Humaning with Rick Watson

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 yourself in the shins — this one’s for you.

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

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz/

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

Mel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniebriony/

Mel's You Tube: https://www.youtube.com@melaniebriony/

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 differently.

If you’ve ever been sceptical of breathwork or put off by the “woo” around it, Barney brings it back down to earth with humour, honesty and a refreshing no-bullshit approach.

Connect with Barney: https://www.instagram.com/breathe.into.life/

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

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz

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 is for you.

We hope you enjoy it.

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

Connect with Jo: https://groundedatthemill.com/

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz

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

• What it’s like to feel misunderstood in your difference

• How Gestalt therapy has transformed Kellie’s relationship to herself

• The practice of self-compassion and supporting your nervous system

• Reclaiming identity outside of societal roles and expectations

• Loneliness, belonging and the cost of not conforming

• Learning to sit with discomfort and let go of people-pleasing

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

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz

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.

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

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz

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 between fixing and feeling, effort and honesty, and why “being a mess” might just be the doorway back to yourself.

Connect with Linzey: https://www.instagram.com/linzeyb/

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

TAKE THE REPEATING PATTERN QUIZ: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/quiz/

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 clichés and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up—again and again.

Connect with Toni: https://www.facebook.com/tonidiluca

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

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 with ourselves.

Expect an open conversation about:

• Grief and the unexpected beauty that can come with it

• The emotional cost of control and overachievement

• Letting go of busyness as a measure of self-worth

• What rest, presence and fatherhood look like in real life

• The courage it takes to step into the unknown without a plan

If you’re navigating change, burnout or the long tail of grief, this one might land close to home.

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

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 still okay.

Who Should Listen

This one’s for anyone who’s tired of keeping it all together. If you’re someone who’s driven, high-functioning or the “steady one” in your crew—but secretly long to be met in your mess—this episode is a homecoming.

Also great for yoga teachers, therapists-in-training, anyone in a growth season, or people curious about Gestalt therapy and the beauty of being held in community.

Connect with Darci: https://www.instagram.com/darcicharlidee/

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

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:

Awareness. Acceptance. Support. Choice for Change.

This one’s honest, imperfect, and a little sweary—just like the process of getting unstuck.

Joining the waiting list for the Unstuck audio series: https://www.rickwatson.com.au/getunstuck