Anxiety, Self-Trust and Psychology

Today's episode is a conversation with psychologist Elizabeth Merrick about anxiety, therapy, Buddhism, and how they all connect. Sometimes it helps to examine what Buddhability looks like from different perspectives, identifying  parallels between the work of experts in different fields and how Buddhism views the potential of human beings.  Elizabeth's insights are unique because she has experience counseling young adults, training mental health professionals and being in therapy herself, all while practicing Buddhism.CHEAT SHEET1:27 How Elizabeth started practicing Buddhism5:23 Context about her professional background as a psychologist8:34 The most common mental health challenges she sees young adults struggle with today11:22 Natural questions during different developmental stages14:21 When you think something is wrong with you21:16 Connections between Buddhism and psychology on our potential for change27:58 What anxiety is and why we experience it32:47 Overcoming anxiety38:52 Why the core elements of Buddhist practice are effective44:16 Chanting vs. mindfulness47:00 The biggest change she’s experienced through chanting54:49 The value of having a community1:00 A favorite Buddhist quote1:03:20 The difference between human revolution and self-improvement1:08:01 Advice for anyone who is struggling with anxietyReferencesDiscussions on Youth, p. 5“Letter to Niike,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 1027