essence of The Imperfects podcast. Well, that’s what Ryan thinks, and we’re pretty keen to agree. Hugely successful and outrageously talented, Jackson, from the outside, is living the dream. Behind the professional success of acting alongside Shaun Micallef, John Cena and Zac Efron (and Ryan, can’t forget Ryan), Jackson found himself learning how to be a high-functioning addict (literally high) at rock bottom. Sharing his experience with grief, the loss of his...

This is not compulsory listening, but then again, it kind of is. We’re back to have another imperfect conversation about men, violence and consent, because we're still imperfect and we believe reflecting on behaviour is key to changing it.  We don't have all the answers, but in collaboration with Teach Us Consent and future OAM Chanel Contos, we’ve come up with some new Vulnerabilitea House questions to help anyone get vulnerable and think deeply about these issues.  In all honesty, we’re...

Dis episode is a little bit different, but if you’re as obsessed with Hugh van Cuylenburg as we are, we think you’ll enjoy it. The Resilience Project (TRP) is the company that Hugh started building 12 years ago. Today, it delivers evidence-based, wellbeing programs to over 1000 schools in Australia, as well as countless work-places and helps provide people with strategies to build resilience too!Hugh always knew that TRP would be something special, but god, it took a lot of hard work (and...

Your values are perfect - according to our resident psychologist Dr. Emily Musgrove. Although this sounds counter intuitive to what we usually say…it’s actually a beautiful place to start. Figuring out what your values are, and where they come from can be a pretty intense experience. Lucky we have Dr Em to help, breaking down why they are important and how they can add purpose to your life. As she explains, our values work like a compass, and when used responsibly, can point us in the...

In the ultimate power move, we interview Zan Rowe, ‘one of Australia’s best interviewers’. Talk about pressure.  Champion of the airwaves, TV presenter, music journalist and podcaster, Zan has soundtracked the lives of many Australians. In this episode of the Vulnerabilitea House,  Zan draws the card; ‘how would your ambitions change if you only had one year to live?’  In between getting ‘death ready’ and facing burnout just when her professional dreams were all coming true, Zan and Hugh...

Have you ever made a really bad decision? Made a call that you couldn’t undo? It's a fear for many, and for others, living with the reality of a ‘roll of the dice’ gone wrong, is cause for great sadness, and discomfort. But, there is wisdom in mistakes. And for Poh Ling Yeow, learning to own her bad decisions, meant she could move forward with empathy and acceptance. A skill she's honed through a life of ‘magooing’ to her way onto our screens through Master Chef, into our kitchens through...

How does food affect our mood? Does diet actually impact our mental health? What is a gut micro-biome, and can we still eat a few chips without ruining it?In this Academy of Imperfection episode, we are joined one of the worlds leading experts on the relationship between what we eat, and how it effects our mental health, Professor Felice Jacka. And if can we trust anyone to get to the bottom of the vagus nerve ‘highway’; our hippocampus shrinking; our mitochondrial reaction to...