The Imperfects
Hugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton & Josh van Cuylenburg
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
22 snips
Mar 29, 2026 • 1h 26min
Hamish Macdonald - After The Facts
Hamish Macdonald, award-winning Australian journalist known for frontline conflict reporting and The Matter of Facts, explores how AI and algorithms warp shared reality. He discusses emotional amplification, quitting social media to regain deep reading, the rise of synthetic media and disinformation, and practical media literacy and tech fixes to reclaim trustworthy information.
Mar 22, 2026 • 1h 21min
Bri Lee - Babies+Climate=Anxiety
Bri Lee, prolific author and advocate who founded Freedom Inside and wrote Seed and Eggshell Skull, joins to explore climate anxiety and reproductive choices. She recounts an Antarctic research trip that reshaped her priorities. The conversation navigates antinatalism, love as ethical grounding, responsibility at scale, and turning anxiety into small, sustained action.
64 snips
Mar 15, 2026 • 1h 23min
Ben Crowe - Play School
Ben Crowe, world-renowned mentor and leadership coach and author of Where The Light Gets In, shares a memorable mantra and bites of wisdom. He explores purpose, the link between play and love, reframing limiting beliefs, rewarding effort over outcome, and leading with compassion. Conversations touch on play deprivation, parenting, career curiosity, and balancing contentment with growth.
Mar 8, 2026 • 1h 26min
Matt Preston - Only 14 Summers Left
Matt Preston, famed food critic, TV presenter and author, shares personal stories about family loss, dementia care, epilepsy advocacy and facing mortality. He discusses conversations about end-of-life planning, caring for a parent at home, grieving while someone changes, and how loss reshaped his life and parenting. The tone is candid, practical and heartfelt.
46 snips
Mar 1, 2026 • 1h 16min
Dr Emily - Acceptance, That's Radical
Dr Emily Musgrove, clinical psychologist who teaches acceptance-based therapy tools, breaks down radical acceptance in clear, practical terms. She explores the two-arrow parable, using RAIN and distress-tolerance, and how acceptance differs from approval. Short stories and relatable metaphors show how noticing pain can reduce suffering and create space for values-driven action.
85 snips
Feb 22, 2026 • 1h 26min
Maggie Dent - ‘Good Enough’ Parenting is Good Enough
Maggie Dent, parenting educator and bestselling author known for practical 'good enough' advice, champions raising resilient boys. She discusses why boys need different support, rooster vs lamb temperaments, the power of micro connections and play, risks from screens and pornography, and the importance of one good-enough parent, meaningful activities and lightness in parenting.
9 snips
Feb 15, 2026 • 1h 41min
Bron Lewis - Is It Me or Postnatal Anxiety?
Bron Lewis, comedian, former teacher, author and mum of three, speaks candidly about motherhood and postnatal anxiety. She shares raw stories of relentless nights, using movement to numb fear, a terrifying neonatal crisis, and the slow path back with medical help and support. The conversation explores vulnerability, shame, and recovery in short, honest bursts.
12 snips
Feb 8, 2026 • 1h 24min
Dr Lucy Hone - A Life Worth Grieving
Dr Lucy Hone, resilience researcher and author who blends science with personal loss, joins to unpack grief and recovery. She explores living losses, why grief feels so lonely, and the danger of comparing pain. Practical ideas like keeping hope with small future plans, the role of presence and pets, and pathways to meaning and post-traumatic growth are discussed in concise, humane conversation.
8 snips
Feb 1, 2026 • 1h 38min
Claudia Karvan - Love, Her Way
Claudia Karvan, Australian actor and producer known for Love My Way and The Secret Life of Us, reflects on a life shaped by nightclub childhood, family collapse and creative resilience. She talks about playing the long game through divorce, separating person from diagnosis, and using mortality to cultivate gratitude. Expect candid stories about therapy, boundaries and loving without trying to fix.
10 snips
Jan 25, 2026 • 46min
Soul Searching Summer - Ryan’s TV Show
A live-show ticket drop triggers a tense reflection on rejection and creative risk. Listeners hear raw reactions to a TV project not moving forward and the messy feelings that follow. Conversations pivot to parenting regrets, lowering expectations, and finding self-compassion after dreams falter. A comical sprint-track mishap lightens the mood amid heartfelt honesty.
