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Articles by Debra Burdick

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40 articles by Debra Burdick · showing 40

Browse every published article connected to Debra Burdick, or search within this exact expert archive.

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Rest for the Weary

If you are like most people these days, your life is full of things that need to be done. No matter how much you do, there is always more to be done. There are chores around the house and yard, cooking and cleaning, chauffeuring the kids to their activities, helping them get their homework done, going to work, and on and on. Even friends who are retired tell me they are so busy they wonder how they ever had time to work. So how do you take care of yourself and rest?

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,680 views3/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

7 Healing Steps to a New Story and a New You

As some of you know I was injured this winter. The Cliff notes version of what happened is that someone collided with me on the ski slopes which caused a concussion (and yes I was wearing my helmet) and a hole in the lining of my carotid artery wall which closed off the artery and then led to a small stroke. The doctor told me that of three people he knows of that had this same carotid artery tear, one is ok, one is a vegetable, and one is dead. Are you beginning to understand why I am so happy and grateful to be here?

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,651 views3/5 (4)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Too Depressed or Stressed to Enjoy the Holidays?

How are you feeling right now, at this time of year? Do you feel like you have way too much to do? I know I do. On top of all the tasks we usually do every day, there are gifts to buy and wrap, parties to attend (or give), h'eour d'eouvres to make, perhaps a Christmas tree to buy or put together, decorations to get out of storage, sort out and put up, electric candle lights to replace when they burn out, school or church activities to attend with our children - you know what I mean. It can be stressful and exhausting.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,797 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

ADHD: Will Counseling Help Your Child Succeed?

If you suspect or know your child has Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), counseling and/or coaching can be extremely helpful for you and your child. Please notice I said you and your child. YOU MUST be involved in this process. How you treat your child, how you react to them, the tone of voice you use, the words you say, how you nurture and support them is the most important thing you do for your child. Your child cannot change in your family system if you keep doing everything the way you have always done it.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

12,932 views3.8/5 (12)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

It’s Your Brain: Are You Protecting It?

Protecting your brain is an extremely important component of optimum brain fitness. Damage can occur in a variety of ways including obvious ones like accidents and illness. But be wary of those cleaning products and even cosmetics that we expose ourselves and our children to on a routine basis. Just think how your bathroom smells after a shower or a cleaning. Many of those fragrances and chemicals act as neurotoxins to our brain. One author calls this ‘chemical brain injury’. Do WHATEVER YOU CAN TO AVOID the following threats to your brain.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,698 views5/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Food for Thought

If you are like most people you want to keep your brain as healthy as possible for as long as possible. It is sobering to hear that a British study found that our brain's ability to reason and remember starts to decline as early as age 45. The good news is that we can take steps to protect our brain from decline and to maintain peak performance. It turns out that the same lifestyle habits that protect our heart also protect our brain from developing dementia.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,627 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Five Simple Mindfulness Skills That Work

Mindfulness meditation consists of skills and methods to unplug from the busy world around you and from the busy 'monkey brain' so often experienced in today's life and particularly in ADHD, anxiety and depression. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness meditation trains and reinforces the ability to pay attention to the present moment, on purpose which helps to increase concentration, decrease anxiety, improve sleep, improve mood, decrease the stress response, and improve physical and emotional health. The studies are compelling about the health benefits of mindfulness meditation.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,582 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Did You Know That Stress Can Kill?

Did you know that 75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are due to stress-related illness? We've all heard about stress: what causes it, what it does to us. But have you really thought about the stressors in your life? And have you developed healthy habits for managing stress?

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,560 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

May I Have Your Attention Please?

The other day, as I waited for the elevator in my office building, I noticed a young mother sitting on the bench in the lobby. Her tiny baby was snuggled in a baby carrier on the floor and her two year old girl was busy trying to get on the elevator with me. The mom was hunched over, phone in hand, text messaging or emailing, or whatever else she might have been doing from her phone. Meanwhile, she essentially ignored her two kids. They may as well have been invisible to her as she was completely focused on her phone.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,590 views3/5 (2)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Is Fear Holding You Back?

What is fear? Fear is an emotion that is basic to our survival and occurs in response to anything by which we feel threatened, real or imagined. It allows us to recognize danger so we can protect ourselves. In the brain, fear is triggered by a stressful stimulus that prompts a release of chemicals that causes a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles, among other things, known as the ‘Fight-or-Flight’ response. Fear activates our ‘Fight-or-Flight’ response so we can flee to get away from danger or fight to survive.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,382 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

What’s in Your Way of Attracting Abundance?

There are 3 major ways that we block ourselves from attracting what we desire. These include our false beliefs, fears, and core wounds. They are all related to what we have stored in our subconscious mind.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,708 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Five Ways to Avoid 'Overwhelm'

If you are like many people these days you are feeling chronically overwhelmed. And if you have ADHD you probably struggle more than most. Feeling overwhelmed occurs when we feel we have too much to do and not enough time to do it. We fall behind and we are constantly trying to catch up and keep up with the demands on us. Phew! I felt that familiar feeling of overwhelm just writing that sentence! Here are some great suggestions for how to avoid overwhelm.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,822 views5/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

ADHD: Checklist for Back to School Success

1) Review your child's IndividualEducation Plan (IEP). Schedule a team meeting with the school. It is not uncommon to discover that as you child has grown and matured their needs may have changed. Make sure they get all the accommodations in school they are entitled to and that really help them thrive.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,341 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Are You Sleeping? Is it ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, or a Sleep Disorder?

Do you or your child toss and turn at night and experience daytime sleepiness? Have you or your child been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, or anxiety. Fifty percent of children in a recent study that had been diagnosed with ADHD had difficulty sleeping. They felt tired on awakening, had nightmares, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, trouble getting up in the morning, and significant daytime sleepiness. And stimulant medications further impaired their ability to sleep.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,350 views4/5 (2)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Depressed? How to Feel Better Fast

Everyone has normal ups and downs in how they feel. Sometimes an episode of feeling down or sad turns into Depression and persists for some time. And sometimes depression is a result of a medical condition. Whether you bounce back quickly from feeling depressed or whether you suffer from chronic or recurrent episodes of Major Depression, use the following suggestions to help yourself feel better.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

6,734 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Is Negative Self Talk Holding You Back?

What is ‘negative self talk’? Negative self talk is a pattern of talking to yourself either out loud or inside your head that consists of statements that are not only negative but usually inaccurate and self defeating. Negative self talk stems from negative thinking and is experienced by most people at some times but is more commonly experienced by people who suffer from depression and ADHD. It is usually done subconsciously and automatically.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,101 views4.5/5 (2)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Tuning Up Your Brain

Imagine a world where you could place electrodes on your head, send your brainwaves to a computer, and control a video game without using your hands, just by changing your brainwaves. Picture a world where you could teach your brain to perform better. Perhaps you could improve your IQ, concentrate better, or sleep better. Maybe you could organize better at work, close more sales, get better grades, or be more productive. Maybe you could spiff up your memory that you have noticed is slipping lately.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,861 views5/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Intuition 101: How Everyone From Parents to Entrepreneurs Can Use it

Have you ever had a 'gut' feel about something and found out later it was completely accurate? I have become fascinated by our ability to 'know' things without any real knowledge about them. Does this ability come from our brain or some way of 'knowing' that we don't yet fully understand? Researchers are working to unravel this mystery.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,737 views3/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Parenting? Great! But Who Takes Care of YOU?

Although parenting can be one of the most rewarding and joyful roles in the world, at the same time it can also be one of the most demanding, frustrating, exhausting and even overwhelming jobs in the world. If you are like most parents, you know that parenting a child can sometimes be really hard. Parents are on demand 24/7.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,922 views3/5 (3)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

ADHD: Can Mindfulness Help?

Can mindfulness help ADHD? Lidia Zylowska, MD of UCLA says ‘yes’. She and her colleagues conducted a feasibility study on mindfulness for teens and adults with ADHD. A majority of the participants reported decreased ADHD symptoms as well as less stress, anxiety, and depression. Cognitive testing showed improvements in attention, memory, and reasoning. What person with or without ADHD couldn’t benefit from at least some of these things?

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,398 views5/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

How YOU can De-Stress with Meditation

In our society we often lead very busy and stressful lives. This can lead to a stress response not unlike being chased by a saber toothed tiger. Our body releases stress hormones that make us fast and strong – in order to survive. This is called the fight or flight response. But being in a chronic state of stress can be, and often is, deadly. And seventy to eighty percent of visits to primary care physicians are due to stress related illness.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,313 views4/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Why You (and your kids) Need to Get Outside and Play

Getting outside to play provides the double benefits of both exercise and being outdoors. I recently went for a 22 mile ride on a bike path in Rhode Island. There were lots of people out walking, bike riding, flying kites, playing ball, and picnicking. These people were not only having fun and improving muscles strength and cardiac health, but they were also improving their brain health, their mood, their sleep, their concentration, and their hyperactivity. EXERCISEr

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,557 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Here’s the Scoop on Sugar

American kids (and adults) consume way too much sugar. According to the American Heart Association, toddlers are getting 12 teaspoons (tsp.) of sugar per day compared to the recommended 4 tsp., school-aged children are consuming 21 tsp instead of the recommended 3 tsp, and teens are getting up to 34 tsp instead of the recommended 5 to 8 tsp. That’s a lot of sugar! Think about it. A 20 ounce bottle of Crush soda can contain 83 grams of sugar. That’s almost 21 teaspoons of sugar in one drink!

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,298 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Relief at Last! Find a Thought That Feels Better

If you are like most people, you sometimes don’t feel as good as you would like. You might wake up feeling depressed or blue. Or perhaps you might notice that you are feeling worried. You may be able to identify the feelings and know what triggered them, or they may be more vague, like a general sense of unease. You may feel time pressure or a general feeling of being stressed.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,190 views2.3/5 (3)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

What Are You Grateful For?

The dictionary defines gratitude as: a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received; thankfulness. Appreciation is defined as grateful recognition. Wayne Dyer who coined the term ‘an attitude of gratitude’, says that gratitude is a sacred space where you allow and know that a force greater than your ego is always at work and always available.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,823 views4/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Can You Change the Way You Look At Things?

I am always amazed at how two people can look at the same thing and see completely different things. Maybe it goes back to the glass half empty, glass half full concept. Or maybe it's has to do with how we choose to see things. Wayne Dyer frequently discusses the statement 'If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change'. He states that in order to change things we need to change the way we look at things.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

8,173 views3/5 (3)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

5 Steps to Your Best Year Yet

It is always exciting to see how current brain research and brain imaging techniques prove why psychological and spiritual techniques work in our lives. It turns out that our brains don’t really know the difference between whether something is actually happening in our lives or whether we are only imagining it in our minds. When athletes are hooked up to brain monitoring equipment and asked to imagine they are performing their sport, their brainwaves fire the same as if they were actually doing their sport.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,982 views3.7/5 (9)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

It’s About Time: 6 Steps to Positive Time with Your Kids

Our kids need us to spend time with them. Kids develop values, security, positive self esteem and the ability to make good connections with others when parents spend positive time with them. Think of the time we spend with our kids now as an investment in their future.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,344 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

The Truth About Adult ADHD

Adults with ADHD have trouble concentrating, struggle with organization, lose things, forget things, feel restless, and make impulsive decisions. These are all the same symptoms that children with ADHD experience. But ADHD impacts adult lives in some very specific ways. There are a number of patterns commonly seen in adults with ADHD. These patterns are not listed in the official diagnostic criteria for ADHD but they occur often enough that they should be explored to help in making an accurate diagnosis. They are signs of how ADHD impacts a person's life.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,365 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Break Free From The Same Old Rut By Changing Your Mind

Until the last 10-15 years, scientist believed that our brains were essentially hardwired and we were not able to change them much over our lifetime. More recent research has proven without a doubt that we do have the ability to change our minds; that in fact we can actually change the neurons and neuronal networks in our brains.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,361 views4/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

How I averted claustrophobia during an MRI exam

Mindfulness skills saved the day! The first time I ever experienced claustrophobia took me by surprise. My doctor sent me for an MRI many years ago to find out why my jaw hurt. I didn't know what to expect but I had no reason to worry about the small confines of an MRI machine because I had never experienced any signs of claustrophobia. When the MRI technician positioned me on the table and then slid me backwards all the way into the 'tube' I suddenly wanted to flail my arms and get out of there as fast as possible. My heart pounded and I felt panicky for the first time in my life.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,645 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

It Works! Why You Should Try Neurofeedback

In 1999 I added Neurofeedback Training to my psychotherapy practice and have been using it ever since to help clients improve how their brain regulates itself so they feel better, think better, and perform at their peak. I have helped my clients improve: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, sleep, ability to concentrate and sit still, grades, behavior, memory, ability to plan and organize, pain, migraines and much more. These are all symptoms of a brain that is not well regulated. I healed myself of Fibromyalgia and got my daughter off stimulant medications taken for ADHD. I know it works!

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

3,387 views4/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Ever Wonder if YOU Have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)?

We often hear about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) in our lives today. Have you ever wondered if you have it, or perhaps your child or spouse? In fact, ADHD was diagnosed in approximately 8%-10% of the school-age population in the 2000 census, 60% of whom eventually become adults with ADHD. This translates into approximately 4% of adults. That’s a lot of people.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,209 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Secrets to a Stress Free Life

Life is full of stressors. I once heard Norman Vincent Peale say that the only people without problems and stress were 'all those people buried over there in that cemetery'. He was right. If we are alive, we have plenty of triggers for stress. But it's how we choose to respond to something that determines how stressful it is to us. It's important to pay attention to your stress level. Being chronically stressed is deadly! Here are eleven great ways to lead a more stress free life.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,005 views5/5 (1)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Parents: Eight Things Your Child Needs From You

I often coach parents to ask themselves, ‘what does my child need from me right now’? When your child talks back, what do they need from you? When they have trouble falling asleep, what do they need from you? When they are feeling hurt and rejected by peers, what do they need from you? Use the following guidelines to answer these questions for yourself. 1) Unconditional Lover

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,747 views3.3/5 (3)

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

How to Be Present During the Holidays. Six Simple Steps to Decrease Stress and Enjoy Every Moment

How present are you during this time of year? Are you so busy that you lose touch with the meaning of the season? Are you too stressed out to really enjoy time with your family? Do you struggle to remember what it’s all about? Is it difficult to stay focused on the joy and hope of the season? Would you like to enjoy yourself and your family more?

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,949 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

10 Common Mistakes that Cause Mindfulness Practice to Fail

There are many reasons why you might feel like your efforts to incorporate mindfulness into your life haven’t worked for you. Here are some common mistakes that interfere with successful mindfulness practice followed by effective ways to avoid and overcome these obstacles. a. I don’t have time. People are busy these days. And, at first, many people feel that mindfulness is a waste of time and they should use the time to get stuff done.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,371 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Six Steps to a Successful Move

Moving can feel overwhelming to anyone, but especially to those with ADHD or who struggle with organizational skills. The following are the six major steps I took to plan, organize, and execute my recent move from CT to NY. They can be applied to any move whether it is moving your home or office to a new local location, or moving your life to another state.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,332 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

Are You Listening?

Let’s talk about listening. Truly listening. Not only to those around you but to your inner wisdom, your intuition, your higher power. Are you listening? I learned to listen by experience to go within and to know how to connect with and communicate with my inner being. Some say that prayer is asking for what you want and meditation is listening for the answer. Maybe so, I don’t know. But I do know that as a society we tend to tune out and distract ourselves constantly. We seem to have an aversion to silence.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

1,505 views

By Debra BurdickRecently published1 topic

ADHD, Depression, Anxiety? Or Is It Lyme Disease?

Most of us in New England and certainly here in Connecticut have heard of Lyme Disease. It got its name from Lyme, CT as it was first officially identified there. There are certain geographic regions where Lyme Disease is more abundant but according to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), the disease is prevalent across the United States and throughout the world. ILADS states that Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the nation.

Primary topic: Therapy and Counseling

Therapy and Counseling

2,802 views4/5 (1)

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