Nicholas Van Dam - Nuancing the Narrative
b'In this episode, Wendy speaks with meditation researcher and clinical psychologist, Nicholas Van Dam. Nicholas is the Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne\\u2014the first such center in Australia. His work explores how meditation and mindfulness can support well-being, and help with conditions like anxiety and depression. This conversation covers many topics, including:\\nhow an existential crisis led him to meditation practice;\\nbringing loving critique to contemplative science;\\nthe complicated realities of mindfulness, how we measure it, and its impact on the brain;\\nlooking at effects beyond just the individual who is meditating;\\ninsights from a year of daily practice;\\nbalancing personal interest vs. research objectivity;\\nthe freedom that comes from letting go;\\nhow skills learned on the cushion transfer to daily life;\\ndeconstructing the self;\\nmindfulness and meditation for anxiety and depression;\\ngetting out of your head and into your body;\\nconnecting with Indigenous and other non-Buddhist contemplative traditions;\\nand advancing evidence-based research on meditation.\\nFull show notes and resources'