504. Kate Gustin

Kate GustinKate Gustin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her education from Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley; and has worked in a variety of settings over the past twenty-five years as a mental health practitioner: outpatient psychiatry, community mental health clinics, VA Hospital, college counseling services, and currently in private practice. Gustin integrates the science of positive psychology into her psychotherapy, teaching, and consultation, and leads classes and trainings for students, patients, and health care professionals.

Book: The No-Self Help Book: Forty Reasons to Get Over Your Self and Find Peace of Mind

Websites:

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 25, 2019

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
  • 00:03:54 – The Influence of Eastern Thought
  • 00:07:58 – Spiritual Practice and Influences
  • 00:12:05 – Choosing Where to Rest Your Attention
  • 00:15:50 – The Importance of Regular Practice
  • 00:19:32 – The Levels of Self Concept
  • 00:23:18 – The Development of Self-awareness: From Ahamkara to Brahman Consciousness
  • 00:27:03 – Connection and Accessing Inner Resources
  • 00:30:35 – The Illusion of Self
  • 00:34:09 – Shifting Perspectives: From Self to No-Self
  • 00:38:05 – The Irrelevance of Self-Esteem
  • 00:41:53 – The Shift in Culture and Paradigm
  • 00:45:42 – The Erosion of Self
  • 00:49:12 – The Illusion of Self and the Effort to Protect It
  • 00:53:04 – The Self as a Thief
  • 00:56:45 – The Longing for Self
  • 01:00:28 – The Influence of Past Experiences on the Present Moment
  • 01:04:05 – Processing Traumatic Experiences in Therapy
  • 01:07:55 – Life as an Instrument of Wisdom
  • 01:12:00 – The Fading Self-Referencing Narrative
  • 01:15:40 – Detaching from Self and Suffering
  • 01:19:31 – Letting go of attachment to opinions
  • 01:23:08 – Disidentifying from Beliefs and Building Understanding
  • 01:26:37 – Infusing Collective Consciousness
  • 01:30:21 – The Illusion of Self
  • 01:34:19 – Near-Death Experiences and the Beauty of Death
  • 01:38:20 – The Shift Towards a More Unified Reality
  • 01:42:04 – A Glimpse of Possibilities
  • 01:45:49 – The Importance of Digging Deeper
  • 01:49:37 – Cultivating Compassion and Empathy
  • 01:53:29 – Workshops and Website Updates