About this episode
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