What if the path to raising emotionally healthy children begins with healing ourselves?

In this heartfelt episode of The Unknown Path, Jem Fuller sits down with fellow Surf Coast local, educator, and longtime friend Lael Stone. Known for reshaping conversations around parenting, education, and emotional well-being, Lael shares a deeply personal journey through entrepreneurship, motherhood, trauma, and profound healing.

From founding Woodline Primary School to navigating birth trauma and rediscovering trust in intuition, this conversation explores what it truly means to slow down, stay open, and meet life with compassion — for ourselves and for the next generation.

What We Explore in This Episode

• Designing a life grounded in “flow and slow” on the Surf Coast
• Highlights from a prolific year — documentary Scene, mentorship programs, and a new book
• Parenting as an investment in future adult relationships
• Entrepreneurship at age 20 and following intuitive nudges
• The evolution from birth work to education and emotional intelligence
• Trauma, surrender, and healing through compassion and nervous system awareness
• The power of intuition and trusting life’s timing
• Why parents must do their own inner work to truly support their children

Parenting & Inner Work Insights

In this episode, Lael shares practical reflections for parents beginning their own inner journey:

• Start with curiosity — “What am I making this mean?”
• Observe your reactions rather than suppressing them
• Look behind behavior to understand what children are communicating
• Recognize when your own needs or inner child wounds are being activated
• Meet both yourself and your child with compassion and nervous system awareness

About Lael Stone

Lael Stone is an educator, speaker, and founder whose work integrates neuroscience, compassion, and lived experience to support emotional well-being in families and schools. She is the co-founder of Woodline Primary School, a pioneering learning environment grounded in respectful relationships and emotional intelligence.

Author of Raising Resilient Compassionate Children and Own Your Story, Lael helps individuals and educators understand how childhood imprints shape adult lives — and how healing in relationship can transform future generations.

Links & Resources

Woodline Primary School: https://woodlineprimary.vic.edu.au/
Lael Stone — Official Website: https://laelstone.com.au/
Books: Own Your Story | Raising Resilient Compassionate Children

Work with Jem https://jemfuller.com/

Guest: Damian Walshe-Howling

Episode Description

What does it take to stay devoted to a creative life — not just for a moment, but for decades?

In this deeply personal episode of The Unknown Path, Jem Fuller sits down with actor, writer, director, and longtime friend Damian Walshe-Howling. Having known each other since their teenage years, the conversation moves beyond career highlights into a raw exploration of anxiety, resilience, grief, creativity, and the power of storytelling to transform both artist and audience.

From early days immersed in Melbourne’s theatre scene to landing a breakthrough role on Blue Heelers, and now directing award-winning films like Unspoken, Damian shares what it means to walk the wire of uncertainty while staying connected to your North Star.

What We Explore in This Episode

• Growing up around theatre and discovering storytelling through the body
• Advice Damian would give his anxious 16-year-old self
• The Blue Heelers audition story — and the unexpected twists along the way
• Staying resilient and present across decades in the acting industry
• Depression, friendship, surfing, and nature as anchors through difficult times
• Regret, grief, and the transformative power of loss
• Influences from Alan Watts, Joseph Campbell, Patti Smith, and others
• Lessons in generosity inspired by Heath Ledger
• Directing, writing, and creating safe collaborative spaces for storytelling

Creative Process & Craft

Damian reflects on storytelling as a living process — allowing ideas to emerge organically rather than forcing them into structure. As a director, his philosophy is simple: cast the right people, create safety, then step back and allow the work to unfold.

About Damian Walshe-Howling

Damian Walshe-Howling is an Australian actor, writer, director, producer, and musician whose career spans decades across television, film, and theatre. Beginning his journey in Melbourne’s vibrant arts scene, he has built a reputation for depth, presence, and creative integrity.

His recent short film Unspoken won the Grand International Prize at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and is currently eligible for Oscar consideration. Damian also teaches at Brave Studios, supporting the next generation of storytellers.

Links & Resources

Unspoken — SBS On Demand (Australia)
Brave Studios: Here

About The Unknown Path

Hosted by Jem Fuller, The Unknown Path explores the real journeys behind transformation — the unseen stories, challenges, and turning points that shape meaningful lives and movements.

Guest: Jennifer Hill — Founder & CEO, OptiMatch

🌿 Episode Description

What happens when the journey to understand yourself becomes the path to helping others connect more deeply?

In this episode of The Unknown Path, Jem Fuller sits down with Jennifer Hill — founder of OptiMatch and often called the “fairy godmother of human connection.” Jen shares a raw and deeply personal story of transformation, from mental health struggles and radical self-reflection to building a global community rooted in authenticity and care.

Together they explore resilience, neurodiversity, inner child work, and the evolving relationship between humanity and technology — all through the lens of what it truly means to be human.

🔎 What We Explore in This Episode

• 
  Jennifer Hill’s journey from loneliness to global connection
• The perspective shift that transformed her relationship with her father
• Turning hardship into self-reliance and growth
• Practices for emotional regulation, coherence, and resilience
• Inner child work and daily grounding rituals
• Neurodiversity as a superpower in leadership
• Staying deeply human in a rapidly evolving technological world

🧠 Tools & Practices Jen Shares

• 
  Heart-focused breathing and daily coherence practices
• The Sedona Method for processing fear
• Grief and completion letters
• Inner child check-ins for emotional safety and self-compassion
• Reflection practices to shift from judgment toward unconditional acceptance

🌍 About Jennifer Hill

Jennifer Hill is the founding director and CEO of OptiMatch, a visionary human connection and technology company focused on intelligent matching to help people build deeper, more meaningful relationships.

A speaker, author, and evolutionary leader, Jennifer’s work bridges technology, presence, and human potential. Known by many as the “fairy godmother of human connection,” she empowers individuals and organizations to lead with integrity, awareness, and care.

🔗 Links & Resources

OptiMatch:
Upcoming book: The Recovering Asshole