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 about consent, and we owe it to the women in our lives to listen to Chanel Contos. To learn more about Chanel, her work and the Teach Us Consent campaign, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3QVhlK0 To purchase Chanel's book, 'Consent Laid Bare', follow this link: https://bit.ly/40Z0Xgh Recommended TV series, Sex Education and Heart Break High can be viewed on Netflix. To view a version of the 'rape culture pyramid', follow this link: https://bit.ly/49XPFgh If you have experienced, or are at risk of sexual violence, sexual assault, family or domestic violence, call the 24 hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, or if you are feeling unsafe, always call the police on 000. 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.

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 a human can experience, Gina learned the power of discomfort and is here to spread the word in our very first ever outdoor episode! To learn more about Gina, her rewilding camps and 5Rythyms dance, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3QRnkzq To watch Alone Australia, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Rd3m3 This episode includes a discussion about the loss of a child, if this feels like it might be too much for you to listen to right now, feel free to come back to it when you're feeling up to it. 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.

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 students during his high school days, or from online trolls during his Q+A days - a challenging experience that drove him to leave social media forever. This open and honest chat covers it all, and turns out to be a pretty handy, albeit accidental guide on How To Be You. To listen to Hamish's new podcast, Take Me To Your Leader, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ukzpph To listen to our episode with Missy Higgins, follow this link: https://link.chtbl.com/missyhiggins To listen to our episode on stress and burnout with Dr Emily, follow this link: https://link.chtbl.com/howtostressless To listen to Josh's song, We Were Here, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Zyg3bG To read article recommendation, Why The Internet Isn't Fun Anymore, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3FZGnTh See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 pick up on the signs when her own menopause kicked in and convinced her she hated her own husband! This episode isn’t just everything you need to know about your own menopause, this is everything you need to know about your wife’s/mother’s/daughter’s/sister’s/friend’s/colleague’s menopause. To learn more about Louise, her work and to access more information on the menopause and peri-menopause, follow this link: https://bit.ly/49rgqJH To download Louise's Balance app, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3FOhpWS To learn more and purchase Dr Louise's books, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ueOQ2p For Australian support, information & research, visit the below websites: WellFemme is a Telehealth menopause clinic, providing evidence-based menopause information and treatment in collaboration with your GP: https://bit.ly/3FYcAdn Menopause Friendly provides information and practical resources to support staff experiencing menopausal symptoms at work and helps managers and HR professionals understand how they can provide the right support to their workforce: https://bit.ly/49rgx85 VITAL is an innovative research project that women can take part in to map the experience of Australian women around peri/menopause. It operates as a registry that collects data via a questionnaire. This data could determine how best to support the population and the research is run by Assoc Prof Erin Morton at Flinders University: https://bit.ly/3QQydTl 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 your doctor, a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, or does our influencer list need a shake up? Once again, Dr Emily has the answers. For book recommendation, 'Wanting, Mimetic Desire: How to Avoid Chasing the Things You Don't Want', by Luke Burgis, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3QIpFOm 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.

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 tells childhood friends Hugh and Josh, along with newhood friend Ryan, how he was able to get through that and how it affected his mental health. To donate to the Community Spirit Foundation through the sMile relay event, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Sg33WL To buy ticket's to the Zatopek race where Hugh, Steve, Brendan and Simon will be attempting to break the 400m relay record (in the mens 40-44 age group), follow this link (and remember use the code "theimperfects" at the top of the ticket listing for $5 of the proceeds to be donated to the Community Spirit Foundation): https://bit.ly/473VKW8 To watch Steve's winning jump in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, follow this link: https://bit.ly/40cDuYl To watch the pink dildo security camera footage, follow this link: https://bit.ly/40dbF2c For app recommendation, Calm, (compassion and loving kindness meditations), follow this link: https://bit.ly/3MhcRMe For book recommendation, Positivity, by Barbra Fredrickson, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3FxjBSf See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 seeking help. To listen to Lewis's podcast 'Silver Bullet', follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ScFmyB To hear Ryan's episode where he talks about shame, jealousy and finding his purpose, follow this link: https://bit.ly/46AfnW3 To purchase our Vulnerabilitea House card sets, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3PBFlkR See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 image of herself that broke the internet and changed her life. Don’t worry they fixed the internet soon after. Taryn Brumfitt's documentary Embrace is available on Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime, Youtube, Google Play & Apple TV. Embrace Kids is available on Binge, Foxtel, Apple TV, Google Play & Amazon Prime. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 show, An Unfunny Evening with Tim Minchin and His Piano, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ZxAGVs To watch Tim perform White Wine in The Sun, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3RzwORS To purchase The Resilience Project's journals, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3RUBke7 To listen to our episode with Dr James van Cuylenburg, mentioned in this episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ZFS0YA See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 lifelong dream of writing music (link to that episode below). But when we were planning our Live on Stage Show, we asked Josh to consider writing and performing an original song. And ohhhhh boy… HE DELIVERED. Today we are very proud and excited to announce that “We Were Here” has not only been recorded, but the song is now available on Spotify, with a seriously moving official music video that you can WATCH on YouTube. Links below. To listen to Josh's song on Spotify, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Zyg3bG To watch the film clip on YouTube, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuMrC0AZ4ko To listen to the original Vulnerabilitea House episode where Josh first talked about losing his confidence to write music, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3tdYkKI To purchase our Vulnerabilitea House cards sets, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3PBFlkR See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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://bit.ly/3ZBv9NQ To watch Paul Keating's historic Redfern speech that Josh mentions in the episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3EVltnA To listen to our episode with Brooke Blurton, mentioned in this episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/459k1c6 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.

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 secrets. Jack’s story of gambling addiction is not a story we hear often, but it’s sadly a very common one - particularly in Australia To contact Gambler Helpline, call 1800 858 858 To learn more about BetStop, and the national self exclusion register, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Zzub4l To learn more about Gamblers Anonymous, and find GA meetings near you, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3ZuXmpn For app recommendation, My Spiritual Toolkit, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3RCa04a For mindfulness, meditation and sleep app recommendation, Calm, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3RxzIGV This episodes contains a discussion around addiction and mentions suicidal thoughts, if this feels like too much for you to listen to right now, we recommend skipping this one and only listening when you feel ready. 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.

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 elusive thing we call “happiness”. To learn more about positive psychology and Christopher Peterson's work, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3t7AvnP To learn more about the impact of physical touch to build trust and corporation and to read about the NBA basketball study mentioned in the episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/48puJ0R To learn more about Eudimonic and hedonistic happiness, and Martin Seligman's work, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3PRs88w For Josh's recommendation, This Is Water, by David Foster Wallace, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC7xzavzEKY&t=6s For book recommendation, 'The Happiness Trap' by Russ Harris, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3tbjkl0 For book recommendation, 'The Courage To Be Disliked', by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga, follow this link: https://bit.ly/452d8cA For book recommendation, 'On Living', by Hospice Chaplain Kerry Egan, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3rz3tfE For book recommendation, 'Love 2.0' by Barbara Fredrickson, follow this link: https://bit.ly/48psM4B 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.

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 story that she vulnerably tells about her upbringing in WA. An traumatic experience that no doubt changed her forever, but one that she now says she wouldn’t change. To watch Brooke's Ted Talk, follow this link: https://bit.ly/46fdGwB To listen to Brooke's podcast, Not So PG, with co-host Matty Mills, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3PG88FR To purchase Brooke's memoir, Big Love, follow this link: https://bit.ly/45PfSLs To learn more about the Uluru Statement of The Heart and The Voice, follow these links: https://bit.ly/3Pmd69F & https://bit.ly/3Rs7T2y To purchase our Vulnerabilitea House cards sets, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3PBFlkR This episode contains a conversation which mentions sexual assault and suicide. If this brings up anything for you, you can contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732. 1800 RESPECT is a national 24/7 counselling line for anyone who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Additionally, if are worried about someone you know, need to talk to someone bereaved by suicide, or want to start a discussion about suicide prevention in your family or community, Conversations Matter is a practical online resource to support safe and effective discussions about suicide, to access, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Wx9tAO 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.

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 because it attempts to steal so much of the joy from your life. In Penny’s case, it almost stole her blossoming relationship with Hugh in the early days, and as a child it tried to take the one thing she held most sacred - the safety of her mother. This may be a b-b-b-bonus episode, but it’s also a v-v-v-very special one. To purchase Penny's book, The Joy Thief, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3RkMTuC To learn more about OCD and to access resources to assist with getting help and how to manage it, follow these links: So OCD - https://soocd.com.au/ This Way Up - https://thiswayup.org.au/ The International OCD Foundation: https://iocdf.org/ 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.

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 and he really wants to help all of us eat better and feel happier. And he’s here to answer all of the questions from students Hugh, Ryan and Josh in The Academy of Imperfection. To purchase Tim's book, Food for Life, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3EvBP6c To learn more about Tim, his other books and his research, follow this link: https://tim-spector.co.uk/ To learn more about Zoe, Tim's personalised nutrition company, follow this link; https://zoe.com/ 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.

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 marriage and family. While this is a side of Grant Denyer that you may not know, it is a story of hope and resilience about a successful (and loveable) man who nearly lost it all… but found enough strength and self-worth to fight for his life. To watch Grant's Gold Logie acceptance speech, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3EmsIEL To watch the trailer for Painkiller on Netflix, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3R5H308 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.

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 episode, follow this link: https://bit.ly/45p6qy7 To learn more and read some of Robin Dunbar's research, follow these links: https://bit.ly/45KyDiy & https://bit.ly/45KKjls To learn more about William Rawlin's work around expectations in friendships, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3OOaZLj To learn more about The Beautiful Mess Effect, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3qNcSA2 For book recommendation, 'Platonic, The Surprising New Science of Making and Keeping Friends As an Adult', by Marisa Franco, follow this link: https://bit.ly/45GZU5v 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.

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, how she’s dealt with the ups and downs that come with a career in the entertainment industry, and what she’s learned from the tragic loss of people close to her. To watch The Truth About Menopause with Myf Warhurst, follow this link: https://bit.ly/47C1nMo To listen to Myf's podcast, 'Bank On' with Zan Rowe, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3YFBIyc To purchase Myf's memoir, Time of My Life, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3OIOjMp To listen to Chrissie Swan's Imperfects episode that Myf talks about, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3qL7WeO This episode contains a discussion about suicide. If this feels like it's too much for you to listen to right now, you may want to skip this one and come back another time. If are worried about someone you know, need to talk to someone bereaved by suicide, or want to start a discussion about suicide prevention in your family or community, Conversations Matter is a practical online resource to support safe and effective discussions about suicide, to access, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Wx9tAO 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.

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, Osher’s journey has been exactly that... imperfect. Osher talks about his struggle with alcohol addiction, his relationship with control, and living with ADHD. He also explains why he decided to change his name at the height of his fame. To listen to Osher's podcast, Better Than Yesterday, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3YuYEjN For book recommendation, Emotional Agility, by Susan David, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3KF6GAV The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. This episode discusses alcohol abuse. If you are struggling with your relationship with alcohol, or other drugs, you can access free, confidential, 24/7 support from Counselling Online. https://www.counsellingonline.org.au/ Alternatively, seek support from friends and family, your local doctor, therapist, AA Group, or call lifeline on 13 11 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.