The Weekend University

The United Kingdom arguably represents the leading front in the globalised therapeutic culture of ‘mindfulness’. Promoted predominantly as an effective therapeutic technique for the relief of stress, depression, and anxiety, mindfulness has moved rapidly from the Buddhist monasteries of Southeast Asia and into the mainstream of Western societies. In this talk, Dr Steven Stanley, will discuss the multiple ways in which ‘mindfulness’ is made manifest across sectors of health, education, work, politics and spirituality, and analyse the mainstream turn to mindfulness against the background of cutting-edge work at the borderlands of psychology, religion, and spirituality. Dr Steven Stanley is a critical psychologist and Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, Wales. His academic background is in Psychology, and his research is focused on the therapeutic cultures of late modernity, with a particular focus on social studies of mindfulness. Dr Stanley has a 20-year meditation practice, and has undertaken the two-year Committed Dharma Practitioner Programme at Gaia House, Devon, and Pāli Summer School at Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Oxford. Currently, he is collaborating internationally on a series of studies of mindfulness, meditation, and mind wandering. You can follow him on twitter @Dr_SteveStanley. Links: Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduni... Dr Stanley’s Bio and Publications: http://bit.ly/2KcGS28 The Handbook of Ethical Foundations of Mindfulness: http://bit.ly/2G7vOzr

Juliet Adams is Director of ‘A Head for Work’ and a leading expert in the science and psychology of intention. She specialises in Leadership and Workplace productivity, helping individuals and their organisations thrive in times of change and uncertainty. She is a major driving force for mindfulness in the workplace internationally, recently delivering workshops and keynotes in the UK, Netherlands, the USA and China. Juliet has been working in the field of leadership and organisational development for the last 25 years. Her unique approach is based on the latest neuroscience, leadership and intention research findings. This interview focuses on Juliet’s most recent book: ‘Intention Matters’ which covers the science underpinning intention, how it is a cognitive skill that can be learned, and how to use it to create your ideal future. You can learn more about Juliet’s work at www.aheadforwork.com Links: Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ Learn more about Juliet’s work: https://www.aheadforwork.com/ Learn more about Juliet’s book: https://www.intention-matters.com/ See a preview here: https://www.book2look.com/book/fycrRsfdNU

What is life for, existentially? We are born and then we die and our life task is to make something of the time in between with no way of knowing how long we have got. In living towards an unknown future we are challenged daily with the paradox that while life will always be a mystery, it is this that makes life worth living. So, what do we mean when we say that human beings develop, and what are the limits to human potential? In the first part of this talk, Martin will look at what six existential philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Simone de Beauvoir have said about how we become who we are. In the second part, he will draw out some common themes and relate these to everyday life and by implication, to therapeutic practice. Martin Adams is an existential psychotherapist, lecturer, supervisor and writer. He is a visiting lecturer at Regents University and the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in London. Martin is the author of several books, including: ‘A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling’, ‘Skills in Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy’ which he co-authored with Emmy van Deurzen, and most recently: An Existential Approach to Human Development’, which was published by Palgrave in 2018. He has contributed to Case Studies in Existential Therapy and to the Wiley World Handbook for Existential Therapy. In his spare time, he is also a sculptor. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Check out Martin’s books: https://amzn.to/2MdRdso

Positive psychology, or the ‘science of optimal human functioning’ as it was originally termed by psychologists Dr Martin Seligman and Dr Mihalyi Cziskmihayli, emerged at the turn of this century as a focus of scientific research. Traditionally the field of psychology had predominantly studied how the mind worked and how it goes wrong i.e. the causes, cures and management of psychological dysfunction. Although this was important, it wasn’t the full picture. Relatively little research attention had been given to what enables human beings to both feel and function at their best and if and why that really matters. In the last twenty years however, there has been an exponential increase in the publication of peer reviewed studies in this area. A growing evidence base is emerging that can help us understand how we can make the most of ourselves, live happy and fulfilling lives and enable our societies to flourish. In this talk, Vanessa King will provide an overview of some key concepts from positive psychology and some practical ways these can be applied to help you realise more of your potential, and also how to help others do the same. Vanessa is an author, speaker and Board member of Action for Happiness, the leading UK-based not-for-profit that focuses on proactively building skills for psychological wellbeing and resilience. She leads the translation of psychological research into practical action for individuals, organisations and communities, as well as Action for Happiness’ consulting work with organisations. She is one of a small group people globally to have completed a Masters degree in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, studying under Martin Seligman, Adam Grant, and Mihalyi Csikzentmihalyi. She speaks internationally, and has given two TEDx talks as well as a Guardian Masterclass. Her work has been featured in the Sunday Telegraph, the Financial Times, the Sunday Express, and the Huffington Post. Vanesa is the author of two books on positive psychology: The 10 Keys to Happier Living, and 50 Ways to Feel Happy. You can follow her on twitter @changespace Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Check out Vanessa’s books: https://amzn.to/2VhrcN0 - Action for Happiness website: https://www.actionforhappiness.org/

In this lecture, we will look at Jung’s theory of individuation, where he maps out a path of psychological personality development that, ideally, culminates in greater self-knowledge. Intricately linked to this process is a gradual unfolding of the archetypal Self, which can be understood as an ideal image that both drives and is the end goal of individuation. While this lecture seeks to provide an in-depth introduction to this central concept in Jung’s psychology, we will also ask some important critical questions: Is individuation an elitist endeavour? Can individuation be achieved without being in relationship to others? Most importantly, is individuation, as Jung conceived it, still possible in our hi-tech and digitally connected world? Dr Kevin Lu, PhD, is Director of Graduate Studies and Director of the MA Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies in the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex. He is a former member of the Executive Committee of the International Association for Jungian Studies. Dr. Lu’s publications include articles and chapters on Jung’s relationship to the discipline of history, critical assessments of the theory of cultural complexes, and Jungian perspectives on graphic novels and their adaptation to film. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Want to give a Weekend University experience as a gift to someone else? Check out our gift vouchers: http://bit.ly/twu-vouchers - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Information on the MA in Jungian & Post Jungian Studies: https://vimeo.com/67385596

Why do we laugh? Is it really all about comedy and humour? Can we ever take laughter seriously? In this talk, Professor Sophie Scott will explore the evolutionary roles of laughter and explore its use by mammals. The lecture will establish the complex ways that humans use laughter, from social bonding to jokes, address how we learn to laugh, and how our understanding of laughter changes as we age. Professor Scott will then go on to discuss individual differences in laughter and what this may mean, explore the brain basis of laughter, and look at laughter as a communicative behaviour. Finally, the talk will establish the ways that laughter can be used, jointly, to regulate stressful situations, and the kinds of relationships where this use of laughter may be possible. Professor Sophie Scott is a British neuroscientist, Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow at University College London, and a pioneering researcher in the science of laughter. She was the recipient of a Provost’s Award for Public Engagement in 2012, and her 2015 TED talk: ‘Why we Laugh’ has been viewed more than 3 million times. Professor Scott’s research investigates the cognitive neuroscience of voices, speech and laughter – particularly speech perception, speech production, vocal emotions and human communication. As deputy director of the University College London’s Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Sophie seeks out the neurological basis of communication, whether it’s speech or vocalized emotion. In her spare time, she is a stand up comedian with UCL’s bright club. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity

Strong motivation has to be part of any formula for achieving what you want in life. In this talk, Dr Raj Persaud will reveal the surprising science at the heart of motivation that can take you across the finishing line – no matter where that might be. To be compelled by a forceful drive is vital for a life worth living. It’s the key tool you need for achieving your goals. But beyond that, above all its material benefits, motivation is advantageous because at a spiritual or transcendent level, it brings real meaning to our lives. However, motivation also has a dark side that can drive us to the deepest despair in the face of disappointment. The clinically depressed and suicidal are often the casualties of failed aspiration. Dr Persaud will examine this issue in the talk, and suggest ways of avoiding the pitfalls associated with a strong sense of being impelled forward. The key is to be in charge of your motivation, rather than for it to be in control of you. So, motivation is clearly a psychological conundrum because on the one hand it can take us towards what is most meaningful to us in life, but on the other, it can plunge us into the abyss of hopelessness when we encounter setbacks. I contend in this talk that the answer to the conundrum won’t come from motivational gurus, but instead lies firmly in the scientific study of the psyche. Dr Raj Persaud is a Consultant Psychiatrist who has worked at some of the leading teaching, research and clinical institutions in psychiatry in Europe and the USA, including; the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley NHS Hospitals in London, and the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London. He is a fellow of The University College London, and has been a Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the USA and the Institute of Neurology at Queens Square. Unusually for a psychiatrist, Dr Persaud also holds a degree in psychology has been awarded over 8 degrees and diplomas including a Masters in Statistics. He has been awarded the Royal College of Psychiatrists Research Medal, The Maudsley Hospital’s Denis Hill Prize and the Osler Medal. He is the author of several bestselling books, including ‘The Mind: A User’s Guide’, ‘Staying Sane’, and ‘The Motivated Mind’.You can keep up to date with Dr Persaud’s work on his website: www.drrajpersaud.com Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Dr Persaud’s website: http://www.drrajpersaud.com/

This lecture surveys the parts of the brain-mind that are at the heart of psychotherapy. It begins with a brief survey of the basic emotion systems, including their anatomy and chemistry. Examples include the separation between ‘wanting’ and ‘liking’, a distinction which can be very helpful clinically. This literature also suggests that these emotion systems are ‘ancient’ (in evolutionary terms), that they are based on a wide range of subcortical brain regions, and that they appear to be evolutionarily conserved – certainly across mammals (and probably other vertebrate species). The literature also suggests the role of these emotion systems in recreational drug use, and in the pharmacotherapies that are at the heart of organic psychiatry. These findings therefore bring together several elements of the neuroscience of mental health, in a way which is scientifically very satisfying, and suggests genuine progress in the field. Finally, the lecture focuses on the neuropsychology of emotion regulation, showing which brain areas are responsible for skills that underpin psychotherapy. This includes key therapeutic abilities such as reappraisal and response modulation, and also the role of emotion in decision-making and delusional beliefs. Notably, these findings allow us to investigate the way that therapeutic experience and outcome are altered (or not) after brain injury, suggesting that a genuine ‘neuroscience of psychotherapy’ is within our grasp: an inter-discipline which has important clinical implications for how we design and implement treatment. Professor Turnbull is a neuropsychologist, with an interest in emotion and its many consequences for mental life. He is also a clinician, whose work is with patients with neurological lesions, especially those who have suffered cerebro-vascular accident (stroke) and traumatic brain injury. He is the author of roughly 150 publications on these topics, and (together with Mark Solms) is the co-author of the popular science book ‘The Brain and the Inner World’, which has been translated into 11 languages. For many years, he was the Editor of the interdisciplinary journal Neuropsychoanalysis, and Secretary of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Oliver’s book: https://amzn.to/2X8XEjW

We are living in an age of heightened individualism. Success is a personal responsibility. Our culture tells us that to succeed is to be slim, rich, happy, extroverted, popular – flawless. The pressure to conform to this ideal has changed who we are. We have become self-obsessed. And our expectation of perfection comes at a cost. Millions are suffering under the torture of this impossible fantasy. It was not always like this. To explain how we got here, Will Storr will take us on a journey across continents and centuries. Full of thrilling and unexpected connections between history, psychology, economics, neuroscience and more, this talk will help you make sense of who you are, where you come from, and the origins of some of our most basic assumptions about the world. Will Storr is an award-winning writer. He’s the author of five critically acclaimed books, including the novel The Hunger and The Howling of Killian Lone. His journalism has appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Yorker and The New York Times. His prizes include a National Press Club award for excellence and the AFM award for Best Investigative Journalism. His work on sexual violence against men earned the Amnesty International Award and a One World Press Award. He’s also been presented with the AIB Award for Best Investigative Documentary for his BBC radio series. He teaches popular storytelling classes in London and has been invited to present his Science of Storytelling workshop all over the world, from Bangkok to Istanbul to the European Parliament. Will is also an in-demand ghostwriter whose books have spent months at the top of The Sunday Times bestseller chart. You can follow him on twitter @wstorr. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Check out Will’s books: https://amzn.to/2NsoWR3 - Will’s website: http://willstorr.com/

Join neuroscientist and clinical psychologist Dr. Tamara Russell as she dives into this dense topic in a fun and interactive talk. Discover the phenomena of near-death experiences and how this research area continues to develop as more and more individuals share their observations following contact with “temporary” death. Learn about the neuroscientific attempts to understand these shifts in consciousness and the debates arising about what is considered “data” on this topic. Are near death experiences a paradigm-shifting challenge to the materialist position of “mind equals brain”, or just images and impressions that represent the last gasp of the dying brain as consciousness ebbs and flows? Adopting a mindful and compassionate lens of investigation, Tamara will present both positions and offer a route to accommodating diversity of thinking that evolves the standard (predominantly western) bio-medical model. This vantage point allows us to stay curious, consider more culturally diverse opinions and hold an awareness of multiple models so we can extract the best of all positions. What can emerge if we can hold such a position of “not knowing” and willingness to be “wrong” or let go of the brain-dependent view of consciousness? At the heart of the matter, the phenomenology of the lived experience is our primary source of data, so what is a skillful way to understand these (often transformative) experiences in a way that can benefit humanity? Are you ready? Let’s dive in …. Dr. Tamara Russell is a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist who works with individuals and organisations advising on how to use mindfulness techniques to optimise performance and improve mental and physical well-being. She is the Director of the Mindfulness Centre of Excellence, London, which has as its aim the evaluation of creative yet authentic mindfulness applications for all spheres of life. Combining her clinical, neuroscience and martial arts training, Dr. Russell’s approach engages both body and mind, for a total solution to manage the stressors of our modern working environment. She specialises in delivering mindfulness training in the health sector, running introductory workshops for mental health workers and other health professionals. She is also the co-founder of ‘The Death Incubator’ – an immersive and interactive learning experience which aims to improve individuals’ understanding of how to relate to end of life experiences. Links: - Get our latest psychology lectures emailed to your inbox: http://bit.ly/new-talks - Check out our next event: http://theweekenduniversity.com/events/ - Support this channel on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theweekenduniversity - Learn more about the Death Incubator: https://www.virtual-awakening.com/deepdiveworkshops - Tamara’s books: https://amzn.to/2Xdbzpd - Tamara’s website: https://www.mindfulnesscentreofexcellence.com/