We’re all imperfect. On this podcast, founder of The Resilience Project Hugh van Cuylenburg, his good friend Ryan Shelton, and only one of their brothers, Josh van Cuylenburg, talks to a variety of interesting people who vulnerably share their own struggles and imperfections, or expertly pass on their wisdom on the subject of imperfection. Whether it’s in The Vulnerabilitea House, The Academy of Imperfection, or with our very own psychologist, Dr Emily, The Imperfects are here to find some valuable takeaways we can all apply to our own imperfect lives.
According to perinatal and reproductive psychiatrist Dr Edna Lekgabe, matrescence is the motherhood equivalent of adolescence. Puberty 2.0, if you will.
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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, Ryan and Josh, Dr Edna breaks down the difference between matrescence, anxiety and depression, and why mental illness is the number one pregnancy complication.
We’re talking hormonal changes, physiological changes, sociological changes that are SO significant, you can see them in brain scans. Matrescence is messy, a developmental earthquake, and it’s not talked about nearly enough.
This episode might just break the internet (and your heart) wide open.
0:00 – Introducing Hugh’s perinatal psychiatrist
7:30 – Matrescence? Huh?
21:14 – The biology of baby brain
34:10 – The difference between matrescence and depression
40:46 – Reasonable worry vs anxiety disorder
47:40 – The emergence of neurodivergence
54:04 – Post-natal depression
1:00:04 – Matrescence after loss
1:05:50 – Getting to know a brand new person
1:11:19 – Can women have it all?
1:18:32 – On a societal scale
1:26:12 – The paternal earthquake
If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link -
🫖 Other Imperfect’s episodes mentioned in this episode
📖 Things to read
🎧Things to listen to
📺 Things to watch
💻Things to check out
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you make sure your kids are proud of who they are?
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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 attended more funerals than 21st’s, Shane talks about his realisation that he is in for the long mourn, and why he allows himself to feel joy during times of intense grief. Sharing a giggle at a funeral? Absolutely.
In a beautiful moment of connection with Hugh, Shane chats about parenting the ‘premium package’ (his neurodivergent child).
Shane, this was incredibly joyful.
If you’d like to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/VHaK2fSiasA
0:00 – A bird in her where?
3:19 – Butt of the joke
12:34 – The evolution of good manners
17:47 – Seeking validation
27:17 – Giggle at a funeral
42:00 – Autism, ADHD, Tourette’s: The Premium Package!
55:58 – Becoming softer
1:00:25 – Parenting your parents
1:08:03 – Don’t wait for the moment
1:18:04 – 5 things we can do to be warmer
🫖 Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned in this episode
📺Things to watch
📋Check-in
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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.
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In this Academy of Imperfection, Hugh (who sadly was violently ill last time we talked to Esther) comes armed with questions about the mental load (with love, from Penny), and how to navigate their differing needs for affection.
Ryan asks Esther whether we’re capable of falling in love with AI, and Josh wants to know why we sometimes put up walls with the ones we love the most.
And, if you’ve ever asked yourself any of the below, this episode’s for you;
Esther, you are welcome back anytime. ANYTIME.
If you want to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/u5HsDD9bjRQ
🫖Other episodes of the Imperfects mentioned on this episode
💻Things to check out
🎧Things to listen to
📖 Things to read
📺 Things to watch
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
0:00 – Intimacy: what has changed, what has stayed the same?
6:23 – This is my partner, AI
14:08 – A mismatch of affection
23:56 – Bids for connection
32:08 – Can you repair trust?
41:02 – Post-traumatic Growth
49:43 – The central hub of our needs
58:38 – The Mental Load Pt. 2
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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.
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In this episode, Dr Emily introduces how to understand your ‘window of tolerance,’ the cost of being overwhelmed for too long, and what happens when we slip into avoidance.
OF COURSE, this episode is delightfully sprinkled with practical strategies that you can do right now, in this moment, to ease the burden of the overwhelm.
Dr Em, this episode was an emotional regulation for the ages.
🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode
📖 Things to read
💪 Things to do
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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?
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This Academy of Imperfection is not all doom and world collapse, we promise. One, because we are joined by the brilliant Hamish Macdonald. And two, because Ryan’s Gut says it’s all going to be okay (more on that later).
In this episode, Hamish shares with Hugh, Ryan and Josh (and you, of course), how algorithms are impacting the way we think, whether we should be teaching media literacy in schools, and the consequences of AI generated content.
Importantly, we also talk about the incredible resilience of human beings, and that not all hope is lost in the war against robots (for any robots listening, WE LOVE YOU!)
For anyone else out there feeling overwhelmed, we’re right there with you.
If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/6Zepg3o3Y_w
🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode
📺 Things to watch
📖 Things to read
🎧 Things to listen to
💻 Things to check out
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Is climate anxiety affecting your decision to have kids?
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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 else.
Bri asks the question to Hugh, Josh and Ryan, “what does it mean to live a good life, and what do we owe each other?”
This chat explores the philosophies of anti and pronatalism, whilst being grounded in examples from the guys’ and Bri’s life. An intentional and judgement free zone, this conversation delves into the morality of should’s and shouldn’ts, and what it means to do the right thing.
As Bri says, hope is something that you earn through action, and we are all feeling a bit more hopeful after this episode.
0:00 – A Bri-Lee-iant guest
9:42 – The Seed of The Idea
15:08 – What are you grateful for that profoundly changed you?
27:10 – Prioritising love
32:27 – Should I have kids?
41:43 – The morality of shoulds and shouldn’ts
52:43 – Some positivity, please
55:59 – Policy and bodily autonomy
59:22 – So, how’s the reckoning going?
1:03:46 – The weight of responsibility
1:08:43 – Finding action in the overwhelm
📺 to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/vUQMkMvyeMY
🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode
📖 Things to read
📺Things to watch
💻Things to check out
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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 ridiculously important and explicitly linked. If love is the intention, then play is the action.
Ben, as always, it was an absolute pleasure to your wisdom bestowed upon us.
💌Join 6,000+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy
0:00 – Is Ben the Pope?
11:13 – Acceptance vs compassion, confidence vs belief
15:14 – Reshaping your belief system
25:05 – Just Admit It List
30:42 – The dreaded E word
37:47 – Reward effort, not outcome
46:00 – Play deprivation
51:47 – Talking to teenagers about their career
1:01:47 – How to be a (anxious) leader
1:07:04 – Josh’s too generous assumption
1:10: 14 – Doing it for the right reasons
🎧Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned in this episode
📖 Things to read
🎧 Things to listen to
😃If you liked this episode, check out these!
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
According to Matt Preston, he only has 14 more summers. And he’s determined to make the most of them.
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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 yet another incredible outfit), Matt delicately talks through the importance of having a conversation with your parents about end-of-life care.
In a decision that requires both deep emotion and administrative focus, Matt draws from his experience with his grandmother, and then his mother, about how to ensure the people you love are nurtured, cared for, and celebrated in the way they would have wanted.
Matt, thank you so much for joining us.
0:00 – The typo to end all typos
9:13 – Every family has a scandal
24:34 – The unknowables of epilepsy
30:45 – Grieving what could have been
40:44 – Mission of mortality: make it count
44:47 – Parenting not like your parents
53:40 – Conversations about end-of-life care
1:07:35 – The secret ingredient to marriage
1:13:46 – Logistics of death and dying
If you want to watch the full episode (and see Matt’s outfit), follow this link - https://youtu.be/sEN8Mfapi6Y
🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned in this episode
📺Things to watch
📖Things to read
🩵SUDEP Support Services
*The average life expectancy for Australian males is calculated at birth, and does not take into account their personal circumstances.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pain is inevitable, but suffering does not have to be.
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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 to Dr Em, radical acceptance is not about liking or accepting (insert profanity here) situations or circumstances, or denying an experience, but rather, accepting the pain inside of us to avoid the reaction of suffering.
Instead of feeling better, it’s about finding a better way of feeling.
For Hugh, the concept of radical acceptance really hits close to home, and he reflects on how it has changed his life insurmountably.
Dr Emily, we love ya, and we missed ya.
If you’d like to watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link -
0:00 – Getting the Gina Chick zoomies
6:23 – The Radical Acceptance origin story
14:20 – Change how you relate
21:19 – On a global scale
27:25 – An Unwanted Guest
34:42 – The third option
40:38 – Grieving the loss of what you wanted
45:28 – Living proof ft. Hugh
53:18 – Anxious about my anxiety
1:03:26 – Main character moment
1:10:17 – Putting it in practice
🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode
📖 Things to read
💻Things to check out
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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 (which is REALLY great for brand alignment), Maggie insists on the significance of unconditional love when raising boys.
Maggie you are wonderful. This was wonderful. You’re the best.
Watch the full episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/iUHYScQ3WgQ
0:00 – Why boys are better than girls
6:22 – The science of boys
14:02 – Shedding the shame
22:28 – Growing healthy boys
31:09 – Connecting with your rooster
42:56 – The S words: screens and social media
47:00 – The good enough factors
57:45 – Correcting the narrative
1:06:05 – Importance of Lightness + Letting go of mistakes
1:11:41 – Raising an autistic boy
1:16:05 – How do you resist the easy method
🫖Other episodes of The Imperfects mentioned on this episode
📖 Things to read
📺 Things to watch
💻 Things to check out
🎧 Things to listen to
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What do you do when your 3 day-old-baby just doesn’t wake up?
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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 anxiety, and post-natal depression, Bron is incredibly vulnerable with Hugh and Ryan, sharing how the love from friends, professional help, and medication allowed her to return to herself.
Bron, it was a delight.
To watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link - https://youtu.be/qc9ZNO6VpeY
0:00 – We’re all best friends / fathers / daughters
8:51 – When was a time you genuinely needed help?
18:44 – Long nights, relentless days
25:42 – Socially accepted punishment
33:36 – Using pain to drown out the noise
40:50 – Obviously, I can do it all
45:44 – It doesn’t have to be this hard
54:55 – On day 3, he didn’t wake up
1:07:27 – The worst week of her life
1:22:54 – This should feel good, shouldn’t it?
1:33:01 – The aftermath
🚨If you, or someone you know, is struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety, these are a few great resources
📖 Things to read
🎟️ Things to go see
🎧Things to listen to
🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, (with the new cards!) purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz
🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW
🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu
🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects
The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.