Kate 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:

kategustin.net

no-selfhelp.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Interview recorded May 25, 2019

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