The Weekend University

In this captivating conversation, Richard Schwartz shares his remarkable personal journey of transformation, evolving from a place of aggression and anger to discovering profound self-leadership and healing. Unraveling the depths of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Schwartz elucidates its profound goals - the liberation and harmonization of our internal parts. He thoughtfully critiques the conventional attachment theory, challenging the notion that self can solely emanate from external relationships, emphasizing the significance of seeking self within. Throughout the discussion, Schwartz delves into the uplifting influence of IFS on personal growth and leadership development, not just within himself but also in his organization. Prepare to embark on a transformative exploration of self-awareness and healing, unearthing the power of Internal Family Systems. If you’re interested in learning more, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Dr Schwartz’s most recent book: “No Bad Parts”, or check out some of the other resources available at www.ifs-institute.com. --- Richard Schwartz, PhD., began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He focused on the relationships among these parts and noticed that there were systemic patterns in the way they were organized across clients. He also found that when the clients’ parts felt safe and were allowed to relax, the clients would experience spontaneously the qualities of confidence, openness, and compassion that Dr. Schwartz came to call the Self. He found that when in that state of Self, clients would know how to heal their parts. A featured speaker for national professional organizations, Dr. Schwartz has published many books and over fifty articles about IFS. Learn more at: https://ifs-institute.com. Interview Links: — No Bad Parts - Dr Richard Schwartz: https://amzn.to/3DLPSFR — www.ifs-institute.com Books Dr Schwartz Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel van der Kolk: https://amzn.to/3qsJA5O — The Myth of Normal - Dr Gabor Maté: https://amzn.to/3eru1IS

With his wealth of expertise, Dr. Solms presents an enlightening talk that explores the intricacies of why we dream and unveils the hidden meanings behind these enigmatic nocturnal experiences. Throughout the lecture, Dr. Solms navigates through cutting-edge research and timeless theories, providing viewers with a comprehensive understanding of the neuroscience behind dreaming. Drawing on his own pioneering studies and decades of exploration, he presents compelling evidence that underscores the importance of dreams in our cognitive and emotional landscapes. --- Professor Mark Solms is best known for his discovery of the forebrain mechanisms of dreaming, and for his pioneering integration of psychoanalytic theories and methods with those of modern neuroscience. He holds the Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (Departments of Psychology and Neurology). His other positions have included: Honorary Lecturer in Neurosurgery at St. Bartholomew’s & Royal London School of Medicine, Director of the International Neuro-Psychoanalysis Centre, London, and Director of the Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuro-Psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Professor Solms’ books include: Clinical Studies in Neuro-Psychoanalysis (winner of the NAAP’s Gradiva Award Best Book, Science Category in 2001), The Brain and The Inner World (2002), and most recently: Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness (2021). -- Links - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Professor Solms website: www.psychology.uct.ac.za/psy/staff/pr…rs/marksolms - Professor Solms book chapter: bit.ly/encyclo-behavioralneuro

In this thought-provoking episode, Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett delves into the intricate workings of the brain, and its primary role in regulating bodily systems for overall well-being. Unravel the concept of affect, the ever-present feelings we experience, influencing our responses to life's challenges. Discover the transformative power of emotional granularity, as it enables us to discern and label emotions with precision, impacting our mental health profoundly. Gain insights into how investing in diverse experiences and learning can shape our future, "seeding" our brains for positive changes and empowering us to embrace personal responsibility. Uncover the path to enhanced resilience and a brighter life in this compelling talk. --- Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett is in the top one percent of the most cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience. She is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, and also holds appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior. In addition to the books Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain and How Emotions are Made, Dr. Barrett has published over 260 peer-reviewed, scientific papers appearing in Science, Nature Neuroscience, and other top journals in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, as well as six academic volumes. She has also given a popular TED talk with over 6.5 million views. You can learn more about Dr Barrett's work by going to: www.lisafeldmanbarrett.com --- Interview Links: — Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain - Lisa Feldman Barrett: https://amzn.to/3CWM1VQ — How Emotions are Made - Lisa Feldman Barrett: https://amzn.to/3Rx1BeT — Dr Barrett’s website: www.lisafeldmanbarrett.com — Matter and Consciousness - Dr Iain McGilchrist: https://bit.ly/3RGSQz0 3 Books Dr Barrett Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Between us by Batja Mesquita - https://amzn.to/3FdYkxT — The End of Trauma by George Bonanno - https://amzn.to/3AW1fbL — How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett - https://amzn.to/3GVdxFl

Welcome to an enlightening exploration of the current state of the science of spirituality, featuring three esteemed pioneers in the field: Dan Siegel, Rupert Sheldrake, and Andrew Newberg. In this captivating video, these renowned experts individually present their groundbreaking research and insights, offering a deep dive into the intersection of science and spirituality. Join us as we embark on a journey to discover the profound connections between the material and the metaphysical. --- About the Scientists: Dan Siegel, a renowned neuroscientist and author, delves into the fascinating realm of interpersonal neurobiology, shedding light on the brain's engagement with spiritual experiences. Rupert Sheldrake, the visionary biologist and TED speaker, challenges conventional scientific assumptions, unveiling a new understanding of interconnectedness and consciousness. Andrew Newberg, the pioneering figure in neurotheology, explores how the brain processes religious and spiritual practices, elevating our comprehension of the transcendental. In this thought-provoking video, you'll encounter: — The neural underpinnings of spiritual experiences and their impact on our perception of self and the universe. — Fresh perspectives on the nature of consciousness and its profound relationship to spirituality. — The scientific exploration of meditation, prayer, and other spiritual practices, and their effects on brain function. — Cutting-edge research on how spirituality fosters mental and emotional well-being. Don't miss this unique opportunity to glean valuable insights from these three thought leaders as they share their pioneering work in the realm of spiritual science.

In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss: — Why it's important that we become more trauma-informed; both individually and collectively — How trauma impacts the body and nervous system — Why trauma exists on a continuum, and how the same experiences can affect people in different ways — The power of authenticity in the therapeutic relationship — The dangers of unrecognised trauma, and some symptoms that indicate someone may have had a traumatic experience. And a whole lot more. After receiving his doctorate in clinical psychology, Guy spent several years studying the impact and treatment of trauma and early psychosis. In 2014, he founded The Trauma Therapist Project to raise awareness of trauma and create an educational and supportive community for new trauma workers. His podcast has an audience in more than 160 countries. You can learn more about Guy’s work at www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/, and follow him on Twitter @guy_phd. --- Relevant Links: — Guy’s website: https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/ — Guy’s newsletter: https://bold-field-2905.ck.page/3f8a5c5f3f — The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel van der Kolk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Keeps- Score-Transformation-Trauma/dp/0141978619 — Bruce Perry’s books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bruce-D.-Perry/e/B004G8LMOU — Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5

Freud's claims about why we dream were largely refuted with the discovery of the brain mechanisms of REM sleep (between the 1950s and 70s). This lecture will present findings which show that dreaming is not in fact isomorphic with REM sleep, and that it is generated by a part of the brain that is deeply implicated in emotion, motivation, and memory. Recent findings will also be presented from an ongoing study which is seeking to establish that the biological function of dreaming is actually quite practical and uncomplicated. --- Professor Mark Solms is best known for his discovery of the forebrain mechanisms of dreaming, and for his pioneering integration of psychoanalytic theories and methods with those of modern neuroscience. He holds the Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (Departments of Psychology and Neurology). His other positions have included: Honorary Lecturer in Neurosurgery at St. Bartholomew’s & Royal London School of Medicine, Director of the International Neuro-Psychoanalysis Centre, London, and Director of the Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuro-Psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Professor Solms’ books include: Clinical Studies in Neuro-Psychoanalysis (winner of the NAAP’s Gradiva Award Best Book, Science Category in 2001), The Brain and The Inner World (2002), and most recently: Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness (2021). -- Links - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Professor Solms website : www.psychology.uct.ac.za/psy/staff/pr…rs/marksolms - Professor Solms book chapter: bit.ly/encyclo-behavioralneuro

Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett is in the top one percent of the most cited scientists in the world for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience. She is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, and also holds appointments at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she is Chief Science Officer for the Center for Law, Brain & Behavior. In addition to the books Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain and How Emotions are Made, Dr. Barrett has published over 260 peer-reviewed, scientific papers appearing in Science, Nature Neuroscience, and other top journals in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, as well as six academic volumes. She has also given a popular TED talk with over 6.5 million views. You can learn more about Dr Barrett's work by going to: www.lisafeldmanbarrett.com --- Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett is a psychologist, neuroscientist, professor, bestselling author, and one of the most cited scientists in the world. She received a National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award for her revolutionary research on emotion in the brain. These highly competitive, multimillion-dollar awards are given to scientists of exceptional creativity who are expected to transform biomedical and behavioral research. She also received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2019, the APS Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, and the APA Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in Psychology in 2021. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Barrett has testified before Congress, presented her research to the FBI, consulted with the National Cancer Institute, appeared on Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman and The Today Show with Maria Shriver, and been a featured guest on public television and podcast and radio programs worldwide. She is also an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada. --- Interview Links: — Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain - Lisa Feldman Barrett: https://amzn.to/3CWM1VQ — How Emotions are Made - Lisa Feldman Barrett: https://amzn.to/3Rx1BeT — Dr Barrett’s website: www.lisafeldmanbarrett.com — Matter and Consciousness - Dr Iain McGilchrist: https://bit.ly/3RGSQz0 3 Books Lisa Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Between us by Batja Mesquita - https://amzn.to/3FdYkxT — The End of Trauma by George Bonanno - https://amzn.to/3AW1fbL — How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett - https://amzn.to/3GVdxFl

This episode provides a detailed explanation of the 2nd organising principle of Polyvagal Theory: Neuroception. Learn how the nervous system detects whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life threatening. Where do these states leave us on the Autonomic Ladder? And how does it fit into the "Safety/Danger Equation? --- The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection. Polyvagal Theory, through the organizing principles of hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation, has revolutionized our understanding of how this system works. We now know that trauma interrupts the development of autonomic regulation and shapes the system away from connection into patterns of protection. For many clients, states of fight, flight, and collapse are frequent, intense, and prolonged while the state of safety and connection is elusive. Their autonomic nervous systems now respond in characteristic post-traumatic patterns of hyperarousal, hypervigilance, disconnection, and numbing. A Polyvagal approach uses an updated map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs so clinicians can reliably lead their clients out of adaptive survival responses into the autonomically regulated state of safety that is necessary for successful treatment. Polyvagal Theory gives clinicians a guide to help clients safely tune into their autonomic states, reshape their nervous systems, and rewrite the trauma stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways. --- Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma. She is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute, Clinical Advisor to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory informs work with trauma survivors. Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices, co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and creator of the Polyvagal Flip Chart. For more information, please see: https://rhythmofregulation.com -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Deb Dana’s website: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ - Deb Dana’s books: https://amzn.to/3lkgTUO

Dr Fisher is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. Having trained directly with the likes of Bessel van der Kolk and Pat Ogden, she is now widely recognised as an international expert on the treatment of trauma. Janina is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation and the author of three books including, Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors, Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma, and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based interventions into trauma treatment, and she is also the creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) therapy. In this conversation, we discuss: — Dr Fisher's experiences training with Bessel van der Kolk in the 1990s — The left and right brain "split", and how trauma gets stored in the body as implicit memories — The limitations of the "Uni-Consciousness" Model and why a parts paradigm is more effective for healing trauma — Why secure attachment is the number one variable in mental health and how to cultivate "earned secure attachment" internally And more. You can learn more about Dr Fisher's work at www.janinafisher.com. --- Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor, Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation and the author of three books, Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation (2017), Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists (2021), and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based interventions into trauma treatment, and she is also the creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) therapy. Interview Links: — Healing the Fragmented Selves - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3ANKAGp — Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3Blo1ux — The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022): https://amzn.to/3cQbAx3 3 Books Dr Fisher Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Introduction to IFS - Dr Richard Schwartz: https://amzn.to/3qaOt3y — Healing the Fragmented Selves - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3ANKAGp — Getting Through The Day - Nancy Napier: https://amzn.to/3KJoiKu

Imagination has a valued place in psychotherapy. The images found in memories, relationship entanglements and future fantasies are the raw material of therapeutic work. And yet, faced with a significant dream or transference projection it can be difficult to resist the temptation of a clever interpretation. In this way, imagining is often eclipsed by thinking and the transformative potential of imaginative experience itself is neglected. This talk by Allan Frater will be of interest to therapists who want to work more holistically with images as images. Instead of treating images as symbols pointing to meaning elsewhere, the talk presents an image-centric approach, including: — A broad understanding of imagination as present in all perceptions, actions and relationships (not just as pictures ‘inside the mind’). — A ‘waking dream’ method applicable to generic work with memories, the transference and future fantasies as well as art-therapy and active-imagination approaches. — Imaginal dialogues. — A non-interpretative patterning which links image work in the consulting room to the on-going story of self and world in everyday life. The result is an appreciation of imagination, not just as a means to rational insight but as an embodied imaginal sensibility at the heart of human potential and creativity. If you enjoy this, you can learn more about Allan’s work by visiting: www.wildimagination.uk. --- Allan Frater is a psychotherapist and teacher with Psychosynthesis Trust. Inspired by Jack Kerouac and Herman Hesse, he spent his twenties living and working in Buddhist communities where he came across the east-meets-west fusion of transpersonal psychology, eventually training to become a psychotherapist. His psychotherapy practice and teaching career have intersected at the meeting place between transpersonal psychology and an image-based approach to ecotherapy, the results of which will be presented in this talk. The introduction and first chapter of ‘Waking Dreams’ can be sampled here: https://wildimagination.uk/book/ Further information and background here: https://wildimagination.uk 3 Books Allan Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Revisioning Psychology by James Hillman: https://amzn.to/3zgzeeh — The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram: https://amzn.to/3FmfkSS — The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: https://amzn.to/3TFAbFd

In this captivating video, join us as we dive into the fascinating world of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, TIST, parts work, and the healing of our fragmented selves. Featuring insightful interviews with renowned psychologists Dr. Richard Schwartz, Phd and Dr. Janina Fisher, this compilation offers a comprehensive exploration of parts work and its transformative potential. Don't miss out on this enlightening compilation of interviews with two leading psychologists, Dr. Richard Schwartz, Phd and Dr. Janina Fisher, as they delve into the world of Internal Family Systems, parts, and the healing of our fragmented selves.

Professor Jeremy Holmes - a clinician, author, leading Attachment expert and three time speaker at The Weekend University. In this interview, we discuss the fascinating science of attachment theory, and how it can be applied to enhance therapeutic practice. You’ll learn: — Why it’s vital for anyone working in the helping professions to have a basic understanding of attachment dynamics — The concept of the secure base and its relevance for therapy — The links between attachment and affect regulation — The Strange Situation Experiment, and working with disorganised attachment patterns — Why it’s more important to pay attention to how clients communicate rather than just the content of what they are saying And more. --- Professor Jeremy Holmes is a clinician, author, leading Attachment expert, and three-time speaker at The Weekend University. For 35 years, he was Consultant Psychiatrist/Medical Psychotherapist at University College London (UCL) and then in North Devon, UK, and Chair of the Psychotherapy Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists 1998-2002. He is visiting Professor at the University of Exeter, and lectures nationally and internationally. In addition to 200+ peer-reviewed papers and chapters in the field of psychoanalysis and attachment theory, his books include John Bowlby and Attachment Theory, Exploring In Security, Attachment in Therapeutic Practice, and most recently: “The Brain has a Mind of Its Own”. He was the recipient of the Bowlby-Ainsworth Founders Award 2009. --- Interview Links: — Attachment in Therapeutic Practice: https://amzn.to/3FjQMYL — The Search for the Secure Base: Attachment Theory and Psychotherapy: https://amzn.to/3LOTAzk — The Brain has a Mind of its Own: https://amzn.to/3Fg0ziw — John Bowlby and Attachment Theory: https://amzn.to/3FjQMYL --- 3 Books Prof. Holmes Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — What Works for Whom?: A Critical Review of Psychotherapy Research - Anthony Roth & Peter Fonagy: https://amzn.to/3ycC8kn — War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy: https://amzn.to/38QvhTa — Attachment in Therapeutic Practice - Holmes & Slade: https://amzn.to/3TqkOzI --- — Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 — Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events

The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully shaping experiences of safety and influencing the capacity for connection. Polyvagal Theory, through the organizing principles of hierarchy, neuroception, and co-regulation, has revolutionized our understanding of how this system works. We now know that trauma interrupts the development of autonomic regulation and shapes the system away from connection into patterns of protection. For many clients, states of fight, flight, and collapse are frequent, intense, and prolonged while the state of safety and connection is elusive. Their autonomic nervous systems now respond in characteristic post-traumatic patterns of hyperarousal, hypervigilance, disconnection, and numbing. A Polyvagal approach uses an updated map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs so clinicians can reliably lead their clients out of adaptive survival responses into the autonomically regulated state of safety that is necessary for successful treatment. Polyvagal Theory gives clinicians a guide to help clients safely tune into their autonomic states, reshape their nervous systems, and rewrite the trauma stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways. --- Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician and consultant specializing in working with complex trauma. She is a consultant to the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium in the Kinsey Institute, Clinical Advisor to Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory informs work with trauma survivors. Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices, co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and creator of the Polyvagal Flip Chart. For more information, please see: https://rhythmofregulation.com -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Deb Dana’s website: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ - Deb Dana’s books: https://amzn.to/3lkgTUO

Dr Fisher is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. Having trained directly with the likes of Bessel van der Kolk and Pat Ogden, she is now widely recognised as an international expert on the treatment of trauma. Janina is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation and the author of three books including, Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors, Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma, and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based interventions into trauma treatment, and she is also the creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) therapy. In this conversation, we discuss: — Dr Fisher's experiences training with Bessel van der Kolk in the 1990s — The left and right brain "split", and how trauma gets stored in the body as implicit memories — The limitations of the "Uni-Consciousness" Model and why a parts paradigm is more effective for healing trauma — Why secure attachment is the number one variable in mental health and how to cultivate "earned secure attachment" internally And more. You can learn more about Dr Fisher's work at www.janinafisher.com. --- Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor, Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation and the author of three books, Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation (2017), Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists (2021), and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based interventions into trauma treatment, and she is also the creator of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) therapy. Interview Links: — Healing the Fragmented Selves - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3ANKAGp — Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3Blo1ux — The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022): https://amzn.to/3cQbAx3 3 Books Dr Fisher Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — Introduction to IFS - Dr Richard Schwartz: https://amzn.to/3qaOt3y — Healing the Fragmented Selves - Dr Janina Fisher: https://amzn.to/3ANKAGp — Getting Through The Day - Nancy Napier: https://amzn.to/3KJoiKu

There’s an old AA saying: Hurt people hurt people. This presentation looks at the difficult men who present themselves for therapy either on their own or brought in by their partners. We will look at common themes of trauma in many men’s lives and how best to handle men’s wounds therapeutically; how trauma often translates into overt and covert depression which in turn fuels many typically male issues of self-medication and either sexual or aggressive acting out. Special attention will be paid to grandiosity in men and how to treat it. Practical techniques will be introduced to help men come up from the one down of shame, feelings of inferiority and also help men come down from the one up of grandiosity, feelings of contempt for others, or entitlement and being above the rules. The wound to girls is the loss of voice and disempowerment at the edge of adolescence. The wound to boys is not so much disempowerment but disconnection. The healing potential is reconnecting boys and men to their hearts, to their vulnerabilities, and to others. Connection heals trauma. --- Terrence Real is an internationally recognized family therapist, speaker, and author. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents along with a professional training program for clinicians to learn his Relational Life Therapy methodology. He is the bestselling author of I Don't Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, and The New Rules of Marriage. --- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Terry’s website: https://terryreal.com - Terry’s books: https://amzn.to/3EE3jb1

This compilation explores some of the fascinating mysteries of the science of consciousness with four of the leading thinkers in the field: Dr Bernardo Kastrup, Dr Iain McGilchrist, Prof. Donald Hoffman, and Dr Rupert Sheldrake.

Rupert is one of the world’s leading teachers on the nondual understanding of consciousness and its application to improving our everyday quality of life. He gives talks internationally and has written several books, including: Being Myself, The Nature of Consciousness, and You Are The Happiness You Seek. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — What the nondual understanding is and how it’s at the core of almost every religious or every spiritual tradition — How understanding this simple idea can transform your felt experience of being in the world; helping you to feel more connected both internally and to everyone and everything in the world around you — The pitfalls of seeking happiness in external things and why this almost always fails — The practical implications of nonduality for the individual and society And more. You can learn more about Rupert’s work by visiting: www.rupertspira.com. --- From an early age, Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality, beginning to meditate at the age of seventeen and studying the teachings of the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition over the next twenty years. In 1997 he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, who introduced him to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon and to Jean Klein and the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. More importantly, Francis directly indicated to him the true nature of experience. Rupert lives in the UK and holds regular meetings and retreats in Europe and the US. You can learn more about his work at www.rupertspira.com. 3 Books Rupert Recommends Every Therapist Should Read: — You are the Happiness You Seek - Rupert Spira: https://amzn.to/3VmUUhf — Conscious is all - Peter Dziuban: https://amzn.to/3icDxBt — Awareness and Tranquility - William Samuel: https://amzn.to/3Vf1czE

In this talk, we will seek to demystify and remove the 'loaded' feelings that oftentimes arise for so many when we hear the term "toxic masculinity". The term has become a part of the current lexicon and can serve to castigate half of the human population as inherently 'bad' or 'negative'. Masculinity is not a negative aspect of the human condition in and of itself, but like anything else, left unchecked, almost anything can be harmful without constructive and healthy direction. In the confines of the belly of the beast that is New Folsom prison, a movement was born that gave way to what is known today as Inside Circle. A movement that began with convicted felons...many serving life plus who had grown tired of killing for the sake of killing and wanted to learn how to feel again. Today the circles that these men began over 25 years ago have come to be known as 'healing circles'. From within the pits of despair, destruction and ruined lives...and from inside of one of the most 'toxic' environments on the face of the planet; what lessons are available about how men can grow to be healthy within their masculinity? --- Eldra Jackson III, is the Co-Executive Director-Inside Circle, a writer and sought after public speaker on the topics of at-risk youth advocacy, effective criminal justice rehabilitation, and turning around ‘toxic’ masculinity, Eldra brings clarity of purpose, mission focus, and inspiration to his role at Inside Circle. He was an inmate at New Folsom Prison when he found Inside Circle and began the inner personal journey that eventually led to his release in 2014 and his current leadership role. A living example of successful rehabilitation and re-entry, Eldra has dedicated his free time on the outside to serving at-risk youth and acting as a facilitator, trainer, and mentor. --- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Eldra’s profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eldra-jackson-iii-inside-circle - Eldra’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eldra_Jackson_ - Eldra’s TED talk: https://bit.ly/3VrXrI1

Richard is a psychotherapist, author, speaker, and the managing editor of The Science of Psychotherapy magazine. He is currently completing his PhD on client-responsive therapy and has spent the past few years investigating the exciting role that curiosity can play in the therapeutic process. Richard is the author of three books including: The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy, The Practitioner's Guide to Mirroring Hands, and "How the Real World is Driving us Crazy". In my work, I get to meet some fascinating characters but I have to say that Richard may be one of the most interesting, and in this interview, I think you'll see why. We cover: — The psychological and biological benefits of curiosity — How Richard's experiences as an actor influenced his therapeutic work and why he recommends that all therapists take one year of acting lessons — Why the best therapy is the one that you never repeat — The importance of learning multiple different types of therapy — The relationship between the actuality field, the probability field, and the possibility field and their relevance for therapy And more. You can learn more about Richard's work by going to www.richardhill.com.au. --- Richard Hill is a practicing psychotherapist who also writes and teaches to the profession. He works from the Davis Health Centre in Sydney, Australia with his wife, Susan Davis. Teaching takes Richard around the world where he is best known for his expertise in the neuroscience of psychotherapy and how this helps us better understand the struggles we face with mental health and well being. People have come to see Richard for many reasons, from emotional issues like anxiety and depression to managing psychobiological struggles in association with psychiatric treatment, to help heal relationships and assist with the daily difficulties of life. He has learned from the best and is proud to be mentored by the eminent therapist Ernest Rossi, PhD, who was himself mentored by one of the absolute greats, Milton H Erickson. Richard's latest book, written with Ernest Rossi about his innovative technique, Mirroring Hands, is a landmark achievement. Richard has also authored How the 'real world' Is Driving Us Crazy! and Choose Hope. ​ There is much more to Richard's story on his website at www.richardhill.com.au. --- Interview Links: — The Science of Psychotherapy website: https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.com — The Science of Psychotherapy community: https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.net — The Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Psychotherapy - Richard Hill & Matthew Dahlitz: https://amzn.to/42m6uwT — Richard’s website: http://www.richardhill.com.au

Brad is a best-selling author who researches, writes, and coaches on performance and wellbeing. His books include Peak Performance, The Passion Paradox, and The Practice of Groundedness, which this interview focuses on. Some of the key topics covered in this conversation include: — Brad's experiences with OCD and how they eventually led to writing the Practice of Groundedness — The importance of prioritising the process over outcomes — The curious paradox of Carl Rogers, and why, counterintuitively, the best foundation for getting better is when you are coming from a place of feeling "good enough" — The Dark Horse Path to Happiness And more. You can learn more about Brad's work by going to www.bradstulberg.com. --- Brad Stulberg researches, writes, and coaches on health, well-being, and sustainable excellence. He is the bestselling author of the new book The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds -- Not Crushes -- Your Soul. He regularly contributes essays to The New York Times and his work has been featured in other large publications including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine, Forbes, and more. In his coaching practice, he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes on their mental skills and overall well-being. He is also a fellow at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health. His past books include Peak Performance and The Passion Paradox. Follow him on Twitter @Bstulberg and learn more at www.bradstulberg.com. --- Interview Links: — Brad’s Books: https://amzn.to/41ZYVfx — Brad’s Podcast: https://thegrowtheq.com/gepodcast — Brad’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BStulberg

I'll propose an idealist ontology more parsimonious and empirically rigorous than mainstream physicalism, bottom-up panpsychism, and cosmopsychism. The ontology also offers more explanatory power than these three alternatives, in that it does not fall prey to the hard problem of consciousness, the combination problem, or the decomposition problem, respectively. It can be summarized as follows: there is only universal consciousness. We, as well as all other living organisms, are but dissociated alters of universal consciousness, surrounded by its mental activity. The inanimate world we see around us is the extrinsic appearance of this activity. The living organisms we share the world with are the extrinsic appearances of other dissociated alters. --- Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the 'Casimir Effect' of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured on Scientific American, the Institute of Art and Ideas, the Blog of the American Philosophical Association and Big Think, among others. Bernardo's most recent book is Science Ideated: The fall of matter and the contours of the next mainstream scientific worldview. For more information, freely downloadable papers, videos, etc., please visit www.bernardokastrup.com. Links - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Kastrup’s website: www.bernardokastrup.com - Dr Kastrup’s books: https://amzn.to/3fQ4yKv

Lauren is a Learning Consultant, Educator, and the Founder of The Learning Pirate. She works with organisations to create bespoke, scientifically designed learning programmes using the latest cognitive and behavioural science. She has received qualifications in Neuroscience from Harvard and John Hopkins University. In this fun and wide-ranging conversation, we explore: — What’s happening in the brain during the learning process — How to leverage the principles of metacognition to become intentional about your learning process — How to use science-based learning strategies such as interleaving and spaced repetition to accelerate your learning and increase your retention. And more. Lauren has recently launched a new interactive learning series called Joining Forces with Your Brain. This pairs the latest research on optimising your brain for peak performance, with science-based learning strategies that enhance your ability to learn. You can learn more about this at www.learningpirate.com --- Lauren has one true calling, to increase our abilities to learn and be more optimal humans by getting to know, experience, and join forces with our brains. As a credentialed science translator (Neuroscience, Medical Neuroscience) Lauren is one of the first learning designers in the world to merge the operational function of the brain with cognitive theories, spearheading the evolution of optimizing learning design. As both a designer and keynote speaker, she has taken people through transformative journeys of curiosity, spanning the globe (Japan, Australia, Canada, USA, Europe, UK), applying her talents to some of the most prominent industries (finance, hospitality, IT, retail, insurance, Edtech) and organizations (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Tata Consultancy Services, Allstate Insurance, Tokyo Disney Land, Social Bakers, KPMG,). Whether you’re ending one journey or starting another, Lauren has one motto you’re sure not to forget. YARR!! You Are Really Ready!

Mark is an author, the host of The Unconventionalists Podcast, and a TEDx speaker with over a million views. His most recent book: Glow in the Dark, provides a masterclass in the art of storytelling, and how you can leverage it to improve almost any area of your life. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — Why stories play such a central role in human life — The psychological benefits of getting clear on your own story and sharing it with others — Mark’s simple framework for telling captivating stories. And more. You can learn more about Mark’s work at www.markleruste.com and get a copy of the book at: www.glowinthedarkbook.com. --- As the Founder and Host of The Unconventionalists, Mark Leruste is on a mission to help entrepreneurs and business leaders have an impact on the world with their message. Mark first burst onto the scene in 2012 after going viral with his creative video CV pitch “A Dream Job Would Be Nice”, which landed him his dream job as Country Manager at the globally-renowned organisation Movember Foundation, where he helped raise €2.8 million for men’s health and inspired 110,000 fundraisers to sign up, winning multiple awards along the way. Since then, his videos have been viewed over 2.5 million times on social media and his podcast The Unconventionalists was recently named "Best Interview Podcast" at the Podcasting for Business Awards 2021. He is the author of “It’s Not You, It’s Me”, a modus operandi for unfulfilled professionals looking to do more meaningful work, and his popular TEDx talk “What They Don’t Tell You About Entrepreneurship” has more than 1.2 million views. To connect with Mark visit: www.markleruste.com --- Interview Links: — Glow in the Dark Book: https://www.glowinthedarkbook.com/ — Mark’s website: https://markleruste.com

Mick is a Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton, a Chartered Psychologist, and an internationally recognised author, trainer and consultant in the fields of humanistic, existential and pluralistic therapies. This is Mick’s seventh engagement with The Weekend University, and today’s conversation focuses on his latest book: “Psychology at the Heart of Social Change”. We cover a wide range of topics, including: — How psychology and evidence-based psychotherapy can inform public policy to create a more equitable, compassionate, and fairer society — Whether life is primary in determining consciousness, or the other way around — The surprising parallels between healthy psychological functioning at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. And more. You can learn more about Mick’s work at: www.mick-cooper.co.uk and get a copy of the book by going to: bit.ly/mc-book23. --- Professor Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer, and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential, and pluralistic therapies. He is a Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton. Mick has facilitated workshops and lectures around the world, including New Zealand, Lithuania, and Florida. His books include Existential Therapies, Working at Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and The Handbook of Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy. His latest work is Psychology at the Heart of Social Change. Mick’s main areas of research have been in shared decision- making/personalising therapy, and counselling for young people in schools. In 2014, Mick received the Carmi Harari Mid-Career Award from the American Psychological Association. He is also a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Academy of Social Sciences. You can follow him on Twitter: @mickcooper77. --- Interview Links: — Mick’s website: https://mick-cooper.squarespace.com/ — https://bit.ly/mc-book23

Fiona is an author, facilitator, and coach, whose clients include: The School of Life, Guardian Masterclasses, and The Wall Street Journal. This interview focuses on Fiona’s most recent book: “Find Your Own Path”, which provides a 12 step process to creating a more meaningful and engaging life. In this conversation, you’ll learn: — How changing our relationship with mortality can help us live more authentically — Fiona’s counterintuitive philosophy on purpose, why it doesn’t have to be grandiose, and instead can be actualised on a daily basis — How to live in alignment with your values and how this can help you flourish. And more. You can learn more about Fiona’s work and get your copy of the book at: www.fionabucklandcoaching.com. --- Fiona is a life and leadership coach, facilitator and speaker, who helps people develop powerful, effective leadership of themselves, their teams, communities, projects, businesses, organizations, and campaigns. In addition to her own private and corporate, individual and group coaching and facilitation practice, she also leads public workshops, Guardian Masterclasses and leadership development programmes. She is on the faculty of The School of Life, where she was previously Head of Learning, and has been featured in the media including the Guardian, the Independent and the BBC. She is also a guest lecturer in Coaching at Birkbeck University of London. --- Interview Links: — Fiona’s website: https://www.fionabucklandcoaching.com — Fiona’s book: https://amzn.to/3Yc2Z9D

Alan is the CEO of Complete, a leadership development consultancy that specialises in developing exceptional leaders, the author of 8 books, and a 5 time TEDx speaker, whose talks have more than 7 million views. In this lively and wide ranging discussion, we explore: → Why Alan transitioned out of his career as a medical doctor into executive coaching → Why the reduction of human suffering can provide a meaningful trajectory to build your working life around → The 4 characteristics to look for in mentors → The work of Joseph Campbell, and how having a meta frame around the change process can help you navigate the major transitions in life → The benefits of existing in a perpetual state of “beginner’s mind” And more. You can learn more about Alan’s work by going to: www.complete-coherence.com --- Dr Alan Watkins is the CEO and Founder of Complete, a consultancy specialising in developing exceptional leadership through individual and team development. Alan is unusual in that he advises completely different businesses in totally different market sectors, in different geographies, and works with many different types of businesses from innovative start-ups to FTSE 100 giants. He is the author of several successful books including Innovation Sucks! co-authored with Simon May, and HR (R)Evolution: Change the Workplace, Change the World, co-authored with Nick Dalton. Interview Links: — Step Change: The Leader’s Journey: https://amzn.to/3zCLVjN — Coherence: The Science of Exceptional Leadership and Performance: https://amzn.to/3zK6MBH — The Complete App: https://bit.ly/3Wp6slL --- For the past 10 months, we've been working on our biggest project yet: The Holistic Psychotherapy Summit. This is a free online event which aims to provide mental health professionals with the most essential ideas for practising effective psychotherapy in the coming decade, and, as the name suggests, it will cover mind, brain, body, and spiritual approaches to healing. It features exclusive interviews with 30 of the world's leading clinical psychologists, professors, and psychotherapists giving you insights into their best practices and the frameworks they use with clients. You'll be learning directly from the likes of Stephen Porges, Dan Siegel, Janina Fisher, Paul Gilbert, Pat Ogden, Steven Hayes, Lisa Feldman Barrett, Richard Schwartz, Mick Cooper, and 29 others. The best bit is - it's completely FREE to attend live, and you can register today by going to: bit.ly/pod-summit Hope to see you there!

Have you ever looked around and wondered, 'Why has everyone found love except me?' you're not the only one. Great relationships don't just appear in our lives - they're the culmination of a series of decisions, including who to date, how to end it with the wrong person, and when to commit to the right one. But our brains often get in the way. We make poor decisions, which thwart us on our quest to find lasting love. Drawing from years of research, behavioural scientist turned dating coach Logan Ury reveals the hidden forces that cause those mistakes. But awareness on its own doesn't lead to results. You have to actually change your behaviour. In this live interview session, Logan will show you how. Incorporating insights from behavioural science, original research, and real-life stories, you'll learn: — What's holding you back in dating (and how to break the pattern) — What really matters in a long-term partner (and what really doesn't) — ⁠How to overcome the perils of online dating (and make the apps work for you) — ⁠How to meet more people in real life (while doing activities you love) — How to make dates fun again (so they stop feeling like job interviews) — ⁠Why 'the spark' is a myth (but you'll find love anyway) And more… Logan’s data-driven, step-by-step approach has the potential to help you find, build and keep a relationship, in which both partners thrive. --- Logan Ury is a behavioural scientist turned dating coach, and the author of How To Not Die Alone. As the Director of Relationship Science at the dating app Hinge, she leads a research team dedicated to helping people find love. After studying psychology at Harvard, she ran Google’s behavioural science team—the Irrational Lab. Logan’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME, The Washington Post, GQ, Glamour, Vice, on HBO, BBC, and she was a featured speaker at SXSW in 2021. You can learn more of her works at: https://www.loganury.com Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Logan’s website: https://www.loganury.com - Logan’s book: https://www.loganury.com/book

In this provocative talk, Johann Hari discusses the “chemical imbalance” theory of depression, why it’s so damaging to our mental health—both individually and collectively, and offers an alternative view backed by the latest scientific research.

If I have a visual experience that I describe as a red tomato a meter away, then I am inclined to believe that there is, in fact, a red tomato a meter away, even if I close my eyes. I believe that my perceptions are, in the normal case, veridical—that they accurately depict aspects of the real world. But is my belief supported by our best science? In particular: Does evolution by natural selection favor veridical perceptions? Many scientists and philosophers claim that it does. But this claim, though plausible, has not been properly tested. In this talk, I present a new theorem: Veridical perceptions are never more fit than non-veridical perceptions which are simply tuned to the relevant fitness functions. This entails that perception is not a window on reality; it is more like a desktop interface on your laptop. I discuss this interface theory of perception and its implications for one of the most puzzling unsolved problems in science: the relationship between brain activity and conscious experiences. --- Prof. Donald Hoffman, PhD received his PhD from MIT, and joined the faculty of the University of California, Irvine in 1983, where he is a Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Sciences. He is an author of over 100 scientific papers and three books, including Visual Intelligence, and The Case Against Reality. He received a Distinguished Scientific Award from the American Psychological Association for early career research, the Rustum Roy Award of the Chopra Foundation, and the Troland Research Award of the US National Academy of Sciences. His writing has appeared in Edge, New Scientist, LA Review of Books, and Scientific American and his work has been featured in Wired, Quanta, The Atlantic, and Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. You can watch his TED Talk titled “Do we see reality as it is?” and you can follow him on Twitter @donalddhoffman. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Prof Hoffman’s profile: http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff - Prof Hoffman’s book: https://amzn.to/3njNX1G - Prof. Hoffman’s content/interviews- https://bit.ly/3bvyNUn

Many psychologists and philosophers believe that people are hedonists, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. But what about our appetites for spicy foods, hot baths, horror movies, sad songs, BDSM, and hate reading? How can we explain our choices to suffer—in pursuits such as art, ritual, sex, and sports, and in longer-term projects such as training for a marathon or signing up to go to war? Drawing on research from developmental psychology, social psychology, anthropology, and behavioral economics, I suggest that we are driven by non-hedonistic goals; we revel in difficult practice, we aspire towards moral goodness, and we seek out meaningful lives. --- Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, and Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. Paul Bloom studies how children and adults make sense of the world, with a special focus on pleasure, morality, religion, fiction, and art. He has won numerous awards for his research and teaching. He is past-president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and co-editor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. He has written for scientific journals such as Nature and Science, and for popular outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic Monthly. He is the author of six books, including his most recent, The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning --- Links: - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Paul’s website: https://paulbloom.net - Paul’s books: https://paulbloom.net/#books

As our civilization careens toward a precipice of climate breakdown, ecological destruction, and gaping inequality, people are losing their existential moorings. Our dominant worldview tells us we’re split between mind and body, separate from each other, and at odds with the natural world. This worldview has passed its expiration date: it’s based on a series of flawed assumptions that have been superseded by modern scientific findings. In this talk, author Jeremy Lent will discuss themes from his new book, The Web of Meaning, revealing how another worldview is possible—based on our deep interconnectedness with all of life. Showing how modern scientific knowledge echoes the ancient wisdom of earlier cultures, the presentation weaves together findings from modern systems thinking, evolutionary biology, and cognitive neuroscience with insights from Buddhism, Taoism, and Indigenous wisdom. --- Jeremy Lent, described by Guardian journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age.” He is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. His award-winning book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning, examines the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. His new book, The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe, offers a solid foundation for an integrative worldview that could lead humanity to a sustainable, and flourishing future. He is the founder of the nonprofit Liology Institute and writes topical articles exploring the deeper patterns of political and cultural developments at Patterns of Meaning. Author website: https://www.jeremylent.com --- Links: - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Jeremy’s website: https://www.jeremylent.com - Jeremy’s blogs: https://patternsofmeaning.com - Jeremy’s books: https://amzn.to/3tJF3gK

As the theme of this month’s conference is Psychology & Nonduality (https://bit.ly/nd-conference), I’ve been trying to wrap my head around the nondual understanding and its implications for everyday life. So, I’ve spent around 30+ hours researching the subject, and summarised the best of what I was able to find in this podcast. If you’re relatively new to the area and looking to develop a better understanding, this can be a good starting point. Links: TWU's psychology and nonduality conference: https://bit.ly/nd-conference Written version of this episode: https://bit.ly/nondual-essay

According to our standard view of things, consciousness exists only in the brains of highly evolved organisms, and hence consciousness exists only in a tiny part of the universe and only in very recent history (cosmically speaking). According to panpsychism, in contrast, consciousness pervades the universe and is a fundamental feature of it. The view sounds a bit strange, but a growing number of philosophers and neuroscientists are starting to think it might be our best hope for integrating consciousness into our scientific story of the universe. Dr Philip Goff explains why consciousness poses such a challenge for contemporary science and why panpsychism might be the answer. --- Dr Philip Goff, PhD is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Durham University. Goff’s main research focus is consciousness, but he is interested in many questions about the nature of reality. Goff is most known for defending panpsychism, the view that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the physical world. Goff has authored an academic book with Oxford University Press – Consciousness and Fundamental Reality – and a book aimed at a general audience – Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness. He is currently working on a book exploring the middle ground between God and atheism. Goff has published 45 academic articles as well as writing extensively for newspapers and magazines, including Scientific American, The Guardian, Aeon, and the Times Literary Supplement. The interview with Goff by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gareth Cook was one of the most viewed articles in Scientific American of 2020. You can check more of his work at www.philipgoffphilosophy.com and follow him on Twitter @Philip_Goff. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Goff’s website and Twitter: https://www.philipgoffphilosophy.com - Dr Goff’s books: https://www.philipgoffphilosophy.com/books.html

This episode is part of our Meeting of the Minds series in which we bring together leading thinkers from different backgrounds to discuss topics of mutual interest. The topic is “religion without belief” in which we explore to what extent it is possible to benefit from religious practices, without fully adopting the associated belief systems. The speakers are Rupert Sheldrake, Paul Kingsnorth, and Philip Goff, and some of the key points discussed include: — How they arrived at their current understanding and the spiritual experiences that have had the biggest impact on them — What our culture’s increasing drive towards secularisation might be costing us - both individually and collectively. — Whether it is possible to pick and choose ‘parts’ of a religion without adopting it fully And more. You can learn more about their work by going to www.sheldrake.org, www.paulkingsnorth.net, and www.philipgoffphilosophy.com. --- Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of more than 85 scientific papers, who was named among the top 100 Global Thought Leaders for 2013. He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University, then philosophy and the history of science at Harvard, before returning to Cambridge, where he took a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He is the author of 13 books, including “The Science Delusion”, “Science and Spiritual Practices”, and “Ways to Go Beyond”. Paul Kingsnorth is a former journalist and deputy editor of The Ecologist magazine who has won several awards for his poetry and essays. He is also the author of ten books: both fiction and nonfiction. In 2009, he co-founded the Dark Mountain Project, an international network of writers, artists, and thinkers in search of new stories for troubled times. Dr Philip Goff is a Professor of Philosophy at Durham University, whose main research focus is consciousness, but he is interested in many questions about the nature of reality. Goff is most known for defending panpsychism, the view that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous feature of the physical world. He has authored an academic book with Oxford University Press – Consciousness and Fundamental Reality – and a book aimed at a general audience – Galileo’s Error. He is currently working on a book exploring the middle ground between God and atheism. --- Interview Links: — Galileo’s Error - Philip Goff: https://amzn.to/3EFCByV — Why religion without belief can still make perfect sense - Philip Goff: https://psyche.co/ideas/why-religion-without-belief-can-still-make-perfect-sense — Philip’s website: https://www.philipgoffphilosophy.com/ — Paul’s website: https://www.paulkingsnorth.net/ — The Cross and the Machine - Paul Kingsnorth: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2021/06/the-cross-and-the-machine — The Abbey of Misrule (Paul’s newsletter): https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/ — Science and Spiritual Practices - Rupert Sheldrake: https://amzn.to/3CBBNsj — Ways to Go Beyond and Why They Work - Rupert Sheldrake: https://amzn.to/3TaqG0n — Rupert’s website: www.sheldrake.org — Rupert’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RupertSheldrakePhD

“Use your head.” That’s what we tell ourselves when facing a tricky problem or a difficult project. But a growing body of research indicates that we’ve got it exactly backward. What we need to do, says acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul, is think outside the brain. A host of “extra-neural” resources—the feelings and movements of our bodies, the physical spaces in which we learn and work, and the minds of those around us—can help us focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and create more imaginatively. In this talk, Paul will explore the research behind this exciting new vision of human ability, exploring the findings of neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and psychologists. You’ll learn about the secret history of how artists, scientists, and authors have employed mental extensions to solve problems, make discoveries, and create new works. Additionally, the lecture will explain how you can incorporate outside-the-brain thinking into your everyday life. This presentation offers a dramatic new view of how our minds work, full of practical advice on how to think better. --- Annie Murphy Paul is an acclaimed science writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, and The Best American Science Writing, among many other publications. Her latest book is The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain. Published in June of 2021, it was selected as an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Nonfiction, one of “50 Notable Works of Nonfiction” by the Washington Post, and one of “100 Notable Books of 2021” by The New York Times. She is the author of Origins, also named by the New York Times as a “Notable Book,” and The Cult of Personality, hailed by Malcolm Gladwell in the New Yorker as a “fascinating new book.” Her TED Talk has been viewed more than 2.7 million times. Paul is a recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship, the Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship, and the Bernard L. Schwartz Fellowship at New America. A graduate of Yale University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she is currently a Learning Sciences Exchange Fellow at New America. --- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Annie’s website: https://anniemurphypaul.com - Annie’s book: https://amzn.to/3EVuevr

Research tells us that our autonomic nervous system scans our body four times per second asking “am I safe?, am I safe? am I safe? am I safe?” If the answer is ‘yes’, we stay neurobiologically in our prefrontal cortex, the most mature part of our brain, our wise adult self, the part of us that is here and now that can observe, reason and decide. However, if the answer is ‘no, I don’t feel safe’, more primitive parts of our neurology get activated. The wise adult self shuts down and the more primitive reactive automatic parts of our nervous system take over. We find ourselves, despite our best intentions, repeating the same dysfunctional moves in relationships that we first learned in our childhood. The sense of the whole of US, disappears and we move into a you and me, win or lose adversarial contest. The spiritual teacher, Krishnamurti, once said “True liberation is freedom from our own automatic responses.” This workshop teaches the skill of ‘relational mindfulness’, the cultivation of our wise adult selves even in heated moments. Trauma pulls us into immature behaviors in our relationships and learning mature relational skills has the power to heal our deepest injuries. --- Terrence Real is an internationally recognized family therapist, speaker, and author. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents along with a professional training program for clinicians to learn his Relational Life Therapy methodology. He is the bestselling author of “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”, “How Can I Get Through to You?”, and “The New Rules of Marriage”. You can check more of his work at https://terryreal.com Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Terry’s website: https://terryreal.com - Terry’s books: https://terryreal.com/product-category/books - Terry’s audio books & courses: https://terryreal.com/product-category/audio-books-courses - Terry’s new book “US” PRE-ORDER at: https://terryreal.com/us-book

In a previous two-hour lecture for TWU, I argued for the nature of consciousness as a foundational element in the cosmos, not derivative from anything else. In this talk, I will not attempt to repeat that argument, but start from where I left off. In a new book, The Matter with Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions and the Unmaking of the World (Perspectiva Press, November 2021), I ask how we come to know anything at all, and move on to consider what we can say about the irreducible ‘building blocks’ of reality: time, space, matter, consciousness, values, purpose and the sense of the sacred. I take value and purpose to be implied by the very nature of consciousness itself; constitutive of reality, not ‘invented’ (though obviously particular values and particular purposes may be); that although science is popularly thought to contradict such a view it does not, rightly understood, do so at all; and that reason and evidence strongly supports such a conclusion. I hold that our failure to understand this lies at the heart of our global predicament. --- Dr. McGilchrist has published original research and contributed chapters to books on a wide range of subjects, as well as original articles in papers and journals, including the British Journal of Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, The Wall Street Journal, The Sunday Telegraph and The Sunday Times. He has taken part in many radio and TV programmes, documentaries, and numerous podcasts, and interviews on YouTube, among them dialogues with Jordan Peterson, David Fuller of Rebel Wisdom, and philosopher Tim Freke. His books include Against Criticism, The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, The Divided Brain and the Search for Meaning, and Ways of Attending. He published his latest book: The Matter With Things, a book of epistemology and metaphysics. You can keep up to date with his work at https://channelmcgilchrist.com Dr Iain McGilchrist is a Psychiatrist and Writer, who lives on the Isle of Skye, off the coast of North West Scotland. He is committed to the idea that the mind and brain can be understood only by seeing them in the broadest possible context, that of the whole of our physical and spiritual existence, and of the wider human culture in which they arise – the culture which helps to mould, and in turn is moulded by, our minds and brains. He was formerly a Consultant Psychiatrist of the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley NHS Trust in London, where he was Clinical Director of their southern sector Acute Mental Health Services. -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr McGilchrist’s website: https://channelmcgilchrist.com - Dr McGilchrist’s books: https://amzn.to/3eU89TF

Mark has a pretty interesting story to tell. Earlier in life, he was an international drug smuggler, an addict of 17 years, homeless, and has spent time locked up in a Spanish prison. Now, he is a leading addiction psychotherapist at Harley Street Clinic in London, a bestselling author of two books, a family-man, and a sought after speaker and teacher on working with addiction. His work has attracted praise from the likes of Russell Brand and Ross Kemp, and he has been featured on BBC, the Daily Record and numerous other news outlets. In this interview, we explore: — Mark’s background and his journey to recovery — Common myths surrounding addiction — The root causes of addiction — Mark’s 5-step framework for working with addiction in psychotherapy And more. Mark will be presenting on Schema Therapy & Addiction at our forthcoming Day on Addiction Online Conference on September 25th, 2022. The other speakers will be Dr Anna Lembke, who will give a talk on Dopamine and Addiction, and Professor Marc Lewis will present on Internal Family Systems and Addiction. --- Mark Dempster is a Harley Street Addiction Specialist, author, and former addict. In his younger years, he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, which eventually led to him smuggling, dealing, prison and homelessness. After turning things around in his thirties, he is on a mission to help others recover from addictions and flourish in their lives. He is the author of two books on addiction: Nothing to Declare and The Ongoing Path. You can learn more about Mark’s work at www.markdempstercounselling.com, and follow him on Twitter @mdcounselling. --- Interview Links: — Reinventing Your Life - Dr Jeffrey Young: https://amzn.to/3cfen2F — Mark’s books: http://markdempstercounselling.com/book

The comparative study of identical and fraternal twins is a powerful method for identifying the relative contributions of genes and environments to individual differences in behavioral, physical, and health-related characteristics. Studies of reared-apart twins provide even more compelling ways to approach this same class of questions, given that the co-twins were raised in different homes, communities and/or countries, so were unable to influence one another. This talk first reviews the different types of twins and the logic behind twin designs before presenting findings from past, recent and current studies of twins who grew up separately. Here, the focus will be on the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart and the Fullerton Study of Chinese Twins; however, research using reared together twins, virtual twins (same-age-unrelated individuals reared together who replicated twinship but without a genetic link) and unrelated look-alikes will also be described with reference to family relations, tacit coordination, personality similarity, and bereavement. The vast body of evidence indicates that genetic influence is pervasive, affecting virtually every measured human trait, but environmental factors also play a role. The occasional abuse of twin studies must be recalled to prevent their future occurrence. --- Prof. Nancy L. Segal, PhD is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Twins Studies Center at California State University, Fullerton. She has authored over 250 articles and six books on twins; her seventh book, Deliberately Divided: Inside the Controversial Study of Twins and Triplets Adopted Apart was released in November 2021. Dr. Segal’s 2012 book, Born Together-Reared Apart: The Landmark Minnesota Twin Study, won the 2013 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association. She was a speaker at a TedX event in Manhattan Beach, California (2017), and delivered invited addresses at the Human Behavior and Evolution Society in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2018) and the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences, in Florence, Italy (2019). She was also an invited participant in a debate on parenting organized by Intelligence Squared in New York City (2019). Dr. Segal’s work has been featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has appeared on national and international television and radio programs, including The Today Show, 20/20, Long Lost Lives, AirTalk (NPR) and Hidden Brain (NPR). Dr Segal can be contacted via email at: [email protected], and you can learn more about her work on: drnancysegaltwins.org -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Prof. Segal’s website: http://drnancysegaltwins.org - Prof. Segal’s books: https://amzn.to/3EMVOfb

So many of us believe that we are free to shape our own destiny. But what if free will doesn’t exist? What if our lives are largely predetermined, hardwired in our brains – and our choices over what we eat, whom we fall in love with, even what we believe are not real choices at all? Neuroscience is challenging everything we think we know about ourselves, revealing how we make decisions and form our own reality, unaware of the role of our unconscious minds. Did you know, for example, that: — Anxieties and phobias can be carried across generations in a family? — Your genes and pleasure and reward receptors in your brain will shape how much you eat? — We can sniff out ideal partners with genes that give our offspring the best chance of survival? In this talk, leading neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow will draw vividly from everyday life and other experts in their field to show the extraordinary potential as well as dangers which come with being able to predict our likely futures – and looking at how we can alter what’s in store for us. Lucid, illuminating, awe-inspiring, this talk will revolutionise your understanding of who you are – and empower you to help shape a better future both for yourself and the wider world. --- Dr Hannah Critchlow, PhD is an internationally acclaimed neuroscientist based at the University of Cambridge, who specialises in demystifying the human brain on Radio, TV and at Festivals. Dr Critchlow helped present BBC’s Tomorrow’s World Live and BBC2 -The Family Brain Games, published ‘Consciousness: A Ladybird Expert Guide’ with Penguin and The Science of Fate with Hodder in May 2019, which made The Sunday Times Bestseller list. In 2019, Hannah was named by Nature as one of Cambridge University’s ‘Rising Stars in Life Sciences’ in recognition for achievements in science engagement. She was also elected member of the prestigious European Dana Alliance of the Brain and joined the judging panel for the prestigious Wellcome Trust Science book Prize for 2018. Dr Critchlow’s work in science communication was named as a Top 100 UK scientist by the Science Council in 2014 and one of Cambridge University’s most ‘inspirational and successful women in science’ in 2013. While completing her PhD, Hannah was awarded a Cambridge University Fellowship and as an undergraduate received three University Prizes as Best Biologist. -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Critchlow’s profile: https://bit.ly/drcritchlow - Dr Critchlow’s book: https://amzn.to/3GBXwkd

Dr Music will examine how early experiences, secure attachments, and safe environments can lead to more altruistic, prosocial, and empathic ways of acting while stress, trauma, and neglect can lead to more aggression, callousness, and antisocial behaviour. He will examine what current research and clinical understandings can teach us about living a Good Life. Why might we, and the children or adults, act selfishly and antisocially? Are we born selfish or cooperative and what might sway us in either direction? How do both stress-inducing family contexts and competitive social and economic environments undermine our capacity to feel safe, experience well-being, or care much for ourselves or others? How does a consumerist, materialist ethos, as well as the challenges posed by the cyber-age and increasingly speeded up lives have an impact? This talk will draw on lessons from developmental science, neurobiology, psychoanalysis, and mindfulness to examine the links between feeling good and being good, and generally ponder the Good Life. --- Dr Graham Music, PhD is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist at the Tavistock Centre and an adult Psychotherapist in private practice. Formerly Associate Clinical Director of the Tavistock Clinic’s Child and Family Department, he works at the Portman as a forensic psychotherapist, and his clinical experience has for decades been mainly with trauma. He has developed and managed a range of services working with the aftermath of child maltreatment and neglect. He supervises and teaches nationally and internationally, and has a particular interest in linking cutting-edge developmental findings with therapeutic practice. His publications include Nurturing Children: From Trauma to Hope (2019), Nurturing Natures: (2016, 2010), Affect and Emotion (2001), The Good Life: (2014) and the forthcoming Resparking (2022), as well as co-editing From Trauma to Harming Others (2021), and shortly his new book Resparking will come out shortly.

Former social media executives tell us that the system is an addiction-machine. We are users, waiting for our next hit as we like, comment and share. We write to the machine as individuals, but it responds by aggregating our fantasies, desires and frailties into data, and returning them to us as a commodity experience. This talk will provide an unflinching view into the calamities of digital life: the circus of online trolling, flourishing alt-right subcultures, pervasive corporate surveillance, and the virtual data mines of Facebook and Google where we spend considerable portions of our free time. You’ll learn about the political and psychological effects of our changing relationship with social media, what’s really behind our addiction, and how to set yourself free. --- Richard Seymour is a writer and broadcaster and the author of numerous books about politics, including The Liberal Defence of Murder (Verso, 2008), Against Austerity (2014), Corbyn: The Strange Rebirth of Radical Politics (Verso, 2016) and The Twittering Machine (The Indigo Press, 2019). He completed his PhD in sociology at the London School of Economics under the supervision of Paul Gilroy. In 2005, Seymour’s blog: ‘Lenin’s Tomb’ was named as the 21st most popular blog in the UK, and his writing has appeared in the Guardian, the Jacobin, the London Review of Books, the New York Times and Prospect. --- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Richard Seymour’s book: https://amzn.to/2S0XpHL

For 15 years, the transpersonal psychologist Steve Taylor has been researching cases of ‘transformation through turmoil,’ or spontaneous spiritual awakening caused by suffering. In times of bereavement, serious illness, addiction, deep depression and intense stress, a miraculous transformation can occur: the death of an old identity and the birth of a new, spiritually awakened self. In this session based on his upcoming book Extraordinary Awakenings, Steve shares some cases from his research, and explains the reasons why intense suffering can lead to transformation. Then he explains what we can learn from the phenomenon, with principles that we can apply to our own spiritual development. He also explains the global and evolutionary aspects of the phenomenon, in relation to the crises we face as a species. Steve will also lead meditations and exercises to show how we can harness the transformational power of crises and turmoil in our lives. -- Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of Extraordinary Awakenings and many other bestselling books including The Leap and Spiritual Science. He is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and the chair of the Transpersonal Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society. Steve’s articles and essays have been published in over 100 academic journals, magazines, and newspapers and he blogs for Scientific American and Psychology Today. Eckhart Tolle has described his work as ‘an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.’ Steve lives in Manchester, England, with his wife and three young children. Visit him online at www.stevenmtaylor.com -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Dr Taylor’s website: https://www.stevenmtaylor.com/ - Dr Taylor’s books: https://amzn.to/3gblkke

Within us, the dim cavern of the unconscious holds our forbidden feelings, secret wishes, destructive impulses, and creative urges. Over time, these “dark” forces take on a life of their own, forming the Shadow. A recurring theme in literature and legend, the Shadow is like an invisible twin, a stranger that is us, yet not us. When it acts out, we hurt ourselves or others. As we bring it into awareness with shadow-work, it loses its grip on us and we experience deeper self-knowledge, greater authenticity, and greater choice over our thoughts and behaviors. We also discover that the contents of the Shadow are not all bad; even our undeveloped gifts, talents, and dreams lie dormant there–the gold in the dark side. This talk will explore the formation of shadow in childhood, the common ways we encounter the shadow in life, and how to “romance” it, or make a conscious relationship with it. The Shadow is not a problem to be solved; it’s a mystery to be faced. -- Dr. Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a retired therapist, co-author of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow, author of Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality, and a novel entitled ‘A Moth to the Flame: The Life of Sufi Poet Rumi’. Her new book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends shadow-work into late life and teaches aging as a spiritual practice. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for 50 years. She is a wife and grandmother and was initiated as an Elder by Sage-ing International in 2017. After investing in all these roles, she is practicing the shift from role to soul. -- Links: - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Connie Zweig, PhD website: https://conniezweig.com - Dr. Zweig’s books: https://amzn.to/3Djvx6X

In this talk, Rupert Spira will explore the perennial, non-dual understanding that lies at the heart of all the great religious and spiritual traditions: reality is a single, infinite and indivisible whole whose nature is consciousness or spirit. Central to this understanding is the recognition of the nature of consciousness, which has been described in the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism as ‘the greatest secret, more hidden than the most concealed of things, and yet more evident than the most obvious of things’. Rupert will suggest that the overlooking of the nature of consciousness is the root cause of suffering within individuals, conflicts between communities and nations, and the degradation of our environment and that its recognition must, therefore, be the basis of a new paradigm that restores well-being to individuals and peace to our communities. --- Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality and the source of lasting peace and happiness since his early age. After spending twenty years immersed in the teachings of classical Advaita Vedanta, he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, who introduced him to the Direct Path approach whereby one may recognise the source of peace and happiness in oneself. Rupert has written several books and holds regular meetings and retreats online, as well as in Europe and the United States. He is also a noted potter, trained in the British Studio Pottery school, with work in public and private collections. You can learn more about his work at www.rupertspira.com. -- Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Rupert’s website: https://rupertspira.com - Rupert’s publications: https://rupertspira.com/store

How Victor Frankl’s experiences in Nazi concentration camps informed the development of logotherapy and existential analysis (EA), why the search for meaning is our deepest motivation, and how EA brings philosophy, psychotherapy, and spirituality together through a scientific methodology to help individuals unlock a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. -- Alfried LÄNGLE, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. h.c.mult., professor and honorary professor, was born in 1951 in Austria where he still lives. He studied medicine and psychology at the Universities of Innsbruck, Rome, Toulouse, and Vienna. After years of hospital work in general medicine and psychiatry and in an outpatient department of social psychiatry, in 1982 he started a private practice in psychotherapy, general medicine, and clinical psychology in Vienna. At the same time, he came into close collaboration with Viktor Frankl (1983-1991). He assisted Frankl’s lectures at the university for years and worked together with him in many relevant fields of Logotherapy. He is the founder and president (1983-2017) of the International Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis in Vienna (www.existenzanalyse.org), whose honorary president was Viktor Frankl until 1990. By this date, Frankl resigned from his honorary presidency because of Längle’s new developments in the field of existential analysis (methods, implication of existential self-experience in the training and seminars, rejecting the exclusive use of the meaning paradigm in psychotherapy and enlarging its theoretical basis, implementation of biographical work). Dr. Längle is a Professor at the University of Vienna (Sigmund Freud University), Klagenfurt and Moscow (HSE). He has over 400 publications, 2 honorary doctorships and 6 honorary professorships, as well as a gold medal from the Republic of Austria for scientifically high contributions. -- Links: - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events - Dr Alfried Längle, PhD website: https://www.laengle.info - Dr Alfried Längle, PhD books: https://amzn.to/3wGafix

Annahita believes that the dramatic rise in mental illness and how we treat those who are mentally ill exposes a dysfunction inherent within our society. She believes there’s a place for psychiatric medication, but emphasises that we need to move away from a standardised and restrictive approach to mental illness that is over reliant on sedation and dampening feelings and desires. Based on this premise, Annahita argues that contemporary mental health treatments need reviewing and revising. Annahita asks attendees to consider a world where people battling with terminal illness, trauma, stress or depression have access to a range of evidence-based self-transcendent treatments (inclusive of nature, music, and mindfulness-based therapies, and positive technologies and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy). In this talk, Annahita draws on applied research in psychology to make a case for VR-assisted self-transcendent treatments. She summarises some of the extant evidence in this area, explains what the Virtual Reality Overview Effect is, the rationale, theoretical framework behind it, summarises the mission, and milestones reached. -- Dr Annahita Nezami, CPsychol, DPsych, MSc, BSc, is a counselling psychologist providing psychological consultation, assessment and therapy to organisations, individuals, and couples. Her areas of interest include space psychology, higher states of consciousness, wellbeing, performance, neuropsychology, and trauma. Annahita lectures nationally and internationally, and has presented her ideas about the Overview Effect and mental health on BBC Radio 4, Central St Martin’s, UCL, and TEDx. She researched the therapeutic value of the Overview Effect as part of her doctoral studies. After completing her studies, she founded VR Overview Effect (VROE); the first tech-based multi-sensory company that designs and researches treatments based on the self-transcendent experience of the Overview Effect. You can learn more about Annahita’s work at www.vr-overview-effect.co.uk or follow VROE on Instagram @vr_overvieweffect or on twitter @DrAnnahita. Frank White has authored numerous books on topics ranging from space exploration to climate change to artificial intelligence. His best-known work, “The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution”, is considered by many to be a seminal work in the field of space exploration. A film called “Overview,” based largely on his work has had nearly 8 million plays on Vimeo. Since his book was published in 1987, “The Overview Effect” has become a standard term for describing the spaceflight experience. The fourth edition of The Overview Effect, including original interviews with 31 astronauts, is scheduled for publication in 2019. You can learn more about Frank’s work at: https://frankwhiteauthor.com/ -- Links: - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Dr Nezami’s website: https://www.vr-overview-effect.co.uk/ - Frank’s website: https://frankwhiteauthor.com/ - Frank’s books: https://amzn.to/3kg0a7b

This talk will describe how we can evolve more nurturing societies. The human and biological sciences have converged in recent years in showing that individuals and human groups are most likely to thrive in nurturing conditions. Nurturing environments minimize toxic biological and social conditions, richly reinforce diverse forms of prosocial behaviour, limit influences and opportunities for antisocial or unhealthful behaviour, and promote psychological flexibility, which involves mindfully acting in the service of one’s values. Considerable research has shown how we can create these conditions. The talk will review what we know about the development of antisocial behaviour and antisocial groups. It will then describe family, school, and community programs and policies that foster prosocial development. Finally, it will describe the growing movement to promote prosociality around the world. -- Anthony Biglan Ph.D. is a Senior Scientist at Oregon Research Institute and President of Values to Action. His book, The Nurture Effect: How the science of human behaviour can improve our lives and our world, describes how behavioural science research has brought us to the point where it is possible to evolve a society in which virtually every person is living a productive life in caring relationships with others. His new book, Rebooting Capitalism: How we can forge a society that works for everyone, explains how we evolved a form of capitalism over the last 50 years that has impoverished millions of Americans, undermined the regulation of harmful business practices, and corrupted most of the major sectors of society. The book provides a roadmap for how we can evolve a more nurturing form of capitalism. -- Links: Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events Dr Anthony’s website: https://tonybiglan.com Dr Anthony’s books: https://amzn.to/2Or2WZQ

The concept of society as an organism stretches back to antiquity and was a mainstay of 19th and early 20th century social science. Likewise, 19th century evolutionary thinkers such as Spencer and Lamarck envisioned evolution as in part a conscious process and even Darwin shared these views to a degree. Both of these concepts–society as an organism and conscious evolution– became marginalized and even taboo within evolutionary biology during the middle of the 20th century. Group selection seemed to be authoritatively rejected and all adaptations were explained as for the good of individuals and their selfish genes. And evolution was said to have no purpose whatsoever: Variation is random and only the immediate environment does the selecting. Today, these seemingly authoritative positions themselves appear outdated. The individualistic focus can be seen as part of a broader intellectual trend of individualism, which also pervaded economics and the social sciences during the same period. And the denial of any conscious component to evolution was overly influenced by mendelian genetics, as opposed to other evolutionary processes such as human cultural evolution. In my talk, I will show that the concepts of society as an organism and conscious evolution can be fully validated by modern evolutionary science, providing a practical framework for consciously evolving a planetary superorganism. -- David Sloan Wilson is one of the world’s foremost evolutionary thinkers and a gifted communicator about evolution to the general public. He is SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. In addition to his teaching and research, David is President of Prosocial World – an organisation which aims to catalyze positive cultural change to consciously evolve who we are, how we connect with each other, and how we interact with the planet. David is passionate about making evolution more accessible to a wider audience, and was invited to speak with the Dalai Lama about his work in 2019. He is the author of several books on evolutionary theory, including: “Atlas Hugged” (his first novel), “This View of Life”, “Evolution for Everyone”, “Darwin’s Cathedral”, “Does Altruism Exist?”, and the co-author of “Prosocial”, along with Paul Atkins and Steven Hayes. You can learn more about David’s work at https://www.thisviewoflife.com and https://www.prosocial.world -- - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks5 - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Professor Wilson’s website: https://thisviewoflife.com/ - Professor Wilson’s books: https://amzn.to/3B7ErEi

The ‘hard problem’ of consciousness is very topical in neuroscience today. It asks why our brains, which function unconsciously for the most part, require consciousness at all. It also asks how the subjective stuff of experience can be inserted into our mechanistic account of brain functioning. There seems to be no place or need for subjective experience in the physical universe. In this talk, Mark Solms will outline the novel approach to this problem that he has taken in his recent work as reported in his new book, the Hidden Spring: a journey to the source of consciousness. The argument begins with the claim that it is a mistake to take human cognition as our model example of consciousness. Why tackle the problem from its most complex end? If we begin with the simplest forms of animal consciousness, he argues, the ‘hard problem’ becomes less hard. -- Professor Mark Solms is best known for his discovery of the forebrain mechanisms of dreaming, and for his pioneering integration of psychoanalytic theories and methods with those of modern neuroscience. He holds the Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (Departments of Psychology and Neurology). His other positions have included: Honorary Lecturer in Neurosurgery at St. Bartholomew’s & Royal London School of Medicine, Director of the International Neuro-Psychoanalysis Centre, London, and Director of the Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuro-Psychoanalysis at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Professor Solms’ books include: Clinical Studies in Neuro-Psychoanalysis (winner of the NAAP’s Gradiva Award Best Book, Science Category in 2001), The Brain and The Inner World (2002), and most recently: Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness (2021) --- - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Professor Solms’s books:https://amzn.to/3ekCTx2