This month Immaculate Heart Retreat Center will be holding a 24–hour retreat on relieving anxiety and trauma, titled "Fully Alive: Managing Anxiety with Nature and Grace."
The recent suicide of WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski hit me harder than most news stories. I don’t know the circumstances that led up to his death or the state of his mental health, but it made me reflect on the millions of Americans, especially those in my own millennial generation, who suffer from depression and anxiety.
In a word, yes. Anxiety and other mental health issues can be overcome through studying, practicing and integrating the various methods found in Buddhist teachings, such as meditation. But for people with anxiety disorders, not a temporary worry or fear, Buddhist teachings and meditation are better used as an adjunct to other therapies and treatments recommended by qualified professionals.
On June 15 I’ll receive a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Eastern Washington University. To earn the degree I had to spend three academic quarters writing a research paper on a counseling-related topic. And though I wouldn’t want to inflict all 20 or so pages of my paper on you, I think my key findings are pretty interesting.