The Weekend University

Dr Brown is a licensed psychologist with more than 40 years of clinical experience, a researcher, and lecturer in the field of addiction.

She is an internationally recognised expert on treatment of alcoholics, adult children of alcoholics and all addicts and their families.

Dr Brown is the author of eleven academic and popular books on addiction and recovery, including her 2014 book: Speed, which this interview focuses on.

In this conversation, we explore:

— The invisible and insidious addiction to speed that has slowly been taking hold in Western Culture, and how this is causing widespread mental health problems

— Dr Brown’s definition of addiction as: “A deep self destructive conflict of interest” and a “war within the self”

— Why our inability to face and embrace our limitations may be the central issue in addiction and how this is causing us to lose control

— Strategies for overcoming speed addiction in therapeutic work.

And more.

You can learn more about Dr Brown’s work at: https://stephaniebrownphd.com.

---

Stephanie Brown, PhD, is a distinguished figure in the addiction field, renowned as a clinician, educator, author, and researcher. In 1977, she pioneered the Alcohol Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center, where she held the helm for eight years. Dr. Brown's groundbreaking work led to the development of the dynamic model for alcoholism recovery, a paradigm she skillfully applied to the long-term treatment of entire alcoholic families. She played a pivotal role in the California State Alcoholism Advisory Board and co-founded the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA). Throughout her career, she earned numerous accolades, including the Norman Zinberg Memorial Award and the Miracles Breakfast Constellation Behavioral Health Hope Tribute Award.

To delve deeper into her impactful journey through her book and website, you can go to https://www.stephaniebrownphd.com/about.

---

Books Dr Brown Recommends Every Therapist Should Read:

— The Cybernetics of "Self": A Theory of Alcoholism — Gregory Bateson - https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1971-29301-001

— Drinking: A Love Story — Caroline Knapp - https://amzn.to/3rltmPz

— Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster- And Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down — Stephanie Brown - https://amzn.to/3NEStoe

— reStart (Training Program) — Dr. Hilarie Cash - https://www.restartlife.com/why-trust-restart/

— Video Games & Your Kids: How Parents Stay in Control — Dr. Hilarie Cash - https://amzn.to/3PMI6By

— Child, Disrupted — Krista Riihimaki - https://www.childdisrupted.com/trailer

Professor Steven C Hayes is the co-developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, and most recently Process Based Therapy.

Dr Hayes is the author of several bestselling books, including Get out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, Process-Based CBT, and A Liberated Mind.

Along with his colleagues, Steve has spent decades developing and rigorously testing the psychological flexibility model — which is now one of the most empirically validated predictors of flourishing in life.

In this conversation, we explore:

— Why we need to focus on social context if our aim is to create secure attachment

— The perspective taking self and how developing this can reduce suffering and foster internal security

— Steve’s thoughts on the vital importance of viewing people as individuals, rather than averages — particularly when we are discussing mental health.

And more.

You can learn more about Steve’s work by going to stevenchayes.com and check out the new psych flex app by visiting: https://psychflex.com.

---

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.

---

Interview Links:

— A Liberated Mind: The Essential Guide to ACT - Steven Hayes - https://amzn.to/3UG9wcU

— ACT Immersion: https://stevenchayes.com/actimmersion

— ACT in Practice: https://stevenchayes.com/actinpractice

— Professor Hayes’ website: https://stevenchayes.com

Dr. Jo is a bereaved mother and the founder of the MISS Foundation, an international NGO that serves families whose children have died, and the Selah Carefarm, a sustainable restorative community that provides aid to anyone suffering traumatic grief.

She is also a Professor and Senior Scholar at Arizona State University, where she spearheads the Graduate Certificate in Trauma and Bereavement. Her best selling book, Bearing the Unbearable has helped revolutionize the way our culture thinks, and feels, about grief. She works with and counsels families from all around the world who have experienced catastrophic deaths.

In this conversation, we explore:

— How grief and love are two sides of the same coin

— The happiness cult and the harmful effects of living in a culture that avoids pain

— How best to help someone who is grieving and things to avoid

— Rituals for integrating grief in a holistic way and honouring the person who has passed.

And more.

You can learn more about Dr Jo’s work at missfoundation.org.

---

Dr. Joanne Cacciatore is a bereaved mother and the founder of the MISS Foundation, an international NGO that serves families whose children have died, and the Selah Carefarm, a sustainable restorative community that provides aid to anyone suffering traumatic grief. She is also a Professor and Senior Scholar in the Wrigley Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University, spearheading the Graduate Certificate in Trauma and Bereavement. Her best selling book, Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief, is a national award winning best seller that has helped revolutionize the way our culture thinks, and feels, about grief.

She works with and counsels families from all around the world who have experienced catastrophic deaths. She served on Oprah and Prince Harry’s Mental Health Advisory Board for several years and was featured in their docuseries ‘The Me You Can’t See.” Dr. Jo, believing that current practices around food production are a social, ethical, and environmental justice issue, is a vegan and hasn’t eaten meat since 1972. She also teaches meditation, mindfulness, and compassion and ahimsa practices to students and clients from around the world. If you’re a provider seeking supervision or consultation, For more information on Dr. Jo visit her website.

---

Interview Links:

— Dr Jo's website - https://www.centerforlossandtrauma.com/

3 Books Dr Joanne Cacciatore Recommends Every Therapist Should Read:

— Attachment in Psychotherapy - David Wallin - https://amzn.to/3Rp8stp

— Attachment-Informed Grief Therapy: The Clinician's Guide to Foundations and Applications (Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement) - Phyllis S. Kosminsky - https://amzn.to/3UPAgI8

— Bearing the Unbearable - Dr Joanne Cacciatore - https://amzn.to/3R27bbv

In this interview, I’m joined by Dr James Glattfelder.

James is a physicist, complexity scientist, and peer-reviewed philosopher.

His latest book: The Sapient Cosmos synthesises the latest developments in consciousness studies, physics, and information theory to tackle some of life’s biggest questions.

Expect to learn:

— Why consciousness might be the foundation of reality, not just a product of the brain

— The rational case for idealism

— How psychedelics may have shaped human cultures for milennia

— James’ insights on the purpose of life

And more.

You can learn more about James’ work and get a copy of the book at: https://jth.ch

---

Dr James Glattfelder is a Swiss author, researcher, and educator exploring the intersection of consciousness, information, and complex systems. With a Ph.D. in complex systems from ETH Zurich and an M.Sc. in theoretical high-energy particle physics, his career spans over two decades of quantitative research, including 12 years at Olsen Ltd. He has held senior roles in digital finance, co-founding ECUREX and contributing to fintech ventures like Lykke and Oyoba. As the author of Information—Consciousness—Reality and The Sapient Cosmos, he brings scientific rigour to philosophical inquiry. James currently serves as Faculty Lecturer at MQ Learning Academy and Lead Quantitative Researcher at Lykke. He is also an indie author and writes for Collective Ink’s Essentia imprint, continuing to examine the nature of consciousness through a scientific lens.

---

Interview Link:

— Dr Glattfelder’s book and website: https://jth.ch

Dr. David Spiegel is an author, psychiatrist and professor at Stanford University, and one of the world’s leading experts into the clinical applications of hypnosis. He has published thirteen books, over 400 scientific articles, and 170 chapters on hypnosis, stress physiology, trauma, and psychotherapy. He is also the creator of REVERI, an innovative guided self hypnosis app which has been clinically proven to reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance focus.

In this lively and wide ranging conversation, we explore:

— The exciting new science of clinical hypnosis and how it can be applied in the treatment of addiction and trauma

— The importance of focusing on valued directions in clinical work and being a kind parent to yourself

— Dr Spiegel’s experiences working with Irvin Yalom and what he learned from him

— The neural mechanisms that explain why clinical hypnosis works, including dissociation, cognitive flexibility, and absorption

— The extent to which we can view hypnosis as a form of “internal exposure therapy”.

And more.

I used Dr Spiegel’s REVERI app to help with sleep earlier this week and found myself out like a light within a few minutes, so I’d highly recommend giving it a try. You can learn more at https://www.reveri.com.

---

Dr. David Spiegel is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he has been a member of the academic faculty since 1975, and was Chair of the Stanford University Faculty Senate from 2010-2011. He has published thirteen books, over 400 scientific journal articles, and 170 chapters on hypnosis, psychosocial oncology, stress physiology, trauma, and psychotherapy.

His research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Aging, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Fetzer Institute, the Dana Foundation for Brain Sciences, and the Nathan S. Cummings Foundation. He was a member of the work groups on the stressor and trauma-related disorders for the DSM-IV and DSM-5 editions of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. He is Past President of the American College of Psychiatrists and the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, and is a Member of the National Academy of Medicine. In 2018, Dr Spiegel was invited to speak on hypnosis at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2018.

---

3 Books Dr Spiegel Recommends Every Therapist Should Read:

— Dopamine Nation — Dr Anna Lembke - https://amzn.to/3O6NdKe

— Trance and Treatment: Clinical Uses of Hypnosis 2nd Edition — Herbert Spiegel and David Spiegel - https://www.appi.org/Products/Psychotherapy/Trance-and-Treatment-Second-Edition

— How to Change Your Mind — Michael Pollan - https://amzn.to/3OysDUw

Dr. Peter Fenner’s nondual approach has been transforming psychotherapy and spiritual practice for decades. In this session, he explore why his teachings on nondual awareness have been so effective in areas such as personal growth, mental health, and spiritual realization—and how this radical understanding of consciousness has the potential to profoundly change how we experience life.

You’ll learn:

— The shift from seeking to “being” dissolves suffering and brings peace and freedom

— How to integrate nondual awareness into therapy, coaching, and everyday life

— There is nothing fundamentally lacking or broken in ourselves

— The natural state of pure awareness that is spacious, contentless, and inherently free

And more.

You can learn more about Dr Fenner's work at www.peterfenner.com

---

Dr Peter Fenner, PhD has a multifaceted practice as a writer, author, spiritual coach, and trainer in teachings of deep Buddhist philosophy. The founder of Timeless Wisdom and the pioneer of a number of programs and courses, Dr Peter Fenner based his research on Asian nondual wisdom. He hosts virtual workshops and spiritual retreats all over the world as a leader in his academic field, with a global following for his work, particularly in the US. Peter is qualified with a PhD in the philosophical psychology of the Madhyamika school of Mahayana Buddhism and has developed a range of courses about nondual awareness.

Peter’s main specialty is developing freeform pointing out instructions, using silence and unfindability inquiry to directly reveal the nature of pure awareness itself. Peter does this individually and in groups where people are supported in their own discovery of the state of nonduality or nonreferentiality. By freeform he using whatever arises in a group in the moment it occurs as the material/constructs, to be seen through, or self-dissolve, revealing the pure liberated nature of unconditioned mind itself—the ultimate medicine.

Peter’s books include Radiant Mind: Awakening Unconditioned Awareness (Sounds True, 2007), The Ontology of the Middle Way (Kluwer, 1990), Reasoning into Reality (Wisdom Publications, 1994), Essential Wisdom Teachings (with Penny Fenner, Nicolas-Hays, 2001), The Edge of Certainty: Paradoxes on the Buddhist Path (Nicolas-Hays, 2002), Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy (Editor, Omega Books, 2003).

---

Interview Links:

- Dr Fenner’s website: https://www.peterfenner.com/

- Dr Fenner’s books: https://amzn.to/3tfNqkm

Is there just one “you”? We’ve been taught to believe we have a single identity and to feel fear or shame when we can’t control the inner voices that don’t match the ideal of who we think we should be. Yet Dr. Richard Schwartz’s research now challenges this “mono-mind” theory. “All of us are born with many sub-minds―or parts,” says Dr. Schwartz. “These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us―and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”

Dr. Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model has been transforming psychology for decades. In this session, you’ll explore why IFS has been so effective in areas such as trauma recovery, addiction therapy, and depression treatment―and how this new understanding of consciousness has the potential to radically change our lives.

You’ll learn:

― How honoring and communicating with parts changes our approach to mental wellness

― How to transform your ego, inner critic, and self saboteur into powerful allies

― How IFS demonstrates human goodness by revealing that there are no bad parts

― How to discover your wise, compassionate essence of goodness that is the source of healing and harmony

You’ll also engage in practical exercises for mapping your parts, accessing the Self, and working with a challenging protector.

---

Dr. Richard Schwartz, PhD is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multipart personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. Formerly an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later at Northwestern University, he is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He has published five books and is a sought-after presenter. For more, visit ifs-institute.com.

Interview Links:

- Dr Schwartz’s website: https://ifs-institute.com/

- Dr Schwartz’s books: https://amzn.to/3V9YOtA

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, stroke survivor, and bestselling author of My Stroke of Insight and Whole Brain Living. With over 27 million views, her TED Talk is one of the most viewed of all time.

In this conversation, we explore:

— How a left hemisphere stroke radically shifted Jill’s view of identity

— What it means to live from a “whole brain” perspective and Dr. Taylor revolutionary model of the four “characters” we all have within us

— Why our sense of self is just one “character” of four and

how learning to recognize and integrate these characters can help us make better decisions, improve our relationships, and access deeper states of inner peace.

— How the “BRAIN huddle” can transform inner conflict into calm clarity.

And more.

To explore Dr. Taylor’s work, visit https://drjilltaylor.com or check out her books My Stroke of Insight and Whole Brain Living.

—

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard-trained and published neuroscientist. In 1996 she experienced a severe hemorrhage (AVM) in the left hemisphere of her brain causing her to lose the ability to walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. Her memoir, My Stroke of Insight, documenting her experience with stroke and eight-year recovery, spent 63 weeks on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and is still routinely the #1 book in the category Stroke in the Amazon marketplace.

Dr. Jill is a dynamic teacher and public speaker who loves educating all age groups, academic levels, as well as corporations and not-for-profit organizations about the beauty of our human brain. She focuses on how we can activate the power of our neuroplasticity to not only recover from neurological trauma, but how we can purposely choose to live a more flexible, resilient, and satisfying life.

In 2008 Dr. Jill gave the first TED talk that ever went viral on the Internet, which now has well over 27.5 million views. Also in 2008, Dr. Jill was chosen as one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and was the premiere guest on Oprah Winfrey’s “Soul Series” webcast. Her new book, Whole Brain Living – the Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life is a #1 release on Amazon in categories ranging from Neuroscience to Nervous System Diseases and Stroke.

---

Interview Links:

— Dr Taylor’s website: https://drjilltaylor.com

— Dr Taylor’s book: https://amzn.to/43EiPA1

Dr. Tony Nader is a medical doctor, neuroscientist, and the global leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement. He holds an MD from the American University of Beirut and a PhD in neuroscience from MIT.

In this conversation, we explore Dr. Nader’s provocative claim that consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain—but the ground of all being. Drawing on neuroscience, quantum physics, and thousands of years of contemplative practice, he shares a paradigm that reframes life’s biggest questions—from free will and death to the nature of truth, karma, and the self.

Expect to learn:

— What Maslow got wrong and the practical value of transcending before striving

— Why expanding consciousness is the purpose of life

— Dr Nader’s views on the relationship between the brain and consciousness.

— What this model says about death, reincarnation, and the expansion of self

And more.

You can learn more about Dr. Nader’s work at https://drtonynader.com or by exploring his book, Consciousness is All There Is.

---

Dr. Tony Nader is a globally recognized leader in the field of consciousness and a renowned neuroscientist with a distinguished academic background. He is the president of Maharishi International University, a medical doctor trained at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D. in neuroscience) and a globally recognized expert in the science of Consciousness and human development. Dr Nader’s training includes internal medicine, psychiatry, and neurology, and he is a New York Times bestselling author. His award winning book Consciousness Is All There Is has received the highest praise much like his latest book Super Habits for Success.

Dr Nader has had recent discussions with some of the great thinkers, scientists, medical doctors and leaders in the world today. He has been featured by WIRED magazine, BBC, CNN, Gaia Network, and served as keynote for the United Nations, YPO and Stanford university’s “Hacking Consciousness”.

He’s the recipient of numerous award's for his outstanding contribution in human development, environment, education, and health.

He currently leads the global Transcendental Meditation organization, succeeding Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and is dedicated to advancing the understanding of consciousness through both scientific and spiritual lenses.

---

Interview Links:

— Maharishi International University - https://www.miu.edu

— Dr Nader's website - https://drtonynader.com

— Dr Nader's book - https://amzn.to/45kVWCO

Zack Kass is an AI strategist, futurist, and former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT. As a leading voice in the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, Zack has advised Fortune 500 companies, governments, and nonprofits on how to navigate technological change with both foresight and humanity.

In this wide-ranging discussion, Zack shares what most people get wrong about AI, the traits that will define those who thrive in the years ahead, and why designing for what machines can’t do may be the single most important business (and life) strategy of our time.

Expect to learn:

— Why personal agency and adaptability are now essential skills

— What AI can’t do—and why that’s where the opportunity is

— How to prepare for a future where work no longer defines identity

— The importance of learning how to learn (and how to actually do it)

— Why “the future belongs to those who obsess”

And more.

You can explore Zack’s writing and newsletter at https://www.zackkass.com.

---

Zack Kass is one of the world’s foremost authorities on applied AI, transforming the technology's immense power into business strategies and applications that expand human potential.

For the last 16 years, Zack has been at the forefront of AI. Most recently, he served as OpenAI's Head of Go-to-Market responsible for building out the sales, solutions, and partnerships teams. Zack played a key role in early efforts at commercializing AI and large language models, channeling OpenAI’s innovative research into tangible business solutions while also serving as a personal adviser to many executives deploying the technology across their companies.

Today, Zack’s mission is to help businesses, nonprofits, and governments navigate the rapidly evolving AI environment. His thought leadership has been featured in top publications, such as Fortune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider. Zack continues to advise Fortune 1000 board rooms, including Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Samsung. He is also an Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and Chair of Ruder Finn’s AI Advisory Council.

---

Interview Link:

— Zack’s website - https://www.zackkass.com