Dark Side of the Brain: Adapting to Adversity

Description

'Anxiety, depression and suicide affect all families. They're in my family, they're in my friends' families, they're probably in your family. And, right now, you are thinking about someone you know who is going through or has gone through one of those three things.' Lance Burdett started writing this book while he was studying for a diploma in positive psychology, then something tragic happened - his seventeen-year-old niece took her own life. From that point on, his world was irreparably changed. This loss proved to him that adversity can hit anyone at any time, often unexpectedly. The loss of his niece, combined with Lance's own experience of depression spurred him on to share the lessons he's learned about how the brain works, knowledge which he's gathered throughout his years both as a police negotiator and later as a resilience and wellness specialist. In this book, he explains how to control your thoughts, how to reduce the impact of negative emotions, and how to manage your personal wellbeing so that you won't 'fall over' as he once did. He will also show readers how to identify when somebody else may be struggling with negative thoughts and how to reach out to them in a way that's safe for both of you.

Lance Burdett spent 22 years with New Zealand Police, where he worked as a crisis negotiator specialising in suicide intervention and in predicting violent behaviour. During that time, he also gained a Master's degree in terrorism, safety and security. He describes this work in his first book, Behind the Tape: life on the police frontline, published by Allen and Unwin in 2018. He remains New Zealand media's go-to person for comment on policing. Upon leaving the police, he established WARN International, a company which specializes in mental health, resilience, communication and wellness training. Through their workshops and course, the company seeks to inspire and motivate, providing participants with the skills to look after both themselves and each other; while improving organisational culture and assisting with personal growth. Recent clients include: WorkSafe, ACC, ANZ, IAG (State, NZI, AMI, etc.), BNZ, Ministry of Social Development, AA, Auckland Transport, NZTA, University of Auckland and AUT.