For some people, Christmas Day is the most wonderful time of the year. But for others, catching up with friends and family at this time of the year can lead to pain and sadness and as Dr Emily describes it, an overwhelming feeling of “not-enoughness”. In this special bonus episode, Dr Emily explains where this feeling comes from and why it pops up year after year. But as always she gives us some helpful advice on what we can do to address it and feel a little less alone this Christma...
Dec 10, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 47
Dear Men, Please listen to this episode about consent and rape culture. Hugh, Ryan & Josh x On the face of it, this Academy of Imperfection with Chanel Contos may seem like a heavy episode. An episode about consent, rape culture and sexual violence might not seem like an episode that concerns you. That may be true, but if the #MeToo movement taught us anything, it’s that you probably know someone who’s either been raped or sexually assaulted in some way. We have a lot to learn ab...
Dec 03, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 46
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 Hugh Jackman. After going through some of the lowest lows...
Nov 26, 2023•1 hr 49 min•Season 5Ep. 45
As co-host of The Project, Hamish Macdonald has seen and done more than most journalists could ever dream to achieve in their entire career. Before The Project and a stint hosting ABC’s Q+A program, Hamish worked and reported around the world from war zones to natural disasters, winning a bunch of prestigious awards including a coveted Walkley Award in the process. But as he discusses with Hugh, Ryan and Josh, he’s also faced bullying throughout his life, whether that be from student...
Nov 19, 2023•1 hr 55 min•Season 5Ep. 44
Menopause, or THE Menopause according to our guest lecturer Dr Louise Newson, affects every woman at some point in her life. That’s 51% of the entire world! And even if you’re not a woman, chances are you know a few of them. Either way, the menopause IS coming. And you better be ready. Dr Louise Newson is a GP and Menopause specialist who is campaigning for better menopause care for all women. But despite her specialisation and regular lecturing on the subject, even she didn’t ...
Nov 12, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 43
We know, we know, we know. ‘Who Do You Desire? is a very click-baity title. But we’re pretty confident that if you DO take the bait (come onnnn), you’ll be nicely rewarded. In this episode, our resident psychologist Dr Emily talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about the concept of Mimetic Desire - the idea that whether we like it or not, pure originality is impossible. All of us are being influenced by someone. The question is, are we proud of the someones currently influencing us, ...
Nov 05, 2023•59 min•Season 5Ep. 42
Not many of us have won Olympic Gold. And even fewer of us have jumped over a 6m high bar. But Australian pole vaulting champion Steve Hooker has done both. And boy oh boy does he have a story to tell!? That was rhetorical btw, he definitely does have a story to tell. What would you do if you were the best in the world at something one day, and then the next day you suddenly couldn’t do that thing anymore?? At all. That’s pretty much what happened to Steve. And on this episode he tel...
Oct 29, 2023•1 hr 39 min•Season 5Ep. 41
Lewis Hobba grew up idolising Triple J. But despite being chosen as Triple J’s drive-time co-host by the age of 30, and being selected by Andrew Denton as one of Australia’s most creative and talented young performers for the show Hungry Beast, Lewis never felt like he succeeded in anything. In this Vulnerabilitea House, Lewis tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh what it was like behind the scenes for him during this time and how he dealt with crippling anxiety on a daily basis until eventually...
Oct 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 5Ep. 40
As Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt is making a massive impact on an issue that effects people everywhere… BODY IMAGE. Not only is Taryn a body image campaigner, she’s also a documentarian, having made two docos encouraging us to EMBRACE our bodies, not matter what they look like. We highly recommend you watch them - links below. In this Academy of Imperfection, Taryn talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about her own body image journey, including a vulnerable Before & After ima...
Oct 15, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 5Ep. 39
Tim Minchin is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, poet, composer, and songwriter. He’s probably best known for his music, his comedy, and well… his ‘Matilda: The Musical’… but has it really all been “luck”? Tim talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about so many different things in this fascinating chat about art and creativity, family, free-will, success, failure and the importance of taking life one level at a time. For tickets to Tim's new sh...
Oct 08, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 5Ep. 38
If you know, you know. And if you do know, you’re just as bonkers excited as we are. Buuut if you don’t know, that’s totally fine too. Those that were able to make it along to our Live On Stage show this year were treated to the debut performance of a song, written and performed by our very own Josh van Cuylenburg. But this song was not without context. In Season 3 Josh shared a vulnerable story from 13 years ago that resulted in him losing the confidence to realise his lifelon...
Oct 04, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 37
Eastern Arrernte and Gurindji singer/songwriter Dan Sultan is a 5-time ARIA Award winner and respected stalwart of the Australian music industry. But alongside his creative achievements, is Dan’s struggle with addiction. Dan talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about everything from the adversity he’s faced on and off the stage, to the joy he now gets from his young family, and his ongoing love of creativity. To purchase or listen to Dan's new album, Dan Sultan, follow this link: https://b...
Oct 01, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 36
For Jack, it’s progress, not perfection when it comes to his battle with gambling addiction. This one is a slightly different episode for The Imperfects. Jack isn’t a celebrity, or an expert. But he is a person with imperfections, just like everyone else. And Jack has been kind enough to share his all-too-familiar story with Hugh, Ryan and Josh. Jack discusses his crippling battle with sports gambling, his experience at rehab, and how he was finally able to escape his life of keeping...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 5Ep. 35
Dr Emily is back - and once again proving why she is increasingly becoming the most popular person on The Imperfects. This Emisode is all about a fundamental part of Positive Psychology… the beautiful idea that OTHER PEOPLE MATTER. Now, you’re probably thinking… of course other people matter, right? Seems pretty obvious. But here, Dr Emily explains what it is about ‘other people’, that matters so much, and how much it relates to our never-ending search for that el...
Sep 24, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 34
To only say that Brooke Blurton was on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, would not only be a crime to Show Notes, but a huge disservice to you. As Hugh, Ryan and Josh quickly discover, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of what makes Brooke the inspiring, resilient, game-changing, youth-working, breath of fresh air that she is. While Brooke does touch on her Bachelor and Bachelorette experiences (and why she decided to do it), what makes this Vulnerabilitea House truly special is the s...
Sep 17, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 33
Penny Moodie first shared her OCD story on The Imperfects in 2020. Since then, we and she have been flooded with incredible feedback from OCD sufferers who finally felt seen. Now Penny is back because she’s written an incredible book about OCD called The Joy Thief and it’s out now (link below). In this beautifully moving episode, Penny talks openly with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about some of the confronting moments from her book. The reason Penny calls OCD ‘the joy thief’ is b...
Sep 13, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 32
Food is such a mystery. Well, I mean, it’s the stuff we eat when we’re hungry, we know that much. But there are so many mysterious things ABOUT food. Like… What actually are healthy foods? What are good fats? Is meat good for you? Is orange juice really that bad? And can food truly be as effective as medicine? Professor Tim Spector has done all the research, written books (link below) and is one of the world’s top 100 most cited scientists. Tim really knows about food an...
Sep 10, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 31
Whether it was Family Feud or whether it was the weather, Grant Denyer has been a larger than life fixture on Australian TV for 25 years. But it hasn’t all been big smiles and Gold Logies. In this raw and vulnerable chat with the most joyous man on the telly, Grant opens up about his past dependence on the pain medication (OxyContin) that he needed after suffering a serious injury that broke his back. He tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh how that dependence not only jeopardised his career, but his...
Sep 03, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Season 5Ep. 30
Monica. Chandler. Rachel. Ross. Phoebe. Joey. We all love Friends. But what about friendSHIPS? Why are our friendships so important to us? In this episode, Dr Emily explains everything - our different types of friends, why they matter SO much, and what it is about someone that makes us like them? (Spoiler alert: it’s got nothing to do with how impressive they are) To listen to Will McMahon's Imperfects episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3E9qfxF To listen to 360's Imperfects ep...
Aug 27, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 29
Myf Warhurst is an icon. An Australian icon. Everyone, we have an icon on our podcast. From Spicks & Specks to Triple J, and Eurovision to Bluey… oh and doing a whole show about menopause… HER menopause… Australia has LOVED Myf Warhurst for a long, long time. You might even think it’s impossible to love her more, well just wait until you hear her honesty and vulnerability in this Vulnerabilitea House. Myf talks about the anxiety that comes with her line of work, ho...
Aug 20, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 28
For 20 years, Osher Günsberg has been one of Australia’s most famous and successful TV/radio/podcast personalities. Since hosting the wildly popular Australian Idol, to handing out roses on The Bachelor (and SO MUCH in between), there aren’t many showbiz stories that rival Osher’s sustained success. But if we’ve learned anything on this podcast, behind every perfect story is an imperfect reality. And as you’ll hear in this honest chat with Hugh, Ryan and Josh, ...
Aug 13, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 5Ep. 27
While our guest might humbly refer to his heroics as “that thing in Thailand”, it was in fact far more significant… In 2018, the world was gripped by the terrifying story of thirteen boys who were miraculously saved from inside a Thai cave. Maybe you’ve seen one of the billion docos made about it, or the Hollywood film directed by Ron Howard. As you probably already know, the most miraculous part was HOW these boys were saved, thanks in large part to today’s guest,...
Aug 06, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 26
The phrase, “That’s triggering” or “I’m triggered”, has become more and more common. And while people are triggered by an event, or a topic, or even a scene in a TV show, what does it truly mean to be ‘triggered’? And should we really be avoiding triggering topics, or should we be exposing ourselves to them? In this extremely helpful episode, Dr Emily goes deep on triggers. She explains to Hugh, Ryan and Josh what it means to actually be ‘tri...
Jul 30, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 25
Christie Whelan Browne is one of the funniest (and most talented) people in Australia. If you know, you know. She’s won multiple awards and done everything from stage and musical theatre, to TV drama and comedy… and most recently Dancing with the Stars. But it’s her journey, before the #MeToo movement (and continues today) that’s making the biggest impact. Christie has rarely spoken so openly about her very public and tumultuous experience through the courts, in the medi...
Jul 23, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Season 5Ep. 24
Laura Henshaw has achieved a lot. Not only is she an author, law graduate and podcaster, but she is the CEO and co-founder of the wildly popular and successful health & fitness app, KIC - which she started and still runs with friend, and former Imperfects guest, Steph Claire-Smith. But behind her success, Laura still worries what people think of her. And in this Vulnerabilitea House, she vulnerably tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh where this comes from and how this anxiety continues to crop up for ...
Jul 16, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 23
Other than being a Clinical Psychologist (with a child specialisation), Dr James van Cuylenburg is not only Hugh and Josh’s cousin, but in Hugh’s opinion, he’s the greatest piano player in the world - which provides zero context for this incredible episode. James covers so much in this 90 minutes that it’s almost impossible to sum up here. Everything from the development of our kids today, screentime issues, the cost of ambition, the importance of self-compassion and Jame...
Jul 09, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 5Ep. 22
What do you do when you’re stressed? Watch the telly? Scroll the innuhnet? Fix yourself a stiff VB on the rocks? We all feel stressed and burned out from time to time. It’s unfortunately a reality of life. But double-unfortunately, most of us don’t know how to correctly deal with it. And that’s why Dr Emily is here to help! In this extremely practical episode, Dr Emily explains the science behind WHY we get stressed. But more importantly, she tells us what we can do to al...
Jul 02, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 5Ep. 21
You might remember Penny Moodie from her first appearance on The Imperfects when she talked about her own experience with OCD. Link below if you don’t! Well, Penny is back to talk about something else; her marriage with Hugh. Or, more specifically, and far less click-baity, the mental load in her marriage with Hugh. “The mental load” is the cognitive effort that’s required to juggle the often invisible labour of running a household. Something that Penny noticed was becomi...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 20
If you live in Sydney, you probably know Wippa. He’s on NOVA every morning with Fitzy and Kate Ritchie (or 6-7pm in the rest of the country), but he's also a veteran of Australian radio, having been on air for 20 years, making his start in Port Augusta before moving to Perth, then Melbourne and now Sydney. Wippa and Ryan have been great friends for a long time. They even co-hosted the NOVA drive show for two years with Monty Dimond in 2009 and 2010. During this time, Wippa went through one...
Jun 18, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 5Ep. 19
We all want to be successful. But what is ‘success’? And what if we’ve been thinking about it in the wrong way? Enter Kemi Nekvapil… back for the second time on The Imperfects! Kemi has worked in the wellness industry for 25 years and holistic leadership for 10 years. She is a mother, a wife, an endurance athlete, a gardener, an author with three books, and a certified Dare To Lead facilitator having trained personally with the one and only Brené Brown! In this Ac...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 18
