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 atrocities cut into 30 second clips, Jan explores how becoming a mother cracked her open in ways she di...
May 03, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Season 8Ep. 14
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 motherhood, and how partners can best support them. Exploring the impacts of mastrescence with Hugh, Ry...
Apr 26, 2026•1 hr 35 min•Season 8Ep. 13
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 impact that humour and laughter has had on his life from a young age. Now at the age where he has attende...
Apr 19, 2026•1 hr 34 min•Season 8Ep. 12
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.ly/45NyQDy In this Academy of Imperfection, Hugh (who sadly was violently ill last time we talked to...
Apr 12, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Season 8Ep. 11
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 episode, Dr Emily introduces how to understand your ‘window of tolerance,’ the cost of being overwhelmed f...
Apr 05, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Season 8Ep. 10
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 doom and world collapse, we promise. One, because we are joined by the brilliant Hamish Macdonald. And t...
Mar 29, 2026•1 hr 26 min•Season 8Ep. 9
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 about the research that lead her to the South Pole, and how she learnt to prioritise love above all el...
Mar 22, 2026•1 hr 21 min•Season 8Ep. 8
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 love. As Ben explains, ‘play’ and ‘love’ mean something different to everyone, however, they are both ridi...
Mar 15, 2026•1 hr 23 min•Season 8Ep. 7
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 Preston is a recognisable face in most Australian households. Joining Hugh, Ryan and Josh in the studio (in...
Mar 08, 2026•1 hr 26 min•Season 8Ep. 6
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 acceptance; what is it, how do we cultivate it, and why is it important to us as human beings? According...
Mar 01, 2026•1 hr 16 min•Season 8Ep. 5
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 importance of micro connections and the beauty of a well-timed fart. An advocate for imperfect parenting (wh...
Feb 22, 2026•1 hr 26 min•Season 8Ep. 4
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 able to ask for it?’, and recounts the worst week of her life. Deals with the devil, post-natal anxie...
Feb 15, 2026•1 hr 41 min•Season 8Ep. 3
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 expert in grief, resilience and wellbeing, Dr Lucy is able to blend the science with her own lived experie...
Feb 08, 2026•1 hr 24 min•Season 8Ep. 2
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 to all the lessons that she has learnt along the way. With incredible grace, Claudia talks to Hugh, Ry...
Feb 01, 2026•1 hr 38 min•Season 8Ep. 1
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 wildest dreams, Hugh, Ryan and Josh explore how to navigate regret when you’re not at your best, and how to...
Jan 25, 2026•46 min•Season 7Ep. 57
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, our subscriber platform that you can sign up for below, we’ll introduce you to Geraint the shamanic ...
Jan 18, 2026•40 min•Season 7Ep. 56
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 discuss and decode a reflection from one of our community members. Responding to this reflection, Dr Em...
Jan 11, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Season 7Ep. 55
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 back in the space-time-continuum to re-write history, and let us in on the scandal which surrounds the inf...
Dec 21, 2025•39 min•Season 7Ep. 54
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 much he has struggled with comparison, both with others, and the success of his past self, and the role t...
Dec 14, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Season 7Ep. 53
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 impossible task of being the ‘perfect’ role model, especially when you are still growing up yourself. And th...
Dec 07, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 7Ep. 52
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 impacted their intimate relationships. Dr Emily talks us through why the real challenge of communicat...
Nov 30, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Season 7Ep. 51
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 the questions “what aspects of your identity have you held onto for too long?” The drip-fed loss of cogni...
Nov 23, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 7Ep. 50
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 shop in his 20’s, to the effect that being sick for an entire year had on his mental health. Troy cha...
Nov 16, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 7Ep. 49
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 seeking assurance and how to surf the urge and sit with your discomfort. Josh, being Josh, asks some h...
Nov 09, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 7Ep. 48
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 mathematics before he allowed himself to be guided by joy. Joining Josh and Ryan in the Vulnerabilitea Ho...
Nov 02, 2025•56 min•Season 7Ep. 47
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. Extraordinarily open in the hope that it will help someone else, Hugo discusses his fertility and decis...
Oct 26, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 7Ep. 46
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 realisation that all of our parents were once our age, Mel talks to the guys about making useful mist...
Oct 19, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 7Ep. 45
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 and Josh, with the help of Dr Em, talk through why goals may seem intimidating, and how to reconcile t...
Oct 12, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 7Ep. 44
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 conversation of our previous episode on values with Dr Em, Kemi talks with the guys about how their curren...
Oct 05, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 7Ep. 43
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 episode; Dr Emily – The Meaning of Mid Life, where he vulnerably disclosed that he was really struggling with ...
Oct 02, 2025•23 min•Season 7Ep. 42
