Mental Wellness in San Diego - Psychotherapy blog of Abby Burd, LCSW

Looking for ways to stay balanced and at your best? Abigail Burd, LCSW, San Diego Psychotherapist blogs here to help new parents, educators and helping professionals help themselves and others.

10 09, 2024

Clinical Hypnosis for Perinatal Mental Health

By Abigail Burd|2024-09-10T21:22:33-07:00September 10th, 2024|Categories: Addiction, Blog, Featured, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Reproductive Mental Health|Tags: clinical hypnosis, hypnosis, perinatal mental health, peripartum mental health, post traumatic stress, reproductive mental health, reproductive trauma, strategic psychotherapy, therapy for postpartum anxiety|0 Comments

Hypnosis has a mixed reputation in popular culture. But what about Clinical Hypnosis? How much do you know about it?

Recently, my colleague Dr. Kat Kaeni, outgoing president of the board of Postpartum Support International, interviewed me on her popular Mom & Mind Podcast. Her long running podcast (I was episode 360 – love that number) is one of my top recommended for perinatal mental health.

As you can imagine from the number, Kat has already covered a multitude of topics under the umbrella of reproductive mental health. But she was intrigued by some of the novel approaches to reproductive trauma I am introducing in my upcoming trainings. Kat invited me to come on the podcast […]

22 07, 2024

Upcoming Training: Novel Approaches for Overcoming Reproductive Trauma

By Abigail Burd|2024-08-01T10:13:24-07:00July 22nd, 2024|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Reproductive Mental Health|Tags: perinatal mental health, perinatal trauma, reproductive loss, reproductive mental health, reproductive trauma, trainings|2 Comments

Reproductive Trauma

Reproductive trauma is often kept secret, in the shadows. Infant death is a disenfranchised loss that our society doesn’t know how to properly grieve. Although miscarriage and pregnancy loss affect one in four women, we are told to keep it secret, leaving us to feel alone. Worse, those that experience it often blame themselves.

Selecting the right kind of therapy for reproductive mental health

Over the years, I have helped a number of my clients overcome various reproductive losses and birth trauma. As an integrative therapist, I am very strategic in selecting a combination of evidenced-based best practices as well as trusting my intuition to invent or match a novel approach.

What is reproductive trauma?

15 06, 2024

Inside Out 2 Reflective Questions: Tools for Navigating Emotions and Identity

By Abigail Burd|2024-06-15T23:31:03-07:00June 15th, 2024|Categories: Blog, Giveaways/Free Resources, Mental Wellness, Parenting, Students|Tags: cinematherapy, emotional intelligence, emotional regulation, Inside Out, Understanding Emotions|0 Comments

Imagine being able to peek inside your teenager’s mind, where Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and their new friends Embarrassment, Envy and Anxiety battle for control. Disney/Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2“gives us that chance. This downloadable guide features reflective questions inspired by ‘Inside Out 2’ to deepen discussions on emotions and identity.

Remember the journey into Riley’s mind in Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out“? We were introduced to the colorful world of her emotions and learned that every feeling has a place and purpose. Now, “Inside Out 2” is here, taking us through the rollercoaster of adolescence and puberty. As a therapist, I’m excited to share insights from the movie and provide discussion questions that you can use to explore […]

21 04, 2024

What is walk and talk (nature) therapy?

By Abigail Burd|2024-04-21T13:17:04-07:00April 21st, 2024|Categories: Addiction, Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Practice Updates|Tags: evidence based practice, nature therapy, outdoor therapy, therapy in San Diego, walk and talk therapy|1 Comment

Living in a beautiful climate, such as San Diego, I’ve been taking advantage of the therapeutic benefits of walk and talk therapy sessions. So often we think psychotherapy is just sitting in a dark room. We picture two chairs facing each other (or sitting in front of two separate computer screens). But what if therapy included feeling sunshine, fresh air, movement, or an ocean breeze? Can you imagine the scent of native plants, the sounds of birds, practicing nature-based mindfulness, and more?

What are the benefits of nature-based outdoor sessions or walk and talk therapy?

In […]

13 04, 2023

Home/ Work for a Reproductive Psychotherapist

By Abigail Burd|2023-04-14T09:54:50-07:00April 13th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Maternal Mental Health, Practice Updates|Tags: clinical hypnosis, perinatal mental health, peripartum mental health, reproductive loss, therapy for postpartum anxiety|0 Comments

I met my friend Catie through the San Diego birth community. Back when I had my little ones and started my private practice focused on perinatal, or reproductive, mental health, Catie was one of San Diego’s most sought after birth photographers. In addition, she was influential in co-leading a local birth network and meet ups of birth professionals.

When Catie shared about her latest project, featuring women working from home, in black and white, with all the tools of their trade, I signed up. When I’m not in one tiny corner of my bedroom for my video sessions with clients from all over California, my private practice office comprises the corner of the playroom/ laundry station/ multi-purpose storage dump-all room.

10 01, 2022

#BlackMomsMatter – Last Chance for the Online Courses

By Abigail Burd|2022-01-10T17:23:07-08:00January 10th, 2022|Categories: Blog, Featured, Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Parenting, Practice Updates|0 Comments

In case you missed it…

Janisha Street and I recorded a video course for my online, on-demand school back in 2019. #BlackMomsMatter remains a relevant introduction into the disproportionate impact of perinatal mental illness in the Black and African-American community. More importantly, we cover practical ways to make things better.

Sadly, the door will close to new students 1/31/22

Unfortunately, I’ve made the decision to downgrade the hosting for my online school, and all of the published courses, including the cornerstone Prevent Postpartum Depression. This means:

I will not publish any new courses
No new students can join after 1/31/22

The good news:

Your access to already enrolled courses including #BlackMomsMatter, Prevent Postpartum Depression, Relationships […]

26 11, 2020

Please Do Less

By Abigail Burd|2020-11-26T07:52:13-08:00November 26th, 2020|Categories: Maternal Mental Health, Mental Wellness, Parenting|Tags: 2020, balance, holidays, self care, silver linings, work-life balance|0 Comments

One of the more enjoyable topics of 2020 has been “silver linings.” In what unexpected ways are you benefitting from the life changes and disruptions of social distancing? (Not a rhetorical question. Drop it in the comments.)

Personally, I am grateful for being able to work from home. I can hug my family between sessions, “cowork” with my first- and third-graders while I’m doing admin work, avoid traffic, and start dinner in the Instant Pot on my lunch break.

As we head into the holiday season, I encourage all of you to take full advantage of the 2020 excuse to “do less.” The holidays are often a time of pressure to live up to traditions, visit and please extended family, and make it the “best year yet” for our kids.

Can we all […]

11 10, 2020

Giveaway and First Reviews: The Postpartum Depression Workbook

By Abigail Burd|2020-10-11T08:07:25-07:00October 11th, 2020|Categories: Blog, books, Giveaways/Free Resources, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: depression workbook, postpartum depression, ppd, workbook|0 Comments

Hello friends. The Postpartum Depression Workbook starts shipping on Tuesday! The process of writing a book becomes very solitary, with many late nights and early mornings working alone. Having spent the pandemic pouring my years of experience into a book, I can’t tell you how exciting it is to imagine it in people’s hands, let alone actually making a positive impact on their lives.

To celebrate the release, I am hosting a giveaway and will send one winner (US address, please) a paperback copy. Enter below.

Can’t wait to see if you’ll win? You can order your own copy here.

I’m also thrilled to see the workbook is currently the #1 Hot New Release on Amazon for Postpartum Depression.

So… I […]

15 09, 2020

Announcing “The Postpartum Depression Workbook” – Presales Open Today

By Abigail Burd|2020-09-14T13:00:18-07:00September 15th, 2020|Categories: Blog, books, Maternal Mental Health|0 Comments

It has now been six months since Californians closed schools, stayed home and went remote. No surprise, but I haven’t posted a blog update in all that time. Granted, I’ve had early elementary school learning, canceled summer camps, my own losses/grief, and applying for and starting a new full-time job to keep me busy. But there is another reason I haven’t written a blog post since then…

In the early days of the pandemic, when school closure looked like a two-week extension of spring break, a publisher approached me to write a book on postpartum depression. They saw a need in the market for a therapy based workbook for PPD and thought I would be the best fit to write it. They requested a fast turn around, but estimated that I could write it in 7-9 hours/week over 6 weeks. I […]

15 02, 2020

Relationships After Baby [E-course]

By Abigail Burd|2020-02-15T19:50:21-08:00February 15th, 2020|Categories: Blog, Couples/Marriage Therapy, Maternal Mental Health|Tags: ecourse, online education, relationships|0 Comments

My second online course launched yesterday (Valentine’s Day), this time focused on “Relationships After Baby.“

The course costs less than one session of couples therapy! ($149 as a one time fee, and lifetime access to the self-paced psychoeducational material.)

Similar in format to my first course “Prevent Postpartum Depression,” the relationship course combines seven videos addressing the most common issues couples face and 20+ lectures combining readings. We’ve added a private discussion forum with other couples, and questions for guided journaling and/or discussion with your partner. As a bonus, you’ll find over a dozen free handouts and worksheets to download. Topics range from getting sleep for the whole family, sex postpartum, anger, communication and more!

This time, I brought in more guest instructors including:

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