Could you use some wise counsel? A panel of first-rate advice givers convenes to dish out wisdom, guidance and the occasional hot take on the thorny questions of our time and other vexing modern-day dilemmas. With speaker and storyteller Paul Callaghan (The Dreaming Path: Indigenous Thinking to Change Your Life), philosopher and Guardian advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, the internet’s most-loved agony aunt Daniel Lavery (Dear Prudence), and YouTube sensation and mental health advocate Nat’s What I Reckon (Life: What Nat To Do). They take to the stage with moderator Yumi Stynes.
This event is open captioned.
Paul Callaghan (Australian)
Dr Paul Callaghan belongs to the land of the Worimi people of Port Stephens NSW. He has qualifications in surveying, drafting, commerce, training, leadership, governance and executive coaching and recently completed a PhD in Creative Practice. His greatest learning however has been going bush with Elders. His latest book, The Dreaming Path, captures his passion to write about Aboriginal culture in a way that supports wellbeing for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and creates a place of unity where all Australians can connect to this beautiful land as one.
Nat’s What I Reckon (Australian)
Comedian, musician and mental health advocate Nat had a fan base already in the hundreds of thousands when he rocketed to global prominence with his isolation cooking content. Nat's openness about his mental health struggles has resonated with champions the world over, amassing a dedicated audience of over 3.5 million thanks to his sweary, no-nonsense approach and underlying message of kindness and inclusivity. His first two bestselling books were both shortlisted at the Australian Book Industry Awards and won Booktopia's Favourite Australian Book Award in 2020 and 2021, with Nat donating all proceeds to Beyond Blue.
Daniel Lavery (International)
Daniel Lavery is the cofounder of The Toast, served as Slate's Dear Prudence from 2016–2021, and the author of Something That May Shock and Discredit You.
Eleanor Gordon-Smith (Australian)
Eleanor Gordon-Smith is a Dodds fellow in Philosophy at Princeton University, a weekly advice columnist for Guardian Australia, radio broadcaster, and the author of Stop Being Reasonable: six stories of how we really change our minds, published by NewSouth books.
Yumi Stynes (Australian)
Yumi Stynes hosts a national radio show on the KiiS network The 3pm Pickup and has written a series of guidebooks, including Welcome to Consent which was recently named one of the New York Public Library's top 50 books of 2021. In spite of her history of TV presenting, Yumi is now best known for Ladies, We Need to Talk which has been a cult podcast since it first dropped in 2017, spawned its own book and numerous ‘book’ clubs where women get together and unpack what they've heard after each new episode. If she dies tomorrow, she'll be glad that she got to co-write the definitive guidebook on what to do when you get your period.
