Humaning with Rick Watson

Gracie Brown - Gestalt therapist, musician and artist known as Kalakari - joins me for her first ever podcast. We talk about what it means to get closer to yourself: the parts you perform, the parts you protect and what starts to shift when you stop treating all of it like something to fix.

We get into calling yourself pathetic and what's actually underneath that - the strange kind of safety in staying small and what it costs to keep proving your own worst story about yourself right. We talk about the difference between managing your life...

If you've ever caught yourself wondering why you keep repeating the same patterns, why you shut down emotionally when things get hard or why you keep self-sabotaging even when you know better, this episode is for you.

Rick explores the difference between fixing or shaming yourself and actually understanding yourself and why that distinction changes everything about how we relate to our own repeating patterns.

Using his own tendency to withdraw and go quiet under pressure as a live example, he walks through five questions that help make sense of the behaviours that feel stuck...

It's been months since I recorded an episode. Jo's dad got sick, then really sick, then he passed. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I lost the desire to sit down and talk into a mic.

This episode is me picking it back up, unscripted, on a day it finally felt good to do it.

I talk about what it looked like to let ourselves feel everything during that time instead of managing it - the grief, but also what showed up on the other side of it: gratitude, love and eventually a proposal. <...

Most of us know we need to slow down, we feel it and yet something keeps us moving anyway.

This episode is an honest look at what's actually behind that. Not a list of tips or a lecture about self care. Just bite-sized conversation about why staying busy can feel so much safer than stopping and what might be quietly sitting underneath it.

Rick shares a story from a client who came in burnt out and overwhelmed and another from his own weekend where he caught himself doing the same thing. What came up in...

In a world shaped by social media addiction, rapidly advancing AI and growing economic uncertainty, staying genuinely connected to yourself has never been harder (or more important).

In this solo episode, Rick gets honest about the forces pulling us away from our own humanness: the addictive design of short-form content and infinite scroll, the rise of AI tools and the way uncertainty and anxiety turn up the volume on our oldest emotional patterns.

He also gets personal - sharing how building a social media presence this year made him confront his own role in the...

Most of us don’t realise how much of our life is built around one quiet belief:

“I’m not enough.”

In this conversation with Jack Chivers, we unpack the performer pattern - the part of us that learned to earn love, approval and belonging through being impressive, capable or strong.

For a while, that strategy works.

It builds careers, it builds reputations and it even builds identity.

But over time it can also lead to burnout, resentment and relationships built on unsustainable foundations.

We explore:

Why pe...

What if being human isn’t something to fix, refine or optimise?

In this conversation, Rick sits down with Gestalt psychotherapist Katia Erokhina for a real-time, unscripted exploration of what actually helps us change and what quietly gets in the way.

Together, they talk about withdrawal and conflict, shame and self-criticism, the stories we tell ourselves and how often those stories pull us away from what’s actually alive in the moment. They explore why insight alone doesn’t always create change and why corrective experiences almost always involve another human.

This episode isn’t...

In this solo episode of Humaning, Rick kicks off 2026 with an honest check-in after a technology-free camping break. He reflects on the tension between control and uncertainty, why our repeating patterns make so much sense and how real change often begins with acceptance rather than self-rejection.

Drawing on personal experience, client work and men’s circle reflections, Rick explores what happens when we loosen the grip on certainty and take small, imperfect steps in a new direction.

This episode is an invitation to experiment, gather data and be a little more willing to be uncertain th...

This episode is a little different.
Jo and I sat down on the couch at the end of a massive year - no script, no structure, just two humans reflecting on what 2025 actually felt like.

What unfolded was honest, imperfect and surprisingly satisfying.

Together we explore:

The truth of hitting an end-of-year energy wall

Why we skipped recording earlier this week and chose connection over content

The “real” version of burnout- the kind that comes from misalignment, not overwork

What our podcasts, groups and therapy training taug...

In this episode of Humaning, I sit down with Bec Corterling - a business owner, mum and long-time friend of Jo’s - for a conversation that goes far deeper than clothes, content or running a boutique.

We talk about the quiet exhaustion that builds from showing up every day for 12 years, the pressure of being “the strong one” and the loneliness that can sit underneath a life that looks full on the outside.

Bec shares the childhood roots of her work ethic, how she’s learning to slow down and what contentment honestly looks like for...

What happens when you stop rehearsing who you think you should be and start showing up as who you are?

In this episode, I sit down with Bronte Walker, a fellow Gestalt therapy student, musician, facilitator and all-round legend to explore what it really takes to find your voice and speak up for who you are - even when it feels risky.

Bronte shares his story of coming out, transitioning and learning to trust himself while navigating work, identity and belonging in both New York and Australia.

This is a conversation for anyone...

In this solo episode, Rick introduces a new format — a space to be curious about a single theme and reflect on how it shows up in your own life.

This week, he explores the tension between being content with what is and still wanting to grow. How do we stay grounded in enoughness while staying open to possibility?

And what role does this play is keeping burnout at bay?

Drawing from his work in men’s circles, personal experience and Gestalt study, Rick unpacks the dance between contentment and drive — where one offers stilln...

When life throws a curveball, it’s easy to talk about it after the fact — once the dust settles and the lessons land. But this conversation happens right in the middle of it.

My mate John Williams is in week five of cancer treatment and he sat down with me to share what it’s really like to live through something hard.

We talk about control, surrender, the gap between expectation and reality and how he is finding his way through such a massive experience that was not on his bingo card for this year.

I...

For years Pete Tansley was chasing it — the business, the hustle, the status, the approval. Underneath it all? A chip on his shoulder, the need to make his dad proud and a nice-guy mask that left him exhausted.

In this conversation we unpack the messy middle: rushing deals to look successful, bottoming out financially and emotionally, the wake-up calls that came through therapy, divorce and reconnecting with his dad.

Pete shares what it took to finally move from proving and pleasing others to actually being himself — as a dad, a coach, and a human learning to v...

What if your inner critic wasn’t the enemy… but the spark you needed to grow?

In this episode, Melanie Briony is back on the couch with me for round two. We talk about the messy dance between self-doubt and self-kindness, why mistakes aren’t really “wrong" and how breathwork and nervous system awareness can shift the way we show up in everyday life.

It’s equal parts raw, practical and even a bit funny (yes, donuts do make a cameo). If you’ve ever felt stuck in perfectionism, tired of people-pleasing or just sick of kicking y...

Barney’s story is one a lot of men will recognise — pushing through pain, numbing with alcohol and holding it all together on the outside while quietly falling apart inside.

In this conversation, he shares the journey from living in a freeze state and repeating the harsh patterns of his past, to finding breathwork, forgiveness and a new way of showing up as a dad, husband and human.

We cover the messy middle of change — back injuries, depression, over-planning, shame and self-sabotage — alongside the unexpected gifts of joy, self-acceptance and the courage to do it differen...

Our life has been a bit of a shit-show over the past 4-6 weeks, but it feels like we're coming out the other side. In this episode we share our stories of pushing too hard and then realising that (in different ways) we are actually way out of alignment.

Fear, scarcity and expectation all played weird roles in this one but in this very human episode, we share what it looks like to come back to what really matters.

If you have had a few "how did I get here?" moments lately, then this conversation...

In this heartfelt conversation, Rick sits down with Gestalt therapist-in-training Kellie Glab to explore what it really means to live a life outside the expected script.

From choosing not to have children to navigating loneliness, self-compassion, and the deep need to belong, Kellie shares vulnerably about her personal journey of embracing difference.

Together, they unpack how Gestalt therapy has supported her growth and what it looks like to truly support yourself — even when the world doesn’t always understand.

🗝️ Key Talking Points

The grief and freedom of choosing not to have children<...

Clancy Simkins joins me for a raw, hilarious and unexpectedly moving conversation about all the messy parts of life — burnout, cancer, parenting, control and the endless dance between falling apart and holding it together.

We talk about permission to stop, black humour as a survival skill and the lifelong challenge of accepting ourselves (especially when our default is to fix, rescue or over-function).

This episode is brutally honest, surprisingly funny and full of the kind of real talk that reminds you you’re not the only one just trying to keep it together.

Conn...

In this episode, therapist and men’s group facilitator Linzey Biester joins me to talk about what it really means to show up — for ourselves and our relationships.

We unpack the old patterns men often carry (like ghosting, people-pleasing and self-blame) and explore how slowing down, building awareness and learning to feel can change everything.

We cover the power of men’s work, therapy without the crowbar and why real growth usually happens in small, supported steps. Linzey also shares how Hakomi therapy and co-regulation have shaped his practice and we talk about the difference betwee...

In this conversation, I reconnect with Toni Mackay—an old friend from 30 years ago who’s now navigating life with stage four bowel cancer.

Toni shares what it’s like to live in 12-week cycles between scans, how her diagnosis has shifted her priorities, and why she still chooses joy, connection, and the occasional cheeky glass of champagne.

We talk about control, independence, the challenge of asking for help and what it means to carry heavy things while still making space for love and laughter.

This is a story about resilience without the cliché...

What if the way you’ve been holding it all together is the very thing keeping you stuck?

In this episode, I sit down with Scott Ellis to talk about what happens when we stop running on autopilot and start facing the things we’ve been avoiding — grief, uncertainty and the deeper questions of who we really are.

Scott shares his raw and honest journey through loss, identity shift and emotional reconnection after the passing of his wife. We talk about what it means to move from control to connection — not just with others, but also wit...

In this episode, I sit down with Darci Charlie Dee – yoga teacher, retreat facilitator and fellow Gestalt therapy student – for a raw and reflective chat about the messiness of being human.

We talk about the quiet pressure to appear steady, the ways we mask our chaos with productivity or smiles and what it takes to actually let ourselves be seen – mid-process, not just once we’ve pulled it all together.

There’s talk of polarity, unearned guilt, structured group work and the liberation that can come from sitting in the shit long enough to know you’re sti...

In this raw and unfiltered solo episode, I dive deep into the lived experience of being stuck—what it looks like across different parts of life (work, relationships, health, creativity), how it messes with your mind and what it might actually be trying to offer you.

I unpack the sneaky benefits of stuckness, the emotional undercurrents that come with it (hello shame, fear and guilt) and the quiet cost of staying still too long.

I also introduce a practical change framework I use with clients—and myself—to gently create momentum without burning out:

Awar...

In this episode of Humaning, I sit down with my old friend Paul Holland to talk about what it really means to live an adventurous life — not just the kind with planes and race cars (though he’s got those too), but the inner kind.

The kind where you keep showing up, even when the path isn’t clear.

Paul shares his recent move to a dream home on an acre in Canungra — a big milestone after years of renting and relocating. It’s a grounding chapter in a life that’s seen plenty of change and i...

In this follow-up episode with Katia Erokhina we revisit a conversation that never made it to air (thanks, tech gremlins). Ironically — or maybe perfectly — that first recording was all about imperfection, letting go of control and embracing the messiness of being human. So we leaned into the redo and what emerged was deeper, more spacious and somehow even more alive.

Katia shares her journey from Moscow to gestalt therapist, from existential 14-year-old to someone creating safe, relational spaces for others to meet themselves — as they are. We talk about unearned rest, the pressure to be “better,” the stories th...

In this first Tell Me More episode, Rick and Jo dive into the well-intentioned mess of FRACing—that’s Fixing, Rescuing, Advice-giving, and Caretaking.

It’s the stuff we all do when we really care about someone… and yet, it often gets in the way of true connection. We explore the emotional drivers behind each one, share some honest personal examples, and reflect on what it takes to shift from helping to actually being with the people we love.

This one’s honest, a little exposing, and full of those “oh yep, I do that” mom...

Chris Slater normally prefers to stay out of the limelight, but behind his private persona is a compelling story .

In this episode, Chris and I talk about the internal chaos that was bubbling away as he tried to build his chiro practise. The combination of control, anger and co-dependency was created some real-life "challenges" and he then realised he was turning to alcohol to numb the knock-on feelings.

But Chris's story is one of serious self-responsibility.

Over the past ten years he has sought the support and guidance of a range of different...

Emily Rockit is one hell of a storyteller.

In this episode, she shares her stories about navigating well-being, grappling with loss and the rollercoaster that is the music industry.

Along the way, we unpack the power of connection, the magic of storytelling and that all-too-familiar wrestling match with imposter syndrome.

Em also opens up about writing a book designed to empower indie artists, sharing hard-earned lessons from her own journey.

If you need some inspiration to follow your creative path, this one is for you...

Emily on Instagram: https...

Content warning: this episode briefly touches on baby loss. If this topic is sensitive or triggering for you, please take care while listening or skip this episode completely. 

Nicole Dean is one inspiring human. 

As much for her honesty and courage as for her actions and achievements. 

In this conversation, we chat about burnout, identity shifts and what it took to rebuild after hitting rock bottom. We talk about how movement played a huge role in her transformation, the struggle to be kinder to herself and how nature became a big part of her...

In this episode, I sit down (for the second time) with John Williams for a chat that feels less like an interview and more like two humans figuring things out together. We cover everything from therapy and personal growth to how tech is changing the way we connect (for better or worse).

John opens up about the wins he’s celebrating, why joy isn’t just a luxury, and the magic of giving himself permission to just be. We also dive into self-worth, personal space (especially as a parent) and the wild ride of navigating identity beyond just...

Do you ever feel like you spend more time in your head than in your heart or body? Sophia gets it, it’s been her default way of navigating the world, using intellect and achievement to feel safe and valued.

In this episode, we dive into the deeper layers of this pattern, uncovering how it’s often tied to our sense of self-worth and the subtle ways it can protect us from feeling and facing shame.

Rick and Sophia share candid stories about their journeys to befriend shame, both within themselves and in relationship to othe...

Melanie Briony knows herself really well. She knows she can be a bit of a people pleaser, she can procrastinate and she would prefer to avoid uncomfortable conversations.

But as someone who runs her own business, she also knows these parts of her don't really serve her as a business owner and more importantly as a human.

Listen as Mel talks about the different ways she has accepted her parts and how she has used breathwork and nervous system regulation to really come home to herself.

Connect with Mel: https://www.melaniebriony.com...

Growing up in New York and now residing in Byron Bay, Greg Goldstein has lived a life full of rich experiences. A traveller in the true sense of the word both geographically and internally, he is a deep well of wisdom.

In this conversation, Greg shares his current reality of being called forward towards parenthood and the role perfectionism plays in holding him back.

We also dance with the challenges of getting lost in story and rumination it leads to a juicy conversation.

If you enjoy this chat, click the follow button, leave...

Claire Baker is a hell of a human. 

A ridiculously accomplished academic, author and change-maker in a professional sense, Claire is insanely intelligent and has found it safer to keep the entirety of her brilliance under wraps for most of her life. 

To avoid being too big or too much for other people to save them from feeling uncomfortable.

In this podcast, she shares her story of growing up looking through this lens and how it has shaped much of he life.

If you have ever felt like you are too mu...

On this solocast, Rick reflects back on the year that was looking at what was good, what was bad and what was funny. This is often the question he asks his son Finn when he gets home from school, but also seemed like a good way to break up the year.

While you are listening, you may also consider what your good, bad and funny have been this year. Leave a comment below to share as I would love to hear yours.

If you would like to support the podcast, just click the follow button...

Monique Dalais has had an amazing professional evolution from a corporate inner-city lawyer to now running her own counselling practice.

After spending the year studying Gestalt therapy together, Rick and Monique shared a little about the experience - especially the residential that just ended.

They also touch on their experiences with imposter syndrome, worthiness, presence, acceptance and what life is like now.

If you feel a bit stuck in a job you may not love, this episode is worth a listen.

Connect with Rick: www.rickwatson.com.au

Connect...

On the surface, Richard Hil is an accomplished academic and prolific author. But if you look a little deeper than his achievements, you will see that he is, at the core, a uniquely curious human. 

A gifted storyteller with a unique view of the world, Richard is really a student of life and what makes up our human experience. In this podcast, we dance all over the place but the common thread is around connection. 

How we create it, how we push it away and everything in between. This was a super enjoyable conversation to be...

In this chat, Rick and Laura dig into perfectionism, being capable and the challenge this creates when needing to a ask for help. They explore how this has showed up in the past for Laura and how she now responds differently.

This also discuss what self-support looks like compared to external support, the process of change, self-abandonment and a heap more.

This was a juicy one... enjoy!

Connect with Rick: https://rickwatson.com.au

Connect with Laura: https://LauraO.co

In this episode, Rick and Cam explore the theme of having a voice and the sneaky role fear can play in this. They discuss Cam's current journey of leaving the security of his 9-5 job and going all-in on his true passion... music.

Cam's story is super inspiring to anyone who wants to follow their heart and do more of what they love. He even included a little music surprise to round out the podcast.

This one will make you smile.

Connect with Cam: www.campearcemusic.com.au

His latest song...