179 episodes

The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public.

To do this, we organise 'lecture days', on the last Sunday of each month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, university professors and authors.

This podcast features in-depth interviews with our speakers, so you can learn more about their work.

For more information, please see: http://theweekenduniversity.com

The Weekend University Making the best psychology lecturers available to the general public.

    • Society & Culture
    • 5.0 • 21 Ratings

The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public.

To do this, we organise 'lecture days', on the last Sunday of each month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, university professors and authors.

This podcast features in-depth interviews with our speakers, so you can learn more about their work.

For more information, please see: http://theweekenduniversity.com

    Materialism & Nonduality: Worldview in Addiction & Recovery - Rupert Spira and Bernardo Kastrup

    Materialism & Nonduality: Worldview in Addiction & Recovery - Rupert Spira and Bernardo Kastrup

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com.

    Rupert Spira is a non-dual teacher, philosopher, author, and proponent of the Direct Path, based in Oxford, UK. Bernardo Kastrup is an author, philosopher, and the executive director of Essentia Foundation, whose work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has PhDs in philosophy and computer engineering, and previously worked at CERN.

    In this conversation, we explore:

    — An introduction to non-duality and the empirical evidence in support of it

    — The link between the materialist worldview and widespread addiction in our society

    — The possibility of an addiction arising because of a disconnection from nature

    — Rupert and Bernardo’s definition of a life well lived.

    And more.

    Learn more about Bernardo’s work by going to: https://www.essentiafoundation.org and Rupert’s at https://rupertspira.com.

    ---

    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 https://www.bernardokastrup.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 https://rupertspira.com.

    ---

    3 Books Rupert Recommends Every Therapist Should Read:

    — The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle - https://amzn.to/44wkyEY

    — You Are the Happiness You Seek - Rupert Spira - https://amzn.to/44x8KT4

    — Be Who You Are - Ramana Maharshi - https://amzn.to/46GzEJS

    • 1 hr 15 min
    Reintegrating Your Traumatised Parts - Dr Janina Fisher, PhD

    Reintegrating Your Traumatised Parts - Dr Janina Fisher, PhD

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com.

    Dr Janina 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

    • 54 min
    How Beliefs Create Your Reality - Dr Jer Clifton, PhD

    How Beliefs Create Your Reality - Dr Jer Clifton, PhD

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com

    Dr Jer Clifton from the University of Pennsylvania is one of the world’s leading researchers into how our beliefs and worldview shape almost everything about our lives, including our wellbeing, our relationships, our sense of meaning and purpose, and our basic sense of safety in the world.
    Some of the key things we discuss in this conversation include:

    — Jer’s incredible story of saving a stranger from certain death in the subway and how this impacted his later trajectory in life

    — The pervasiveness of the “belief in a just world” in our society, its good points, but also the hidden downsides

    — The four “primal” worldviews we all hold and how understanding them can improve both our own quality of life and our relationships with others.

    And more.

    You can learn more about Jer’s work and take a short survey to find out what your own primal worldviews are by going to: https://myprimals.com.

    ---

    Jeremy D. W. Clifton–everyone calls him “Jer”–received a PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania studying with Dr. Martin Seligman (advisor), Dr. Angela Duckworth (committee chair), and Dr. Rob DeRubeis. His primary research area concerns primal world beliefs, with a secondary focus on measurement. Publications include the foundational 2019 Psychological Assessment article introducing primal world beliefs that was featured in the Washington Post and a 2019 Psychological Methods article on tradeoffs between validity and reliability. He is currently Senior Research Scientist at the Penn Positive Psychology Center, Director of the Penn Primals Project, and teaches research methods in the Penn Masters of Applied Positive Psychology program.

    ---

    Interview Links:

    — Dr Clifton’s profile - https://myprimals.com/jer/

    — Dr Clifton’s X - @jerclifton

    • 1 hr 8 min
    Donald Hoffman & Anil Seth - New Frontiers in the Science of Consciousness

    Donald Hoffman & Anil Seth - New Frontiers in the Science of Consciousness

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com

    Prof. Donald Hoffman is Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, and the author of over 100 scientific papers and three books, including Visual Intelligence, and The Case Against Reality.

    Prof. Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, where he is also Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science. His new book: Being You has won several awards and was a Sunday Times Bestseller.

    This conversation explores parallels in their theories of consciousness but also the areas where their thinking diverges.

    The topics covered include:

    — How the reality we experience every day is an illusion

    — Whether or not artificial intelligence will ever become conscious

    — Mathematical proof that the space-time paradigm is doomed and the early research investigating what might be underneath.

    — The practical implications of Donald’s and Anil’s theories - both for society and for every day life.

    And more.

    You can learn more about Anil’s work at https://anilseth.com/ and follow Donald on X at @donalddhoffman.

    Anil’s book: https://bit.ly/3Sw0Ogp

    Donald’s book: https://bit.ly/3SCwTTA

    ---

    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.

    Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, and the Co-Director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science. He is a Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow, and a Senior Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Professor Seth is Editor-in-Chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness, sits on the steering group and advisory board of the Human Mind Project, and was President of the British Science Association Psychology Section in 2017.

    He is the author of 'Being You" (https://amzn.to/3E4PI8K), the co-author of the ‘30 Second Brain’, and contributes regularly to a variety of media including New Scientist, The Guardian, and the BBC. His 2017 TED talk has been viewed more than 9 million times. Professor Seth’s research bridges neuroscience, mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer science, psychology, philosophy and psychiatry. He has also worked extensively with playwrights, dancers and other artists to shape a truly humanistic view of consciousness and self.

    You can keep up to date with his work at http://www.anilseth.com.

    ---

    Interview Links:

    — Prof Hoffman’s profile: http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff

    — Prof Hoffman’s book: https://bit.ly/3SCwTTA

    — Prof Seth’s website: http://www.anilseth.com/

    — Prof Seth’s book: https://bit.ly/3Sw0Ogp

    • 1 hr 10 min
    Becoming a Multidimensional Thinker - Ken Wilber

    Becoming a Multidimensional Thinker - Ken Wilber

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com

    Described as “The Einstein of Consciousness”, Ken Wilber is a fascinating character, who began a zen meditation practice at the age of 11. An intellectual prodigy as a child, Wilber briefly attended Duke University, before dropping out to immerse himself in a rigorous and multidisciplinary self-education. With an IQ of 175, he is the most published philosopher alive, and his 25 books have been translated into 30 languages.

    His work attempts to integrate all fields of human knowledge into one “theory of everything”, which he calls Integral Theory. This draws connections between fields as far ranging as: systems theory, evolutionary biology, anthropology, quantum mechanics, Jungian psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and eastern mysticism. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

    One of the core frameworks in Wilber’s Integral Theory is The 4 Quadrants, which this interview focuses on. If you’re interested in a “deeper dive” after listening to this, you can learn more about Ken’s work by going to https://integrallife.com.

    ---

    Ken Wilber, a visionary thinker of inspired genius, is the developer of an integral “theory of everything” that embraces the truths of all the world’s great spiritual, scientific, and philosophical traditions. He is the most widely translated academic writer in America, with 25 books translated into some 30 foreign languages. Ken Wilber currently lives in Denver, Colorado, and is still active as a philosopher, author, and teacher, with all of his major publications still in print. Often referred to as the"Einstein of consciousness studies", Ken Wilber is a preeminent scholar of the Integral stage of human development.

    He is also the founder of the Integral Institute, which is the first organization fully dedicated to advancement and application of the Integral Approach in relation to contemporary global issues. It was formed in collaboration with over 200 scholars and experts, specializing in education, politics, business, medicine, psychology, spirituality, as well as, law and criminal justice. In 2007 Wilber co-founded Integral Life, a social media-hub dedicated to sharing the integral vision with the world wide community, as well as documenting and catalyzing the progress of the integral movement.

    ---

    Interview Links:

    — Ken’s website: https://integrallife.com/who-is-ken-wilber

    — Ken’s books: https://amzn.to/3uJYx9a

    • 1 hr 15 min
    Consciousness, Psychedelics, & Psychological Flexibility - Dr Steven Hayes & Dr Matthew Johnson

    Consciousness, Psychedelics, & Psychological Flexibility - Dr Steven Hayes & Dr Matthew Johnson

    To access our conference library of 200+ fascinating psychology talks and interviews (with certification), please visit: https://twumembers.com

    Professor Steven Hayes and Professor Matthew Johnson.

    Although they work in widely different fields, with Matt being a leading researcher in psychedelics at John Hopkins, and Steve being the co-developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, both have reached similar conclusions about the psychological processes underneath mental health and wellbeing - so I thought it might be interesting to bring them together for this conversation.

    You’ll learn:

    — How a behaviourist perspective has been advantageous for Matt and Steve in their research

    — How and why psychedelics may promote “psychological flexibility”

    — Steve and Matt’s thoughts on the origins of spirituality

    — Their views on consciousness and the “hard problem”.

    And more.

    You can follow Matt on X @Drug_Researcher and learn more about Steven’s work by going to https://stevenchayes.com. You can also check out the PsychFlex App by visiting: https://psychflex.com/signup.

    ---

    Steven C. Hayes, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. The author of forty-three books and more than six hundred scientific articles, he has served as president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science and is one of the most cited psychologists in the world. Dr. Hayes initiated the development of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and of Relational Frame Theory (RFT), the approach to cognition on which ACT is based. Most recently, he has been focused on developing Process Based Therapy along with Prof Stefan Hofmann.

    Dr. Matthew W. Johnson, PhD, is a distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. He is internationally renowned for his prolific research on the human effects of psychedelics and his groundbreaking work in the behavioral economics of drug use, addiction, and risk behavior. In 2008, Dr. Johnson published psychedelic safety guidelines, contributing to the resurgence of psychedelic research. He led groundbreaking studies on the psychedelic treatment of tobacco addiction and cancer distress, as well as investigating psilocybin for opioid dependence and PTSD. Dr. Johnson’s research extends beyond psychedelics, with influential studies on various psychoactive substances. As President of the International Society for Research on Psychedelics and a respected NIH-funded Principal Investigator, he continues to be a leading figure in the field.

    Learn more at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/matthew-johnson.

    ---

    Interview Links:

    — Dr Hayes' website - https://stevenchayes.com/

    — Dr Hayes' books - https://amzn.to/3MQlJbV

    — Dr Johnson's Profile - http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/matthew-johnson

    — Dr Johnson's Twitter - https://twitter.com/drug_researcher?lang=en

    • 1 hr 18 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
21 Ratings

21 Ratings

cammaram ,

Award worthy

I love this podcast. It refreshed my love for learning about the ideas, concepts and theories behind the clinical work I do. It also has inspired me to flesh out my clinical approach and just read more. The topics are meaningful and practical and each episode has useful links.
Can’t say how much I appreciate this podcast.

JennFitzThompa ,

Very Valuable Info

I enjoy the range of expert guests and the format of The Weekend University podcast. It is cerebral but digestible, informative but not overwhelming. I often share specific episodes with friends anf highly recommend it overall.

Peter the Poet ,

Jeremy Lent

Extraordinary

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