Humans, being.™ with Lael Stone

What if the worst thing that ever happened to you turned out to be the thing that taught you how to live truly?
In this deeply moving and beautifully honest conversation, I sit down with Lisa Corduff – podcaster, storyteller, entrepreneur, and solo mum to three extraordinary kids – to explore what it means to carry grief, raise children through loss, and still choose joy.
Lisa's husband Nick died in September 2019 while travelling in India and Lisa’s challenge was to keep showing up, to stay open to find joy even inside profound grief. We talk about the gifts that grief can give, the messy reality of solo parenting, what it means to let yourself fall apart so you can come back together differently, and the extraordinary five-month adventure Lisa took her kids on when she realised she needed to stop pretending she was okay.
We explore:
What Lisa's children taught her about joy and grief coexisting
The "good vibes only" trap – and why grief has to be felt to move through
Keeping Nick present in positive and loving ways as the kids grow
Becoming the "fun parent" and straddling joy and boundaries solo
What it really means to live fully in the face of death
Crafting the story your children carry: the power of the imprints we give in our darkest moments
What struck me most in sitting with Lisa was her willingness to hold all of it at once. The sadness and the adventure. The grief and the laughter. The very worst thing and the extraordinary life she has built in its shadow.
[Recorded October 2025]
About Lisa Corduff:
Lisa Corduff is a podcaster, storyteller, and entrepreneur passionate about helping women find and share their own voices. She is the host of Conversations with Lisa, where she explores big topics including AI, climate change, and what it means to raise children in this moment in time. Lisa also teaches storytelling and is a passionate advocate for women claiming the power of their own stories.
Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: @lisacorduff
Podcast: Conversations with Lisa: This Moment in Time

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Connect with Humans, being™:
Web: humansbeing.au
Instagram: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
Facebook: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
TikTok: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
YouTube: @humansbeingwithlaelstone

Humans, being™ is produced on the lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to their unique and diverse cultures and to elders past, present and future.

What if the moment that changed your life wasn’t a success story... but a 15-year-old boy dying with his feet planted on the ground, reminding you not to waste yours?
In this raw, joyful, and deeply moving conversation, I talk with Tommy Herschell – former Queensland primary school teacher, founder of ‘Find Ya Feet’, and one of the most genuinely human people I’ve had the privilege of knowing.
This conversation is about the moment Tommy hit rock bottom. It’s about what it really means to find your feet – to stop, think about where you are, and think about the best person you can actually be. And it’s about the extraordinary ripple effect that happens when blokes – young and old – are finally given permission to feel.
We explore:
Bastien Madrill – the 15-year-old whose final days completely changed Tommy’s life
Why Tommy calls his work “mental mechanics” and why that reframe matters for boys
The pit crew theory – how to choose the mates who will actually change your tyres
People pleasing, self-worth, and the real reason we’re always the last to leave the pub
What a session with one boy who stayed seated after a workshop taught him about the power of being heard
The red truck theory of teenage behaviour – and what it means for every parent listening
I’ve known Tommy for a while now, and every single time I’m around him I leave feeling like the world is going to be okay. Not because everything’s easy – but because people like Tommy are out there in schools every single day, making space for the conversations that save lives.
[Recorded remotely, October 2025]
About Tommy Herschell:
Tommy Herschell is a former Queensland primary school teacher and the founder of Find Ya Feet – a not-for-profit organisation delivering mental health workshops to men and boys aged 10 to 70 in schools, sporting clubs and corporate settings across Australia. Tommy calls his work “mental mechanics” rather than mental health, and describes himself as a story farmer – creating spaces where vulnerability is modelled and blokes learn that speaking up isn’t weakness. His work is supported by ambassadors including Mitch Marsh and Nicho Hines, and the organisation is about to release its first children’s book, Timmy and the Wonky Fence.
Connect with Tommy:
Instagram: @FindYaFeet
Website: findyafeet.org

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Connect with Humans, being™:
Web: humansbeing.au
Instagram: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
Facebook: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
TikTok: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
YouTube: @humansbeingwithlaelstone

Humans, being™ is produced on the lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to their unique and diverse cultures and to elders past, present and future.

What if authenticity isn’t something you find... but something you return to?
In this warm, honest, and at times deeply moving conversation, I sit down with Kat John; coach, author, and one of those rare humans who just radiates something you want to lean into. Kat helps people come home to themselves, their hearts, and what really matters. And in this conversation, she does exactly that - for herself, and for all of us listening.
We explore:
The ego voice that tells us we’re not doing enough - and how to hold it with compassion instead of feeding it
The dance between significance and simplicity - and why we don’t have to choose
Kat’s remarkable healing journey - from brain surgery and chronic pain to living pain-free through the power of visualisation
What it means to be cut off from your body early in life, and the slow, brave work of coming home to it
Five Rhythms, movement, and why healing so often lives in the body rather than the mind
The complex, beautiful, challenging space of being a step-parent
Perimenopause, rage, and learning to feel the feelings we were never allowed to have
What it looks like to build a brand and a life from a place of radical authenticity
[Recorded October 2025]
About Kat John:
Kat John is a coach, speaker, and author of Authentic - a book about coming home to who you really are. Through her words, her work, and her deeply relatable presence, Kat reminds us that authenticity isn’t something to perform - it’s something to return to. She hosts the podcast Authentic, and runs programs including The Good Life and Authentic - The Program.
Connect with Kat:
Instagram: @kat.john
Podcast: Authentic. The Podcast
Book: Authentic
Programs: The Good Life + Authentic - The Program

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Connect with Humans, being™:
Web: humansbeing.au
Instagram: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
Facebook: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
TikTok: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
YouTube: @humansbeingwithlaelstone

Humans, being™ is produced on the lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to their unique and diverse cultures and to elders past, present and future.

What happens when the voice in your head that's kept you "safe" your whole life starts to get quieter... and you're not sure who you are without it?
In this beautiful, warm and deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Josh van Cuylenburg - co-host of The Imperfects podcast (one of Australia's biggest mental health podcasts), freelance filmmaker, visual storyteller, musician, dad of two little humans, and a really, really lovely guy!
Josh and I explore the beautiful, messy reality of parenting two little boys, what it really feels like to be in the trenches of fatherhood, and the courage it takes to say "I'm struggling" before you reach that breaking point. We talk about that inner critic that's been with him since he was a teenager, how becoming a dad was the first time he truly told it to be quiet, and how Josh found the courage to speak and perform publicly after years of believing he couldn't.
We explore:
The power of apologising to our kids – and why it doesn't weaken us, it strengthens the relationship
Co-sleeping, bedtime, and why lying next to your child isn't indulgent – it's building safety
How his son needing him more before starting school is actually a beautiful sign of secure attachment
The inner critic – how it kept him small, how fatherhood began to shift it, and the strange vulnerability of life without it
Why safety is the key to everything – sleep, exercise, risk-taking, and being truly ourselves
[Recorded January 2026]
About Josh van Cuylenburg:
Josh is one-third of The Imperfects podcast alongside his brother Hugh van Cuylenburg and Ryan Shelton. Originally the show's producer, it didn't take long for Hugh and Ryan to realise Josh's wisdom, curiosity and very good questions were being wasted behind the scenes. He's also a freelance filmmaker and visual storyteller, and in 2023 released his debut single "We Were Here" after years of believing he couldn't write music. He's a dad to two boys, Charlie and Auggie, and reckons that ‘Bluey sleepy time’ is possibly the greatest seven minutes in TV history.
Connect with Josh:
The Imperfects podcast: Available on all podcast platforms
Music: "We Were Here" on Spotify and Apple Music

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Connect with Humans, being™:
Web: humansbeing.au
Instagram: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
Facebook: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
TikTok: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
YouTube: @humansbeingwithlaelstone

Humans, being™ is produced on the lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to their unique and diverse cultures and to elders past, present and future.

Sometimes the challenges in life bear the greatest rewards!
In this honest and tender conversation, I sit down with Sarah Pound, nutritionist, recipe writer, author of two best-selling cookbooks, and the creator behind Wholesome by Sarah, where over 1 million followers turn to make food feel effortless and joyful.
But this conversation goes way beyond recipes and Instagram. Sarah and I explore the beautiful, messy reality of navigating competition, comparison, and understanding that creativity comes in many forms. We explore:
Reframing "imposter syndrome" as simply lacking experience (and why that's actually okay).
Navigating motherhood and running a business and finding the middle ground.
Competition, comparison, and the discomfort of jealousy, but staying in your own lane.
Building a business on your own terms, not how it's "supposed" to be done.
The Imprints we want to pass on to our children about food.
What I loved about this conversation was Sarah's willingness to be so real about the parts of success that don't get talked about – the isolation, the comparison, and trusting the journey even when it feels like it's falling apart. Sarah shares about her own growth around emotional intelligence and reminds us that you can be wildly successful and still be working through your stuff. You can have it all together on the outside and still be figuring out who you are beyond what you do.
[Recorded October 2025]
About Sarah Pound: Sarah is a nutritionist, recipe writer, content creator, and author of two best-selling cookbooks, including her latest, "Family Food". As the creator of Wholesome by Sarah, she's built a community of over 1 million followers by making food feel simple, delicious, and guilt-free. Sarah is also co-founder of Simply Wholesome Pantry, recipe writer for Good Food Australia, and radio co-host for Wellness Australia. Beyond the beautiful food content, Sarah is a mother navigating the beautiful messiness of building a business whilst raising her family and doing her own inner work.
Connect with Sarah:
Instagram: @wholesomebysarah
Web: wholesomebysarah.com.au
Cookbooks: "Family Food" and “Wholesome by Sarah”

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Connect with Humans, being™:
Web: humansbeing.au
Instagram: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
Facebook: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
TikTok: @humansbeingwithlaelstone
YouTube: @humansbeingwithlaelstone

Humans, being™ is produced on the lands of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung people. We pay respect to their unique and diverse cultures and to elders past, present and future.