The Weekend University

Jules Evans is the Policy Director at the Centre for the History of Emotions at Queen Mary, University of London and a leading researcher into ecstatic experience. He runs the world’s biggest philosophy club, the London Philosophy Club, which has over 9,000 members. Jules’ first book, ‘Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations’ explored how Greek philosophy – particularly Stoicism, inspired Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It was published in 19 countries and was selected by Matthew Syed as a Times Book of the Year. His second book: ‘The Art of Losing Control’ explores the science of ecstasy and all the different ways people find ecstatic experiences in a post religious culture – how it can be good for us, but also harmful too. He has written for The Times, the Guardian and Wired and has been named as a BBC New Generation Thinker. You can keep up to date with Jules work on his website: philosophyforlife.org For resources and links from the interview, please visit: http://bit.ly/twu-stoicism About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Ivan Tyrrell worked for many years as a psychotherapist specialising in brief therapy for depression and anxiety, and now spends most of his time lecturing and writing. In 1997, he co-founded the Human Givens approach and has co-authored numerous best-selling books on mental health and wellbeing, counselling, dreaming, depression, and the origins of creativity and consciousness. In this interview, we discuss: - How and why the Human Givens approach was created - The relationship between dreams, REM sleep and mental health - How to help a close friend or family member suffering with depression - The brain’s ‘big bang’ 40,000 years ago and how this affects us today - Why attention is the key to good emotional health And a whole lot more. If you are interested in learning more about the Human Givens Approach, you can find out more information on their website (http://hgi.org.uk) and you can buy their book on Amazon (https://amzn.to/2CJAefb) About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Dr. Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of more than 85 scientific papers and 13 books. He is a leading researcher into anomalous phenomena and was named among the top 100 Global Thought Leaders for 2013, as ranked by the Duttweiler Institute, Zurich, Switzerland’s leading think tank. He studied biology and biochemistry at Cambridge University where he earned his Ph.D., followed by a fellowship at Harvard where he spent a year studying philosophy and history. Some of his books include:  ‘The Science Delusion’ (2012), 'Morphic Resonance' (2009) and ‘The Sense of Being Stared At' (2004). This interview focuses on Rupert's most recent book: 'Science and Spiritual Practices' which was published in 2017. You can learn more about his work at: www.sheldrake.org About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Dr. Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University and the author of several best-selling books on psychology and spirituality, including Making Time, The Leap and Spiritual Science. Eckhart Tolle has described his work as 'an important contribution to the shift in consciousness happening on our planet' and he has twice been named in Mind, Body, Spirit magazine’s list of the ‘100 most spiritually influential living people’. Learn more about Dr Taylor's work here. In this conversation, we discuss: - Dr Taylor’s out of body experience and how this affected the trajectory of his life - The psychology of near death experiences - Steve’s advice for uncovering your purpose - Why Dr Taylor has never worked more than 3 days per week (in his life) - Steve’s views on consciousness and spiritual experiences; the placebo effect, sham surgery - can the mind really heal the body? - Steve’s advice for aspiring writers And a whole lot more. Learn more about Dr Taylor's work on his website: www.stevenmtaylor.com About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Professor Paul Gilbert is the Founder of Compassion Focused Therapy and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby. He has researched evolutionary approaches to psychopathology for over 35 years, with a special focus on shame and the treatment of shame based difficulties. He has written and edited 20 books and established the Compassionate Mind Foundation in 2006. He was awarded an OBE in March 2011. This episode focuses on Paul’s most recent book: ‘Living Like Crazy’ (https://amzn.to/2IbIfJD ), which was published earlier this year. In the interview we discuss some of the key themes of the book, including: - The surprising effects our culture and environment can have on our mental health - How understanding the evolved nature of the human mind can make you more compassionate; both towards yourself and others - How to stop beating yourself up and develop a more compassionate self - The psychology of archetypes, the dangers of inflation and how to avoid being manipulated by charismatic leaders - Paul’s advice for aspiring psychologists Buy the book: https://amzn.to/2IbIfJD Learn more about the Compassionate Mind Foundation: https://compassionatemind.co.uk/ About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Dr Kevin Lu is the Director of the MA in Jungian and Post Jungian studies at the University of Essex and a former member of the Executive Committee for the International Association for Jungian Studies. His 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. In this conversation, we discuss: - Early influences that shaped Carl Jung - Jung’s psychology of religion and spirituality - Complexes - The psychology of archetypes and the individuation process - Kevin’s advice for those considering a career in psychology About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcasts, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks

Dr Susan Blackmore is a psychologist, lecturer and writer researching consciousness, memes, and anomalous experiences, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Plymouth. Susan is a TED lecturer, blogs for the Guardian, and often appears on radio and television. The Meme Machine (1999) has been translated into 16 other languages; more recent books include Conversations on Consciousness (2005), Zen and the Art of Consciousness (2011), Seeing Myself: The new science of out-of-body experiences (2017) and a textbook Consciousness: An Introduction. In this interview, we discuss: - Why Sue turned down a career as a doctor to become a psychologist - Her early years as a parapsychologist, research into telepathy, ESP, haunted houses and poltergeist - Susan's advice for those considering a scientific career and the importance of being able to change your mind - How Sue uses zen practices to solve difficult problems - Susan's views on free will, William James and the power of letting things happen Connect with Susan: - Website: www.susanblackmore.uk - Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DrSusanBlackmore/ - Books: https://amzn.to/2Mcm6vv About The Weekend University: The Weekend University aims to make the best psychology lectures available to the general public. To do this, we organise 'lecture days', once per month, where you get a full day of talks from leading psychologists, authors and university professors. To keep updated on upcoming events, new lectures and podcast, you can sign up for the mailing list at http://bit.ly/new-talks