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READING RECOMMENDATIONS

A Day on Potential

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Martin-Adams-The-Weekend-University

Existential Approaches to Human Development

Martin Adams
Vanessa King

Positive Psychology & Human Potential

Vanessa King
Richard-Wiseman-The-Weekend-Universit

The Apollo Mindset

Professor Richard Wiseman

A full day of talks exploring the science, psychology and philosophy of human potential.

What can the moon landings teach us about making our biggest dreams a reality? What has the new science of positive psychology revealed about how human beings actualise their full potential? Can an existential approach to life help you become more of who you are?

Content

These are just some of the questions we’ll explore at The Weekend University this month. In this series of talks, we’ll discuss:
  • Existential Approaches to Human Development; how the work of Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and Sartre can help you live with greater authenticity, and increase your sense of meaning and purpose in life – Martin Adams
  • Positive Psychology and Human Potential; how you can apply practical insights from peer reviewed studies to consciously grow as a human being and get more of what you want in life – Vanessa King
  • The Apollo Mindset; the psychological forces behind one of humanity’s greatest achievements, and how you can use them to achieve your most important goals  – Professor Richard Wiseman
You’ll learn how these unique insights can help you actualise more of your potential, but also how to help others do the same. Want to give this experience as a gift to someone else? Check out our gift vouchers.

Event Schedule:

  • 10:00am – 12:00pm: Existential Approaches to Human Development – Martin Adams
  • 12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch break
  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm: Positive Psychology & Human Potential – Vanessa King
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon break
  • 3:30pm – 5:00pm: The Apollo Mindset – Professor Richard Wiseman
  • 5:20pm – 7:00pm: Attendee Social & Networking (Optional)

Lectures & Speakers

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The Apollo Mindset

20th July 1969: Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the Moon. We all recognize this to be one of mankind’s greatest achievements. Yet what did it take to make John F. Kennedy’s dream a reality?

In this talk, Professor Richard Wiseman will present a pioneering study of the mindset that took humanity to the Moon, and show you how you can harness and use it to achieve the extraordinary in your everyday life. Through personal interviews, mission archives and cutting-edge psychology, you’ll learn the eight key principles that make up the Apollo Mindset, and discover a series of practical techniques that you can use to incorporate these winning principles into both your professional and personal life.

Whether you want to start a business venture, change careers, find your perfect partner, raise a loving family, get promoted, gain a new qualification, escape the rat race, or pursue a lifelong passion, these techniques will help you to reach your own Moon.

Richard-Wiseman-The-Weekend-Universit
Professor Richard Wiseman

The Apollo Mindset

Professor Richard Wiseman is a psychologist, magician, author and Britain’s only professor for the Public Understanding of Psychology.  

With an international reputation for his research into unusual areas including deception, luck, humour and the paranormal, he is the psychologist most frequently quoted by the British media and his research has been featured on over 150 television programmes. 

Described by Scientific American Magazine as ‘one of the most innovative experimental psychologists in the world today’, Professor Wiseman has presented keynote addresses to organisations such as The Swiss Economic Forum, Google and Amazon.

He is the author of several bestselling books which have sold over 3 million copies worldwide and been translated into over 30 languages, including the ‘Luck Factor’, ‘59 seconds’, and most recently ‘Shoot for the Moon’. You can follow him on twitter @RichardWiseman

Reading Recommendations:

  • Wiseman, R. (2019) Shoot for the Moon. London: Quercus
  • Wiseman, R. (2009) 59 Seconds: Think a little, change a lot. London: Macmillan
  • Wiseman, R. (2004) The Luck Factor. London: Arrow Books.

Positive Psychology & Human Potential

Positive psychology, or the ‘science of optimal human functioning’ as it was originally termed by psychologists Dr Martin Seligman and Dr Mihalyi Cziskmihayli, emerged at the turn of this century as a focus of scientific research. Traditionally the field of psychology had predominantly studied how the mind worked and how it goes wrong i.e. the causes, cures and management of psychological dysfunction. Although this was important, it wasn’t the full picture. Relatively little research attention had been given to what enables human beings to both feel and function at their best and if and why that really matters.

In the last twenty years however, there has been an exponential increase in the publication of peer reviewed studies in this area. A growing evidence base is emerging that can help us understand how we can make the most of ourselves, live happy and fulfilling lives and enable our societies to flourish. In this talk, Vanessa King will provide an overview of some key concepts from positive psychology and some practical ways these can be applied to help you realise more of your potential, and also how to help others do the same.

Vanessa King
Vanessa King

Positive Psychology & Human Potential

Vanessa is an author, speaker and Board member of Action for Happiness, the leading UK-based not-for-profit that focuses on proactively building skills for psychological wellbeing and resilience. She leads the translation of psychological research into practical action for individuals, organisations and communities, as well as Action for Happiness’ consulting work with organisations. 

She is one of a small group people globally to have completed a Masters degree in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, studying under Martin Seligman, Adam Grant, and Mihalyi Csikzentmihalyi. 

She speaks internationally, and has given two TEDx talks as well as a Guardian Masterclass. Her work has been featured in the Sunday Telegraph, the Financial Times, the Sunday Express, and the Huffington Post. 

Vanesa is the author of two books on positive psychology: The 10 Keys to Happier Living, and 50 Ways to Feel Happy. You can follow her on twitter @changespace

Reading Recommendations:

  • King, V. (2016) Ten Keys to Happier Living. London: Headline

Existential Approaches to Human Development

What is life for, existentially? We are born and then we die and our life task is to make something of the time in between with no way of knowing how long we have got.

In living towards an unknown future we are challenged daily with the paradox that while life will always be a mystery, it is this that makes life worth living.

So, what do we mean when we say that human beings develop, and what are the limits to human potential?

In the first part of this talk, Martin will look at what six existential philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Simone de Beauvoir have said about how we become who we are.

In the second part, he will draw out some common themes and relate these to everyday life and by implication, to therapeutic practice.

Martin-Adams-The-Weekend-University
Martin Adams

Existential Approaches to Human Development

Martin Adams is an existential psychotherapist, lecturer, supervisor and writer. 

He is a visiting lecturer at Regents University and the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in London.

Martin is the author of several books, including: ‘A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling’, ‘Skills in Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy’ which he co-authored with Emmy van Deurzen, and most recently: An Existential Approach to Human Development’, which was published by Palgrave in 2018.

He has contributed to Case Studies in Existential Therapy and to the Wiley World Handbook for Existential Therapy. In his spare time, he is also a sculptor.

Reading Recommendations:

  • Adams, M. (2018) An Existential Approach To Human Development: Philosophical And Therapeutic Perspectives. London: Palgrave
  • Stolorow, R. (2007) Trauma and Human Existence: Autobiographical, Psychoanalytic and Philosophical Reflections. New York: The Analytic Press.
  • Sartre, J-P (1961) Words. London: Penguin.
  • Crawford, M. (2010) The Case for Working with Your Hands: or Why Office Work is Bad for Us and Fixing Things Feels Good. London: Penguin.
  • de Beauvoir, S. (2015) The Ethics of Ambiguity (trans. B. Frechtman). New York: Citadel (First published 1947).

What TWU students are saying

attendee testimonals

I have attended 7 weekend University days and now I do not want to miss one because they have all been fantastic and worth dragging myself away from my lie in on a Sunday for. Each of the sessions I have attended have had excellent speakers talking about fascinating areas of Psychology. Having previously studied psychology I really enjoy delving back into the world of attending lectures and absorbing information again without the stress of exams or essays. But even if you have no psychology background I recommend coming to these events, especially if you see a topic you like you will not regret it! Niall not only organises these amazing event days but also now we have access to podcasts and he takes the time to organise a social after the event to meet fellow psychology enthusiasts as well as provide clear and easy instructions on how to get there, a certificate to say you attended the event and even lunch place suggestions which are little added extras which make the whole experience great. I am very glad to have the weekend university in my life and thank Niall and the team for making this happen.
Hannah Alice Howell
Event Attendee
The Weekend University is amazing! They recently hosted the Holistic Change Summit where such great minds were brought together to discuss a wide variety of topics relevant to change, growth and living a meaningful life. The facilitator, Niall, asked excellent questions which really gave the speaker the chance to discuss ideas that many of us wonder about. It was brilliant and I loved it.
Kiden Shae
Summit Attendee
Extremely stimulating events! It brings together great professionals who share their experience in their respective fields to pass their knowledge in a way accessible to the general public and other professionals alike. It is a great way to bring motivated people in the same place! Also, Niall is extremely thoughtful, considerate and driven person. His personal approach and professionalism in making those events happen does not go unnoticed!
Nikolay Petrov
Event Attendee
The most fantastic resource. Have been to a few of The Weekend University days - an incredible initiative bringing all that knowledge down from its Ivory Tower to an accessible and inviting platform - 10/10
Charlie Fooks
Event Attendee
Absolutely excellent day with The Weekend University last Saturday on Attachment and Psychotherapy. Superb speaker who was totally engaging, really useful practical insights, and great organisation. Thank you!
Helen Jane
Event Attendee
I attended an Existential Coaching seminar out of curiosity and ended up being supermotivated and serious to get more into this subject! The event was really went organised, the venue was central and easy to find and the organisers and facilitator were amazing. Totally recomend!
Fiora Maya Touliatou
Seminar Attendee
My first time at the Weekend University on their day of Wellbeing a fantastic event. Excellent venue, thought provoking speakers, interesting topics, really well organised, communication, support material a 5 star rating.
Viryapushpa Nolan
Event Attendee
I attended 'A Day on Sleep and Dreams’ and it was fantastic - excellent speakers and thought provoking content. The Weekend University has been a great discovery and I will defiantly be attending more lectures. The event was really well organised by Niall - informative emails, follow ups etc. I recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to go, you won’t be disappointed!
Hannah Durhager
Event Attendee
This event is nourishment for my mind! The kind of subjects usually reserved for academics is now open to us all and the information is delivered in a way that anyone can understand. The audience was filled with interesting people, hungry to learn and engage in fascinating conversations. We had all day to connect, to learn and to share. Just like a delicious cool drink on a very hot day, my mind felt quenched! Thank you, Niall, for creating this. I will be back!
David Saville
Event Attendee

Tickets

Full Day Pass: £39.44

(includes VAT + Booking Fee)

Student/Unwaged: £20.25

(includes VAT + Booking Fee)

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Date and time

29/09/2019

09:30 – 17:00 BST

Venue

Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HX

Money back guarantee

The Weekend University guarantees an excellent learning experience. If you are not fully satisfied with the day, you will receive 100% of your money back – with no questions asked. Simply contact us on support@theweekenduniversity.com to arrange your refund.

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Date and time

29/09/2019

09:30 – 17:00 BST

Location

Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HX

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TWU Guarantee

The Weekend University seeks to guarantee an excellent learning experience.

If you are not fully satisfied with the day, you will receive 100% of your money back – with no questions asked. Simply contact us on support@theweekenduniversity.com to arrange your refund.

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