In addition to teaching graduate level psychology courses at three colleges, I also work as a personal, professional and academic life coach. I enjoy working with people and helping them set and achieve goals that support them in leading meaningful and fulfilling lives. As an academic coach I help M.A. and Ph.D. students work through the final stages of their educational journeys. I support them in navigating the challenges of not only researching and writing their thesis' and dissertations, but also in working with their committee members and University administrations. I have a passion for education, research, social service and personal growth and immensely enjoy working with students. In February, 2007 I completed my Ph.D. in psychology (with a concentration in consciousness and spirituality). I am especially interested in humanistic, transpersonal and social psychology, particularly as they apply to human potential. I am also fascinated with human development as it occurs within the context of social interest. My dissertation research was an exploration of the lived experience of altruism. I see altruism as one of the highest states of human consciousness. It is reflective of a willingness to set aside one's immediate ego desires to assist another individual in need. I have published a couple articles on this research and am currently working on a phenomenological cross-cultural altruism study. In addition to my career interests, I enjoy traveling, reading, anusara yoga, skiing, boating, hiking and working with children. I recently returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic where I worked with the homeless street youth that live there. I have a special place in my heart for the suffering children of our communities and of the world at large.

Classes:
500 Principles of Research

Professional Affiliations:
American Psychological Association
Association for Humanistic Psychology
Association for Transpersonal psychology
Association for Psychological Type
International Coaches Federation
American Association of University Women

Workshops and Presentations:
Lasting Lifestyle Change for Personal Transformation, Saybrook Graduate School Residential Conference, San Francisco, CA: June 10 and 11, 2009
The Ins and Outs of Life Coaching, Saybrook Graduate School Alumni Homecoming, San Francisco, CA: June 13, 2009
Establishing a Career in Academics, Saybrook Graduate School Alumni Homecoming, San Francisco, CA: June 13, 2009
The Lived Experience of Spontaneous Altruism: A Phenomenological Study (Paper Presentation), International Human Science Research Conference, Pleasant Hill, CA: August 4, 2006
StandUp for Kids Street Outreach Training Program, Bloomington, MN: September 20, 2005 – October 18, 2005
Taking Care of My Teenager Means Taking Care of Me, Coaching presentation to Edina Middle School Parents Association, Edina, MN: February 7, 2003
Couple Communication ™ Program, Authentic Life Coaching, Group Facilitation, Chanhassen, MN: October 5, 2002 - November 15, 2002
Women’s Creation Circle - A Five Week Transformational Journey, Excelsior Lake Fellowship, Shorewood, MN: June 11, 2002 - August 13, 2002
Future Choices: What are my Gifts, What are my Passions?, District 112 Freshman Center, Chaska, MN: March, 2000 and October, 2002
Coaching for Fulfillment Series (with Terese Guettler, RN), Presented to Minnesota USANA distributors, Richfield, MN: November 19 and November 26, 2001
An Intimate Encounter with Spirit - A Women’s Retreat (with Nina Salveson, MA), The Dwelling in the Woods Retreat Center, McGrath, MN: October 5-7, 2001
Transformational Speaking Seminar, Group Facilitation, Plymouth, MN: February 1, 2000 – April 1, 2000
Mothering Styles - Personality Type and Parenting Courses, Group Facilitation and Instruction, Presented 10 times between January, 1996 and May, 2000
Personality Type and Spirituality Workshops, Group Facilitation and Instruction, Presented 8 times between January, 1996 and December, 1999

Research Interests:

• Altruism, pro-social behavior, social interest
• Coaching for health and wellness
• The connection between mind, body and spirit
• Personal transformation and healing through creativity, spiritual practices, yoga and mind-body medicine
• Social transformation
• Human potential and personality development

Publications:
Mastain, L. (2008). Foreword. In D.A. Johnson, Your Life is None of Your Business. Morrisville, NC: New Sinai Press.
Mastain, L. (2007). The lived experience of altruism as described by moral exemplars: A descriptive phenomenological study. Dissertation Abstracts International, DAI-B 67/12. (AAT 3246550)  
Mastain, L. (2006). The lived experience of spontaneous altruism: A phenomenological study. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 37(1), 25-52.
Mastain, L. (2007). A phenomenological investigation of altruism as experienced by moral exemplars. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 38(1), 62-100.

Contact Information:
(952) 474-5149
Email: coachlisa@mchsi.com
Web: http://authenticlife.home.mchsi.com

Back to AGS Faculty Listing