Abigail Burd

7 05, 2015

Sublimating and Sharing

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:39-08:00May 7th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Parenting|Tags: anxiety, healthy defenses, mental health, parenting, positive parenting|1 Comment

I am proud of my daughter and of myself.

Last week, I saw a flier at my work for a stuffed toy drive in honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 4th – May 9th). The toys will be delivered to children who have experienced trauma.

When I came home, we sorted through her stuffed animals to select which ones were ready to be loved by another child. Of course, there were many stuffed animals that hadn’t been played with for years, only to be proclaimed “My favorite! Not that one!”

So I said, “Let’s take a break to read a book.” We read a book called “Just Enough and Not Too Much.” In the book Simon has […]

1 05, 2015

Positive Parenting Can Save the World

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:40-08:00May 1st, 2015|Categories: Blog, Parenting|Tags: parenting, positive parenting, san diego resources|0 Comments

Helping Society at a Population Level through Positive Parenting: A lecture by Dr. Matt Sanders, founder of Triple P.

“The most powerful agents of change are parents.”Tweet

I had the privilege of attending a lecture today by Dr. Matt Sanders, the Developer of Triple P, and Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia, hosted by Jewish Family Service. Most of the attendees were big wigs, from state senators’ offices, the upper-ups from Neighborhood House Association, Episcopal Family Services, Easter Seals, school districts, and many programs associated with First 5, Head Start and the County Health and Human Services Agency.

23 04, 2015

May Campaign: Depression and Anxiety are the #1 Complication of Pregnancy and Postpartum

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:40-08:00April 23rd, 2015|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: help in san diego, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression|0 Comments

Did you know that depression and anxiety are the number one complication of pregnancy and postpartum? One in seven women suffer from either postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety or both. Symptoms can start either during the pregnancy, after, or last through both. Despite how common mental health symptoms are, many women are afraid to speak up and ask for help. Join me in reducing stigma and letting everyone know that it is okay to ask for help.

The National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health (NCMMH), the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative (2020 Mom’s Project), and San Diego’s

13 04, 2015

Feature on Reach, Connect, Uplift Women

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:40-08:00April 13th, 2015|Categories: Blog|1 Comment

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a lot of supportive people online since starting a business. One Southern-California woman with whom I connected, Lany Sullivan, has made it her mission to support and uplift others. She started a website and a community focused on helping other female entrepreneurs. I was completely surprised the other day to see that Lany, and a warm and energetic writer on her site, Krithika Rangarajan, had decided to write a feature on me: Abigail Burd: Blissfully Bestowing Ladles of Love and Cups of Comfort • Reach, Connect, Uplift Women. Krithika opens:

“Mama never forgets her birds,
Though in another tree—
She looks down just as often
And just as tenderly

Emily Dickinson

We doubt Emily Dickinson was thinking about Abigail Burd while penning this gentle poem! But Abigail – fondly referred […]

21 03, 2015

March is National Social Work Month

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:40-08:00March 21st, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: san diego, social work, social workers|3 Comments

The United States commemorates March as Social Work Month every year. It gives social workers the rarely used turn to toot our own horns. Social workers create meaningful positive social change, and improve the lives of individuals, families and communities. This year’s theme is “Social Work Paves the Way for Change.”

Although my private practice is almost entirely made up of psychotherapy and counseling clients (and supervision of newer therapists), I sometimes mentor people considering going into social work or other mental health professions. I thought I would provide some of the most frequently asked questions about social work here, in honor of social work month.

Q. “What is the difference between a social worker, a therapist, and a psychiatrist?”

A. A social worker is a type […]

1 03, 2015

How to Get Involved with the Postpartum Health Alliance

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:40-08:00March 1st, 2015|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Postpartum Health Alliance|Tags: perinatal mental health, san diego resources|2 Comments

This coming Wednesday the Postpartum Health Alliance is hosting the Annual Meet and Greet at Gordon Biersch in Mission Valley. The happy hour is an opportunity to find out about how to get involved with PHA, chat with current members and meet the 2015 executive board. (Spoiler: Yes, I’m on the board this year.)

As my grandpa used to say, “Food is very unimportant,” (usually while going for a fourth or fifth helping.) The PHA will host heavy appetizers and there will be drinks available for purchase. I’ve also found the company to be friendly, diverse and interesting.

The Postpartum Health Alliance is a San Diego non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about postpartum emotional disorders and providing support and treatment referrals to women and their families who are struggling with them.

We are a volunteer driven group and help is ALWAYS needed. Here […]

20 02, 2015

Sharing, Mindful Kids through Sportscasting

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00February 20th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: mental wellness, mindfulness, parenting, san diego therapist|2 Comments

I took my youngest (now 16 months) to a playdate at a park the other day, which she doesn’t get to do nearly as much as my first baby did. She loved playing with other babies and toddlers and I got to chat with other moms. Sharing toys is always a topic with little ones, and one mom introduced me to the idea of “sportscasting” what is happening versus stepping in and making a child share. She said it comes from “RIE parenting,” an approach I immediately researched upon coming home.

Sportscasting describes what is happening without assigning blame. We don’t tell the child what to do, but let him or her try things out. This experimenting is how a child […]

12 02, 2015

You Are Beautiful Just the Way You Are

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00February 12th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: love, self esteem, therapy|1 Comment

As I started my January/February Newsletter, I began by compiling my best tips for achieving goals and change in the New Year. Sure, I believe it is good advice. But, somehow, it didn’t quite feel right. I kept procrastinating writing, feeling unmotivated. Then it hit me… People may come to me for therapy seeking to change themselves. But most of the time the person I see is just fabulous. And we work on her seeing it, too.

I had a sweet friend named Kelly who I used to hang out with 14-15 years ago. We would make plans to go out and I would say, “Oh, I’m going to change and be ready by 7…” and he would always say, sincerely, “Don’t change, Abby. […]

19 01, 2015

How to Make SMART Goals (and How They Differ From Resolutions)

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00January 19th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: goals, life coach, mental wellness, san diego therapist|1 Comment

Has anyone broken a New Year’s Resolution yet? I shared recently why I believe New Year’s Resolutions don’t work. I also promised to write about SMART goals. What are SMART goals? Like self-care GRAPES, SMART is an acronym.

S = Specific

How many people choose broad goals that aren’t specific at all? If you are serious about manifesting change, take the time to picture what specifically it would look like. The more detail the better. Are your goals straightforward? Specifics help us focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do. WHAT are you going to do? WHY is […]

9 01, 2015

3 Reasons Why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work

By Abigail Burd|2019-11-18T14:30:41-08:00January 9th, 2015|Categories: Blog, Mental Wellness|Tags: goals, motivational interviewing, new year's resolutions|2 Comments

Every year we make New Year’s Resolutions. And every year most of them are never met. Why is it that New Year’s Resolutions don’t work? I made one myself a month ago… and it’s easier said than done.

1. We have just barely survived the holidays and need a little rest.

The holidays can be stressful and/or a lot of work. There is a lot of intensity, and most of us crave some quiet and peace instead of ambitious self improvement. Personally, I think the dead of winter is better suited to hibernation, to laying low, resting, and enjoying downtime. Perhaps the spring is a […]