PODCAST · health
The Curious Mind
by Gabriel Ellis
'The Curious Mind' is a podcast by psychologist, psychotherapist, and Buddhist scholar Dr. Gabriel Ellis. In essays and interviews we cover a wide range of psychological and social topics with depth and complexity.For more information and therapy requests see https://www.gabriel-ellis.com/
Episodes
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Krishnamurti: Freedom from the Known
J. Krishnamurti was an original thinker who combined psychology and spirituality in a way that inspired me 25 years ago, and still does to an extent. I am discussing a text from the book 'Freedom from the Known'. In it, Krishnamurti examines our desire for psychological security and control and...
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Beyond Needs | Why satisfying Needs doesn't make us happy
Needs are important signals from our unconscious, yet consistently orienting ourselves around them causes fundamental problems. Needs manifest themselves immediately and concretely; they are easily misunderstood and foster a dependency on constant feedback from one’s own inner life. Greater…
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Triggers, trauma, and red flags: The problem with pop-psychology
Trigger, Red Flags, Gaslighting, Resilience: Psychological terms are everywhere. Yet although we talk about mental health today more than ever before, sick days, exhaustion, and depression are reaching record levels. How can these two things be reconciled?When we use terms without understanding...
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The Structure and Function of Needs
Why do some people feel persistently empty despite success, relationships, or wealth? Because they don't actually know their true needs. I explain how our unconscious mind shapes our lives through hidden needs, why we can lose touch with them, and what consequences this has for our vitality…
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Self-awareness in therapy - needs and worldview
Who are you really? True self-knowledge is more than self-optimization. That's why in this episode I discuss how you can uncover what lies hidden beneath habits, conditioning, and societal expectations. What needs drive your life? What emotional patterns repeat themselves? How do you treat...
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The Practice of General Self-Knowledge (of the Soul)
What remains of the “I” when the not-self is stripped away? This episode explores practical paths to self-knowledge — from ascetic exercises, emotional control, and observation of thought to Neoplatonic and Gnostic methods aimed at uncovering the “pure spirit.” At the same time, it addresses the...
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Self-Knowledge: Challenges and Promises
I explore the concept of self-knowledge, tracing its roots from Socrates and Hegel to Buddhism. At the heart of this discussion is the question of which thoughts, feelings, and habits truly belong to our "I"—and which are merely external, learned patterns. I explain why change often only becomes...
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The Architecture of the World | How Your Mind Creates Its Truth | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
We don't see the world; we only see our models of it. Gilbert Simondon's analogy of crystallization illustrates this: our thinking touches reality only at a razor-thin interface. Everything else is a construct, often even a hallucination, fueled by experience and emotion. In this episode, you'll...
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From Inner Critic to Self-Love | Your Inner Voice | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
Do you notice how negative self-talk undermines your self-esteem? In this video, I'll show you how important your self-awareness is—and how genuine self-empathy, instead of superficial affirmations, strengthens your mental foundation. We'll talk about self-criticism, meditation, therapy, and the...
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Overcoming Anxiety | Self-Help and the Added Value of Therapy | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
When we operate in a kind of trance, like complex machines on autopilot, catastrophic fantasies and old avoidance patterns dictate our actions. In this episode, you'll learn how to create a buffer in your daily life through "pure perception" and mental hygiene, while in the "mental laboratory" of...
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Why Shamelessness Doesn't Make You Free | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
Do you carry a deep sense that you are fundamentally flawed or broken? We are often told that shame is our enemy, yet simply trying to be "shameless" without deep understanding leaves us isolated. In this episode, Gabriel Ellis bridges philosophy (Plato, Spinoza, Nietzsche) with modern psychology...
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Overcoming Anxiety in six steps | Anxiety Therapy | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
Anxiety often feels overwhelming and leads to avoidance, which increasingly restricts your life. In this video, Dr. Gabriel Ellis explains the proven therapeutic path of proving to your unconscious mind that you can withstand the feared situation. This is achieved through precise confrontation…
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Dangerous or just useless? | Therapist tests AI therapy | Gabriel Ellis, PhD
Can artificial intelligence replace a real therapist? Many people in psychological distress are turning to AI like ChatGPT. In this realistic experiment, psychotherapist Gabriel Ellis tests whether ChatGPT, with good prompts, can operate as a client-centered therapist comparable to Carl Rogers.…
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ChatGPT fails as a psychotherapist | AI put to the test | Dr. Gabriel Ellis
Can AI tools like ChatGPT serve as a substitute for psychotherapy, at least for advanced users? In this live-simulated session, the user becomes frustrated with too much information or simply receives bad advice. As a therapist, ChatGPT is a well-structured con artist who can summarize...
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Psychotherapist tests ChatGPT: Dangerous for inexperienced users!
In this episode, I introduce the problematic nature of therapy with "artificial intelligence." I show what happens when an inexperienced user tries to use AI as a psychological advisor. I explain why this type of use can quickly lead to misunderstandings and is even dangerous — and why genuine...
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Ways out of Loneliness - Considerations and Exercises
Loneliness is not a weakness, but a reflection of our times. I will illuminate the necessary insights and fundamental practices for overcoming loneliness and isolation. You'll learn how to develop realistic expectations for social encounters and which exercises you can use to bring more courage,...
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Social Recognition and its Philosophical Roots
Why are other people so fundamental to our consciousness?Even in the womb, our consciousness begins to engage with the "Other"—through the body, through sensations and perceptions. Later, young children project mental qualities onto inanimate objects and enter into quasi-social relationships with...
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Metasocial World, Herd Mentality, and Loneliness
This episode explores how modern digital life contributes to social isolation. Social media fosters constant social comparisons, depleting our social energy and raising unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. As a result, real-life interactions become increasingly exhausting and...
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The New Loneliness - Causes and Effects
Social isolation is increasing significantly in our modern society. But why? In this episode, I introduce the causes and context of this growing problem. Technological developments, urbanization, individualism, and the decline of social gathering places have led to more and more people…
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At Home in Contentment - Ayatana and the Truth
There are places in the mind that go beyond immediate sensory perception - both positive (contentment and peace) and negative (despair and sadness). But what does it mean in ancient Buddhism to find a true home in the depths of the Dhamma? I describe similarities with the Greek Logos and how…
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Beyond the Sensory Realm - The Mystical Traditions
After giving a first introduction to the "home of the ego" from a Buddhist perspective, in this episode I bring examples of other mystical traditions. It seems that whenever people are inspired by wisdom or devotion they develop similar techniques for transcending normal consciousness. Examples…
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Giving the Ego a New Home - Ayatana in Buddhism
This episode dives into the Buddhist concept of Āyatana, the “home base” of our ego that shapes how we experience the world. While we usually operate within the sensual realm, Buddhism teaches that through spiritual practice, we can transcend this and access higher levels of awareness, such as...
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Why Psychology Needs to Be More Profound
In this episode I explore why psychology risks being superficial without a philosophical foundation. I argue with historical patterns, the Dunning-Kruger effect, and modern psychological trends like self-optimization and self-love. Philosophical ideas reveal how we can understand psychological...
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I judge therefore I am - Hegel, Buddha, Existentialism
In psychology, self-development, and spiritual circles, we’re often told to stop judging and simply accept things as they are. But is that truly possible? This episode explores why the mind is inherently bound to judge and how healthy development can still happen. I draw on Hegel’s philosophy,...
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Anxiety, Therapy, and Responsibility
Fears and anxiety accompany us all, from everyday worries to deep existential questions: the fear of loneliness, of an insignificant life or of death. But how do you deal with it? In this episode I talk about the role of responsibility in dealing with fear. You will learn why superficial fears…
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Everyday Trance V: Paths out of Hypnosis. Methods and Tools
How can we free ourselves from the unconscious patterns and trances of everyday life? In this episode, I delve deep into the tool box and show you numerous methods to get out of unhealthy thought and behavior patterns. To do this, I combine ancient and contemporary wisdom with practical exercises...
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Everyday Trance IV: The Magic of Emotions - Kundalini, Sartre, Buddhism
In this episode, I examine the deeper mechanisms of everyday trance and how unconscious emotions influence our perception and decisions. Based on my therapeutic experiences and inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre's concepts of emotion and reality as well as Buddhist teachings, I describe how identifying...
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Everyday Trance III: The Mechanics - Kant, Husserl, Vipassana
In this episode I explore the nature of consciousness and how it structures our experience. I first distinguish between consciousness itself and the content within it, following concepts from Kant and Buddhist philosophy. Then, I delve into the "smeared present," showing how we perceive moments…
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Phenomenology of Everyday Trance
In this podcast episode, consciousness researcher and therapist Gabriel Ellis further explores the concept of "everyday trance": We often live in a state in which our perception of the outside world is overshadowed by our inner world, consisting of beliefs, feelings and moods. This trance can…
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Everyday Life as Hypnotic Trance: Insights from Stephen Wolinsky
In this episode I describe the trance states that influence our behavior and identity. Based on the work of Stephen Wolinsky in "Trances People Live" I examine the invisible patterns that permeate our everyday lives and put our lives on auto-pilot. Wolinsky shows us not only how to recognize…
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Flaws of Self Help Culture - A Hegelian Perspective
In this video, I critically question the traditional self-help culture that often prescribes simple and rigid solutions to complex, dynamic problems. My central argument is that this approach presents personal development as linear and straightforward, which doesn't do justice to the complex...
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Setting Boundaries: A Critical Perspective
In this video, I reflect on the concept of "setting boundaries" and the pros and cons associated with it. Boundaries can provide clarity, but are not naturally given; they require active maintenance and adaptation. I explore how to set personal boundaries and strategies that help maintain those...
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The Practice of Psychoanalysis: Freud’s Legacy
Delve deeper into the world of psychoanalysis! In this video I shed more light on the central concepts of the It, the I, and the Über-Ich as described by Sigmund Freud. I also describe how Freud analyzed the human psyche and the mechanisms behind our dreams and neuroses. I explain how Freud...
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The Core of Historical Buddhist Practice: Meditation of Bliss
In this episode of "The Curious Mind Podcast", Gabriel Ellis, a doctor of Buddhism and psychotherapist, describes the core of the original Buddhist practice from a historical and scientific perspective: the meditation of bliss. In contrast to his historical contemporaries, who rejected any form…
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Freud and the power of the unconscious
In this episode of the Curious Mind Podcast, Gabriel Ellis, psychologist and psychotherapist, delves into the teachings of Sigmund Freud, focusing on his psychoanalytic theory. Freud's model of the mind, developed in the 1920s, includes three key regions: the Es (It), the Ich (I), and the…
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The Foundations of Buddhism: Understanding Suffering and Craving
In this episode of the Curious Mind Podcast, psychotherapist and Buddhism scholar Gabriel Ellis delves into the historical aspects of Buddhism, focusing on what likely traces back to the historical Buddha. The discussion revolves around the Four Noble Truths, a core Buddhist concept, and their...
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The Real Followers of Buddha: Investigating Early Buddhism
Discover the practices of the historical Buddha. I delve into ancient texts to explore the distinct groups present during the Buddha's time: Buddhist monastics, ascetics from other sects, and laypeople. Get a glimpse of the unique teachings, practices, and paths to liberation that defined early...
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Original Buddhism: Introduction
Buddhism is fascinating. But it is surprisingly difficult to work out what the original teachings of the Buddha were. The oldest texts of Buddhism were not written until 200-400 years after the Buddha, and by then they had undergone many changes. In this episode I will give you an understanding…
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Power and Impotence of the Self-Ideal
It seems to me that we have too high expectations of authenticity today. People want the "true self" to have priority, both in our private lives and at work. Psychologically, this is an unrealistic and unhealthy attitude. The task of the ego is not to be authentic, but to navigate life. And the...
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Hegel and the look behind the curtain
As a philosopher of consciousness, Hegel was little interested in people's egocentric navel-gazing. But isn't this necessary for psychotherapy? After all, in therapy we want to overcome individual suffering. In this episode, I demonstrate how Hegel's perspective is not only compatible with…
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Preconditions for Therapeutic Healing
Healing is a much more individual challenge than many people think. And therapeutic methods have a little value if applied without discernment. Yet, there are some general principles that are valid in any real healing process: Truthfulness, benevolence, and responsibility. Free discovery call:...
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Hegel and Buddhism in Dialogue: Not-Self
The doctrine of the not-self is central to Buddhism. Aspects of such a teaching can also be found in Hegel. He even helps us to better understand how healing aspects of the not-self teaching unfold in everyday life and in psychotherapy. Free discovery call…
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Buddhist Psychology: Toxic Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be useful and enriching - if rightly understood. But the practice can also become dull, boring, or even harmful in the long run. In this video I describe the conditions that makes the practice fruitful, and how a simplistic understanding is pointless or can cause harm. Free...
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Hegel, what our feelings mean, and psychosomatics
We all struggle with feelings: Should we feel them and identify with them, or should we sometimes use and sometimes repress them? We cannot answer this question if we cannot understand the role and importance of feelings. G.W.F. Hegel can give us valuable clues with his classification of feelings...
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The I in stress: When the present is overwhelming
In my clinical practice, clients often think that they are alone with their problem. Most of the time however, the challenges are very comparable, be it regarding relationships, work, burnout, fears or a lack of prospects. There are often systemic, i.e. societal, connections and causes that are...
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Hegel and Buddhism in dialogue: Meditation
There is still a lot to learn about psychology from Hegel. He created complex maps of the mind. And we can use these to understand “where we are,” psychologically speaking. And we can also use these maps to locate ourselves in meditation. In this podcast I focus primarily on Buddhist Vipassana...
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Three approaches to life: Q&A
What is more relevant for me: virtue or needs orientation? And how do I get out of self-avoidance? I answer these and other questions about the three approaches to life I laid out in the previous episodes. Free discovery call: https://calendly.com/gabriel-ellis/30min https://youtu.be/w9gWqBAmN6o...
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Three approaches to life: 3. Self-Avoidance
Anyone who doesn't know themselves and their needs is doomed to be anxious, depressed or aggressive. This is what I call the “self-avoidant type.” We are all somewhat self-avoidant, but when we are too blind to ourselves it leads to suffering and psychological disorder. In this video I describe...
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Three Approaches to Life: 2. Needs and Desires
"Who am I?” and “What do I want"? A needs-oriented life should answer these questions. Like the virtue orientation of the last episode, also a needs-orientation comes with its own opportunities, problems and dangers. The goal is happiness, the dangers are isolation and anxious navel-gazing. Free...
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Three Approaches to Life in Comparison: 1. Virtue
Dissatisfaction with one's own life is like a forest without a clearing: there is often a lack of clarity, joy, and self-determination. In order to shed some light on the darkness, I distinguish between three approaches to life in therapeutic practice. In this episode I examine a virtue-oriented...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
'The Curious Mind' is a podcast by psychologist, psychotherapist, and Buddhist scholar Dr. Gabriel Ellis. In essays and interviews we cover a wide range of psychological and social topics with depth and complexity.For more information and therapy requests see https://www.gabriel-ellis.com/
HOSTED BY
Gabriel Ellis
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Curious Mind have?
The Curious Mind currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Curious Mind about?
'The Curious Mind' is a podcast by psychologist, psychotherapist, and Buddhist scholar Dr. Gabriel Ellis. In essays and interviews we cover a wide range of psychological and social topics with depth and complexity.For more information and therapy requests see https://www.gabriel-ellis.com/
How often does The Curious Mind release new episodes?
The Curious Mind has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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You can listen to The Curious Mind on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Curious Mind?
The Curious Mind is created and hosted by Gabriel Ellis.
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