6320 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817
Monday - Saturday 08.00 - 18.00

Corporate Resilience Speaker

I promote meaning making, joy and resilience for working professionals who feel troubled by their work-life balance.

Board certified clinical psychologist, psychology professor, author, speaker and magician.

Catch Me In Action

I translate the best science in clinical and positive psychology into practical and transformative strategies that busy professionals may use to maximize healing, meaning making and joy both at work and at home.

These strategies can be used to advance personal wellness as well as to promote thriving marriages and effective parenting. I teach these strategies through edutaining and interactive presentations that include storytelling and magic.

How to find a mission, delivered to high school students.

A magic trick integrated into a message.

About David

Dr. David Palmiter

Dr. David Palmiter, Ph.D., ABPP

Iโ€™m a board certified and practicing clinical psychologist, psychology professor, author, speaker, magician, husband to Dr. Lia Richards-Palmiter and father to Morgan, Gannon and Lauren.

I have 25+ yearโ€™s experience as a therapist and speaker. Iโ€™ve also given over 250 workshops for 60+ sponsors, completed over 300 media projects for 60+ national outlets (e.g., NYT, WSJ, WAPO) and completed over three dozen publications, including two books on promoting resilience. Iโ€™ve also had the pleasure of holding numerous leadership roles within psychology (e.g., President of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association), qualified for top professional designations (e.g., Fellow for APA) and been blessed with numerous awards at local, state and national levels.

My hobbies include magic, golfing, fishing, low stakes poker, following the (often tragic) exploits of the Orioles and Commanders and enjoying the accomplishments of my wife and adult children.

Practice website: www.helpingfamilies.com

Speaking Topics

Chain links transforming into birds in flight

When serving others becomes overwhelming: Avoiding and responding to burnout and compassion fatigue.

A recent national survey found that 52% of workers feel burned out, while 48% experience significant distress from their job duties. Moreover, the US Census Bureau recently found that 55% of Americans feel โ€œdown, depressed or sadโ€ several days a weekโ€“with 1 in 4 feeling that way most of the timeโ€“while 69% feel โ€œanxious, nervous or on edgeโ€ 69% of the time, with 1 in 3 feeling that way most of the time. Studies suggest that workplace stress annually causes 120,000 deaths in America and nearly 190 billion in healthcare costs.

Burnout also affects rates of anxiety and depression (a 1 trillion hit on productivity), job satisfaction, worker retention, substance abuse and interactions with others. Integrating magic, this dynamic training will teach five science-based strategies for workers to avoid and respond to burnout and compassion fatigue. Also reviewed will be a technique for using a deep well of wisdom to help make decisions about time.

Road sign reading Next Exit Resilience

Adversity to triumph: Finding the treasure gifted by suffering.

This is our workforceโ€™s post-COVID reality: 55% of Americans feel โ€œdown, depressed or sadโ€ several days a weekโ€“ with 1 in 4 feeling that way most of the time. Moreover, 69% feel โ€œanxious, nervous or on edgeโ€ 69% of the time, with 1 in 3 feeling that way most of the time. Also, we tend to conflate grief with depression, deny our suffering, bury our pain alive or self-medicate. These adverse mental states are top causes of workers calling in sick, filing for disability, underachieving, and changing jobs.

This dynamic training will use magic to teach the top science-based strategies for effectively using pain and loss as fulcrums for revitalization and renewal and to find the treasure that all dragons leave behind.

Broken chain turning into birds at sunset

Having Difficult Conversations and Solving Problems at Work.

A recent national survey found that 52% of workers feel burned out, which is a +9% increase from pre-COVID rates, while 48% of workers experience significant distress from their job duties. Moreover, more than one out of four workers report being able to unplug from work. Studies suggest that workplace stress annually causes 120,000 deaths in America and nearly 190 billion in healthcare costs. It also affects rates of anxiety and depression (a 1 trillion hit on productivity), job satisfaction, worker retention, and customer interactions.

This dynamic training will use magic to teach three science based, specific, practical and transformative strategies for effectively responding to a top stress at work: difficult interactions with others.

I offer trainings on how busy professionals can instil these practices in themselves, their work site and their families.

Testimonials

โ€œDr. Palmiter, I would like to begin the week by expressing my gratitude to you. I have attended many of your seminars, but Friday really resonated with me as Iโ€™m in the โ€˜golden yearsโ€™ of my career. I have always loved what I do, but I left Marywood on Friday with a great sense of invigoration fueled by your gifts as a great psychologist, and a great human being; the magic truly does come from within.โ€

MaryAnn M. Kovaleski

MaryAnn M. Kovaleski, M.S.Counselor, Luzerne County Community College

โ€œDr. David Palmiterโ€™s content, delivery, his entire vibe, is a welcome change in todayโ€™s quick-fix, self-help society. Backed by science and delivered in an inspiring way, Palmiterโ€™s content is sure to leave audiences filled with hope, actionable tips, and a can-do mindset!โ€

Dr. Lauren Hazzouri

Lauren Hazzouri, Psy.D.Clinical Psychologist and owner of HeyLauren.com

โ€œDr. Palmiter, thank you for your work with our staff….your insight is much needed in our line of work…it was a balmโ€“especially during these trying times.โ€

Ryan Brunsink, ESQManaging Attorney, Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center

โ€œIt was our absolute pleasure having you. I have had employees thanking me for your wonderful presentation. I donโ€™t think there was one person who kept a dry eye the entire time! A colleague, who is a personal friend, confided in me that she is already trying to apply some of what she heard.โ€

Dana ZaldivarSr. Manager, Global Education, McGraw Hill Financial

Video Testimonials

Lauren Hazzouri, Psy.D.Clinical Psychologist and owner of HeyLauren.com

Amanda Luchansky, Psy.D.Owner, Luchansky Psychological Services, LLC

Brad Norford, Ph.D.Practice Director, Bryn Mawr Psychological Services & Past President, Pennsylvania Psychological Association

Organizations Iโ€™ve Consulted With

Connect with David