Understanding ADHD: More Than Just Difficulty Paying Attention

Written By: Lindsey Ehrenwerth Herman, LCSW | Licensed Clinical Social Worker She/Her/Hers
Kiler Wilson, LPC, CCTP | Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Certified ‘Breathe to Heal’ Facilitator | She/Her/Hers

When many people hear the term ADHD, they think of someone who is easily distracted, restless, or unable to sit still. While these can be part of ADHD, the experience is often much more complex. ADHD can affect attention, organization, motivation, emotional regulation, time management, and the ability to get started on or follow through with everyday tasks.

For children, teens, and adults alike, these challenges can sometimes be misunderstood. Someone with ADHD may know exactly what they need to do and genuinely want to do it, but still find it surprisingly difficult to get started, stay organized, or complete the task.

What is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect a person's ability to regulate attention and behavior. Although ADHD is often identified during childhood, many people are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood.

ADHD can look different from person to person. Some individuals experience primarily difficulties with attention and organization, while others experience more hyperactivity and impulsivity. Many people experience a combination of symptoms.

It is also important to remember that ADHD is not simply a matter of motivation or effort. Telling someone with ADHD to "just focus" or "try harder" generally does not address the underlying challenges they are experiencing.

“ADHD is not simply a matter of motivation or effort.”

ADHD and executive functioning

One reason ADHD can be so frustrating is that it can interfere with what are often called executive functioning skills. These skills help us plan, prioritize, organize, manage time, regulate emotions, and transition between tasks.

For someone with ADHD, everyday experiences might include:

• Knowing a task needs to be completed but struggling to get started

• Underestimating how much time something will take

• Frequently losing track of belongings or appointments

• Having difficulty prioritizing when there are many things to do

• Becoming deeply absorbed in an activity that is particularly interesting or rewarding

• Struggling to shift attention from one task to another

• Feeling overwhelmed by tasks that seem simple to others

• Putting things off until a deadline creates enough urgency to get started

• Experiencing frustration or emotional overwhelm more intensely than expected

These experiences can sometimes lead to a cycle of procrastination, stress, self-criticism, and feeling as though you are constantly trying to catch up.

ADHD can affect more than productivity

ADHD doesn't just affect schoolwork or getting things done. It can also influence relationships and emotional well-being.

Someone may forget an important date, interrupt during conversations, struggle to respond to messages, or have difficulty following through on plans. Even when these behaviors are unintentional, they can sometimes create tension or misunderstandings.

Over time, people with ADHD may also develop a lot of negative self-talk. After years of hearing that they are "lazy," "careless," "unmotivated," or "not living up to their potential," it can be difficult to separate those messages from their own understanding of themselves.

Therapy can provide a space to explore these experiences without judgment and develop a more compassionate and realistic understanding of how ADHD affects you.

Strategies that can help

There is no single strategy that works for everyone with ADHD. Often, the goal is not to force yourself to function exactly like someone without ADHD, but to find systems and supports that work with the way your brain operates.

Some strategies that may be helpful include:

Make tasks smaller. Instead of focusing on everything that needs to get done, identify the very first step. "Open the document" can feel much more manageable than "finish the project."

Externalize reminders. Calendars, alarms, written lists, visual cues, and other reminders can reduce the need to keep everything in your head.

Build routines around existing habits. Connecting a new behavior to something you already do can make it easier to remember and maintain.

Reduce unnecessary distractions. Creating an environment that makes it easier to focus can be more effective than relying entirely on willpower.

Use accountability. Working alongside another person, checking in with someone, or sharing a goal can provide helpful structure.

Practice self-compassion. Struggling with executive functioning does not mean that you are lazy or incapable. Understanding the challenges you are experiencing can make it easier to find strategies that actually work.

How therapy can help

Therapy for ADHD can look different depending on the person's needs and goals. For some people, therapy may focus on organization, time management, emotional regulation, or developing practical strategies for everyday life. For others, it may involve addressing anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, or years of frustration related to living with ADHD.

Therapy can also be a place to explore the question, "What do I need in order to function well?" rather than focusing only on what feels difficult or what you think you "should" be able to do.

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Finding Support at The Village 🌿

Understanding ADHD is an important step toward finding strategies, support, and a little more compassion for yourself or someone you love.

About the Authors

Lindsey Ehrenwerth Herman, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering in-person therapy at The Village's Shaler and West End locations, as well as teletherapy.

Kiler Wilson, LPC, CCTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, also certified as a Breathe to Heal Facilitator. She offers in-person therapy at our Shaler location and teletherapy.

If you or someone you love is navigating the challenges of ADHD, you don't have to figure it all out alone. The Village offers a welcoming, supportive space to explore your experiences and find approaches that work for you.

Interested in connecting with Lindsey or Kiler?
Visit our Staff Page to learn more about their backgrounds and approaches to therapy, or contact The Village to inquire about scheduling an appointment.

📞 412-455-6890

Special Podcast: Healing Was Never Meant to Be Done Alone

The Village’s Co-Owner, Kristy Joy Weidner, LCSW, CCTP, mindfulness teacher, and founder of inJOY Meditation, was recently invited to join Natalie Bulger, Founder of NC Bulger Solutions, on the Motivation N’at podcast.

In Episode 45: The Messy, Beautiful Work of Healing Together, Kristy and Natalie explore what healing really looks like when we let go of perfection and the belief that we have to do it all alone.

Their conversation touches on the importance of community and connection, why finding supportive people before reaching burnout matters, and how healing looks different for every person. Kristy also offers an approachable look at nervous system responses—including fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and flop—and how these protective patterns can show up in daily life.

This thoughtful episode also explores the realities of burnout (especially for helpers), barriers to mental health support, and the reminder that healing is often messy, nonlinear, and deeply human.

Watch the full episode below, or visit Natalie’s podcast page to listen directly:
ncbulgersolutions.com/podcast-episodes/the-messy-beautiful-work-of-healing-together

Read the full transcript of the podcast at: ncbulgersolutions.com/motivation-nat-podcast/transcript-ep-45-kristy-joy

To explore more episodes of Motivation N’at with Natalie Bulger, visit her podcast page:
ncbulgersolutions.com/podcast-episodes

Creating Safer Communities: Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence

By Erin Gillette, Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it is an opportunity to recognize the many people in our communities who have experienced domestic violence and to remind survivors that they are not alone.

At the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center, our mission is to offer supportive services, opportunities for healing, and community education to assist victims and end violence and abuse. Every day, our staff work with individuals and families who are navigating the effects of domestic violence and trying to move forward with their lives.

Understanding Domestic Violence

Domestic violence does not look the same in every relationship. It can include physical or sexual violence, emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, financial control, isolation, or other behaviors used to gain power and control. Often, there are many barriers that make it difficult for someone to leave or seek help. Safety concerns, financial dependence, children, housing, transportation, and fear of what may happen next can all play a role.

Support That Meets Survivors Where They Are

That is why our approach is centered around the individual and their needs. We do not tell someone what they should do. We listen, provide support and information, help them understand their options, and work with them to make decisions that are safest for them.

HOPE provides a variety of services, including our 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, medical advocacy, legal advocacy, rapid rehousing, civil legal representation, and community education and prevention programs. We work with survivors whether they are ready to leave an abusive relationship or are simply looking for someone to talk to and help them understand what they are experiencing.

The Power of Community Support

One of the most important things we can do as a community is believe survivors and respond without judgment. Sometimes the first person someone tells about their experience is a friend, family member, therapist, healthcare provider, teacher, coworker, or another trusted person. A supportive response can make a tremendous difference. Simply listening, believing someone, and helping them connect with resources can be an important first step toward safety and healing.

Domestic violence affects more than the person experiencing the abuse. It impacts children, families, friends, workplaces, and our communities. That is why awareness and education are so important. We all have a role in recognizing unhealthy and abusive behaviors, understanding the resources available, and knowing how to support someone who may be experiencing domestic violence.

As we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I hope we can continue to have conversations about domestic violence, not just in October, but throughout the year. Ending domestic violence requires all of us to be willing to learn, speak up, support survivors, and work together to create safer communities.

At HOPE, we are grateful for the many people in our community who support our work. Most importantly, we are grateful to the survivors who trust us to walk alongside them as they work toward safety and healing.

Support & Resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone. Support, information, and resources are available to help you explore your options and take steps toward safety and healing.

Finding Support

Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center
The HOPE Center provides free, confidential services for individuals and families affected by domestic violence, including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, advocacy, and supportive resources.

📞 24-Hour Hotline: 724-224-1266
Visit the HOPE Center website

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Confidential, 24/7 support, safety planning, and resources for individuals experiencing relationship abuse.

📞 Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233)
💬 Text: START to 88788
Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline

Education & Awareness

National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health

Offers educational resources, training, and information exploring the connection between domestic violence, trauma, and mental health.

Explore Educational Resources

Ways to Support the HOPE Center

Community support helps the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center continue providing essential services to survivors and their families.

🤍 Make a Donation
Financial contributions help support the HOPE Center's programs and services.

Donate to the HOPE Center

Give Through HOPE's Wish Lists
Help provide essential items and everyday necessities for individuals and families receiving support.

• View HOPE's Wish List

• Shop the Amazon Wish List

• Shop the Walmart Wish List

A Pumpkin with a Purpose: Helping Our Friends at Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue

Your fall decorations can make a difference—even after pumpkin season! 🎃

As autumn settles in and our porches begin to transition from pumpkins to holiday decorations, there's a wonderful way to give those pumpkins a second purpose.

This fall, Village Center for Holistic Therapy is once again collecting pumpkins on behalf of Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue, a local nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing a loving sanctuary for pigs in need.

Rather than letting your pumpkins go to waste, consider donating them! Pumpkins provide valuable nutrition and enrichment for the rescued pigs, turning a simple fall decoration into a special treat.

Help Us Fill the Piggy Pantry!

We're collecting uncarved, unpainted pumpkins through November 20 at both Village locations.

The Village – Shaler The Village – West End
1407 Mt. Royal Blvd 68 Wabash Street, Suite 100
Glenshaw, PA 15116 Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Simply bring your pumpkins to either location, and we'll make sure they find their way to our friends at Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue.

A Little More About Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue

Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, no-kill rescue dedicated to giving abandoned and neglected pigs a second chance. Through rescue, rehabilitation, education, and sanctuary care, they provide a safe and loving environment while helping others recognize pigs as intelligent, emotional beings deserving of compassion and respect.

Learn more about their mission and the animals they care for at pigsburghsquealers.com.

Small Acts of Kindness Make a Big Difference

At The Village, we believe that caring for our community extends to the animals who share it with us. Sometimes, making a difference is as simple as giving something we already have a new purpose.

So before you say goodbye to your fall pumpkins, consider sharing them with some very grateful pigs.

A little pumpkin can go a long way—and bring a whole lot of happy squeals! 🐷🧡

For questions about the pumpkin collection or how to contribute, please contact Chrystal, Administrative & Operations Coordinator, at chrystal@villagetherapy.org.

Mental Illness Awareness

October is marks Mental Illness Awareness Month — a gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and bring awareness to the landscapes of our inner world. At The Village, we believe that mental health is not separate from the rest of who we are. It is the rhythm beneath our days, the way we meet ourselves in stillness, and the compassion we extend when life feels heavy.

Understanding Mental Illness

Mental illness touches millions of lives — shaping how we think, feel, and move through the world. One in five adults in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition each year, yet so many carry their stories quietly. These experiences are not signs of weakness, but reminders of our humanity — of how deeply we feel, love, and long to heal. When we meet our pain with care rather than judgment, we open the door to balance, connection, and renewal.

Why Mental Health Matters

Mental wellness is the foundation that holds us steady. It influences how we love, how we create, and how we move through joy and sorrow alike.
Caring for our mental health isn’t only about tending to what’s hurting — it’s about cultivating presence, compassion, and rest. It’s about remembering that we are not alone, and that healing is possible in community, one mindful breath at a time.

Gentle Practices for the Mind and Heart

Sometimes healing begins with small, intentional moments of care — the kind that help us return to center when the world feels heavy. These gentle practices can be a starting place to honor your mental and emotional well-being:

❤️ Check in softly. Pause for a breath and ask yourself, How am I feeling today? Naming what’s present invites clarity and care.
❤️ Create quiet rituals. Light a candle, take a mindful walk, or place your hand over your heart. Simple acts of presence bring the nervous system home to calm.
❤️ Reach out. Connection is medicine. Share how you’re feeling with someone you trust — or hold space for someone else to be heard.
❤️ Rest deeply. Healing often begins when we give ourselves permission to slow down, release expectation, and simply be.

Where Healing Finds Its Way Home

At the Village Center for Holistic Therapy, we believe that healing unfolds gently when mind, body, and spirit are cared for as one.

Our compassionate team of therapists offers both in-person and telehealth sessions, creating a supportive space for reflection, renewal, and growth — whether you’re sitting across from us in our cozy office or connecting from the quiet of your own home.

Each practitioner brings a unique depth of expertise and heart-centered approach. Together, we support individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transitions, and first responder stress, as well as those seeking personal growth, self-discovery, and greater emotional balance.

Our therapists integrate a variety of approaches — from mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to somatic and trauma- informed practices, EMDR, and holistic modalities that help regulate the nervous system and nurture inner calm.

At The Village, therapy is not simply about reducing symptoms— it’s about reconnecting with your innate wholeness.

Every session is an invitation to come home to yourself, to soften the edges of overwhelm, and to rediscover what it means to feel grounded, seen, and safe. To learn more about the practitioners at The Village, visit villagetherapy.org/staff-1.

Before the Breaking Point: Supporting Perinatal Mental Health

The perinatal period can hold so much at once—change, responsibility, uncertainty, exhaustion, and deep emotional shifts. In this reflection, Kiler Wilson, LPC, CCTP, explores the importance of recognizing when everyday overwhelm may be becoming something more and reminds us that support does not have to begin at a breaking point.

When Overwhelm Becomes Something More

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This month can serve as a reminder for all of us to check in on the people we love and those in our communities. It can also remind us that seeking support does not have to wait until someone is in crisis.

We are often unaware of the mental and emotional load the people in our lives are carrying. This can be especially true for women during the perinatal period—a time that can bring significant physical, emotional, relational, and life changes.

“Struggling does not mean you are failing as a mother.”

— Kiler Wilson, LPC, CCTP

For women in this phase of life, feeling overwhelmed is common. There are new responsibilities, shifting identities, sleep disruption, changing relationships, and often an immense amount of pressure to care for everyone else while continuing to function ourselves.

But when does normal overwhelm become something more?

This month, I want to focus on perinatal mental health and help bring awareness to some of the signs that overwhelm, anxiety, depression, or emotional distress may be becoming too much.

Some Important Reminders

♡ You don't have to wait until you're in crisis to ask for help.
♡ Struggling does not mean you are failing as a mother.
♡ Mental health concerns don't always look like sadness—sometimes they look like irritability, anger, anxiety, numbness, isolation, or feeling constantly overwhelmed.
♡ Checking in on someone can be as simple as asking, “How are you really doing?” and creating space for an honest answer.
♡ If you are concerned about someone, don't be afraid to ask directly about how they're feeling or whether they're having thoughts of hurting themselves. Asking does not put the idea in someone's head—it can open the door to getting help.

Notice. Ask. Listen.
We don't always know what someone is carrying. Sometimes, simply noticing, asking, and listening can make a meaningful difference.

Support is not something we should have to earn by reaching a breaking point.

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Kiler Wilson, LPC, CCTP is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional at Village Center for Holistic Therapy. She works with adults, families, and children ages 10 and older, with specialties including anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, infertility, and the emotional challenges that can come with major life transitions. Her approach is collaborative, strengths-based, and grounded in creating a safe, nonjudgmental space for clients to explore what they’re experiencing.
To learn more about Kiler or to connect with The Village about scheduling, visit her Villagetherapy.org/kiler or call at 412-455-6890.

Getting to Know Dr. Victor Barbetti

A conversation about therapy, coffee, dwelling, and the art of noticing.

This month, we’re slowing down for a conversation with Dr. Victor Barbetti, PhD, Licensed Psychologist and Co-Owner of The Village. From the questions that continue to shape his work as a psychologist to meditation, community, coffee, architecture, and the ways we choose to pay attention, Victor offers a glimpse into the ideas—and everyday moments—that have stayed with him throughout his life and career.

You’ve been a psychologist for a long time. What originally drew you to psychology?

I think I was interested in psychology before I knew there was a word for it. I’ve always been fascinated by people—how we make sense of our lives, why we do the things we do, how relationships shape us, and how two people can experience the world so differently.

Eventually that curiosity, and the influence of some pretty great teachers, led me to existential and phenomenological psychology, which gave me a language for something I already sensed: psychology isn’t only about what happens inside a person. We humans are always living in a world—with other people, in bodies, in relationships, in places, within histories. To understand someone psychologically, you have to understand something about the world they’re living in.

After decades of doing therapy, what still fascinates you about it?

That people can, in fact, change.

“Something that seemed impossible becomes possible because the person encountering the situation has changed.”

I don’t mean that in a sentimental way. Human beings can get remarkably stuck. It’s why most people come to therapy. We have a remarkable knack for repeating patterns, defending ourselves, avoiding difficult truths, staying in relationships or situations that don’t fit us, and sometimes organizing our lives around fears we barely recognize.

But we also have this extraordinary capacity to see ourselves differently and suddenly discover possibilities that weren’t visible before. I’ve watched that happen thousands of times and it still amazes me. Something that seemed impossible becomes possible because the person encountering the situation has changed.

Has your idea of therapy changed over the years?

Definitely. I used to think that therapists were supposed to have more answers.

Now I think my job is less about telling people how to live and more about helping them see their lives clearly enough that they can participate in them differently, and more fully.

Symptoms matter, of course. Anxiety matters. Depression matters. Trauma matters. Relationship conflict matters. But at the same time I’m interested in the whole person and the life they’ve been trying to make. Where do you feel most alive? Where have you become constrained? What are you avoiding? What matters enough that you’re willing to tolerate discomfort for it? Where are you living congruently with yourself, and where are you feeling off kilter or out of balance?

Those questions interest me much more than simply asking, “How do we make this symptom disappear?”

You’ve also taught yoga and meditation classes, and have practiced meditation for years. How does that connect with psychology for you?

Psychology can become very cerebral. We can talk endlessly about our lives without necessarily experiencing them differently.

Yoga and meditation bring us back to embodiment and attention. What is happening right now? What does anxiety actually feel like in your body? Can you notice a thought without immediately believing it? Can you remain present with discomfort instead of reflexively escaping it?

I don’t think meditation is about making your mind blank. It’s about training our minds to notice. And increasingly, I think the quality of our lives, both positive and negative, has an enormous amount to do with how we pay attention.

What’s one misconception people have about meditation?

That you’re bad at it because your mind keeps wandering.

“Meditation teaches us the art of coming home.”

Your mind wandering is the practice! You notice that you’ve disappeared into random thoughts, and you return. Then you disappear again. Then you return again.

There’s something beautiful about that little movement. We spend enormous portions of our lives somewhere other than where we actually are—replaying yesterday’s events, anticipating tomorrow’s tasks, looking at a screen, rehearsing an argument from 10 years ago. Meditation teaches us the art of coming home, of being present in our bodies and to ourselves.

You’ve spent a lot of your career building Village Therapy. What does “Village” mean to you now?

More than I anticipated when we started 15 years ago! Kristy and I had no idea that this is where it would lead. We’re both so grateful for what Village has become.

A therapy practice can easily become a collection of clinicians who happen to share office space and a website. I’ve always wanted Village to be something more communal than that—a place where clinicians can develop their professional aspirations, where different disciplines can work alongside one another in a supportive environment, and where therapy is part of a broader conversation about psychological life.

That’s why things like yoga, meditation, groups, workshops, teaching, writing, and community events make sense to me as part of the Village. Therapy happens in an office, but psychological life certainly doesn’t stay there.

What do you think makes a good therapist?

Curiosity.

Training and experience matter enormously, but I think therapists have to remain genuinely interested in the person sitting across from them. The moment I think I already know who you are because I know your diagnosis, your history, or your “type,” I’ve stopped encountering you.

And sustained healing and change happen through genuine human encounters, not merely knowledge transfer, advice giving, or new and exciting “optimization” regimens, though those things can all be very helpful in their own way.

What thinkers have influenced you most?

There are too many to name, but Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Levinas from the phenomenological and ethical philosophy traditions, as well as teachers such as James Hillman, Bernd Jager, Robert Romanyshyn, and Alphonso Lingis.

The work of Carl Rogers has also stayed with me, particularly his idea of congruence—the importance of our lived experience and the life we present to the world coming into better alignment. More recently, I’ve found myself returning to Carl Jung and his idea of “individuation” and the importance of integrating disparate parts of ourselves in order to move into healthier ways of relating to self and others.

Outside psychology and philosophy, contemplative traditions have probably influenced me just as much. Buddhism and yoga’s recognition that suffering is intertwined with attachment and aversion strikes me as one of the deepest psychological observations ever made. The insights of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are profoundly relevant to our modern-day psychopathologies and cultural “dis-ease,” and more needs to be written about this.

Okay, enough philosophy. What does an ideal Saturday morning actually look like?

Most mornings I’m usually up around six, which means I get a few quiet hours when nobody wants anything from me. I make coffee, briefly check emails, take a 60–90 minute urban hike with my pup around Highland Park, come home and do some yoga, meditate for a bit, maybe do some writing, and then shower and start my day.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more protective of mornings. There’s something wonderful about having a few hours when life hasn’t started bossing you around yet. It’s my contemplative time where I can center and ground myself.

What might people at Village be surprised to know about you?

Maybe that the person talking about existential phenomenology in the staff meeting also spends a considerable amount of time hanging out with friends, hunting through architectural salvage shops, working on an off-grid cabin in the Adirondacks, watching disturbing horror movies with my wife, and obsessing over whether a piece of furniture is three inches too wide for a particular wall or if a piece of art belongs somewhere else in the house.

I’ve played soccer and sports since I was five. I’ve run a marathon, rock climbed and backpacked, played in two different bands, and consider myself an amateur plant enthusiast. I’m also slightly obsessed with houses and architecture, art and music, furniture design, crafted objects, and curated spaces—especially things that are strange, old, handmade, or have some history attached to them.

I’m fascinated by human dwelling: what makes a place feel inhabited rather than merely occupied? What makes somewhere feel like home? How do we align our interior and exterior spaces so that we feel most at home in our bodies and in our world?

What’s something you take much more seriously than you probably should?

Coffee! I can talk for hours about coffee.

Also lighting and ambience in buildings. Music, bands and playlists. Where I sit in a restaurant. Whether a room feels right or balanced.

What are you curious about lately?

Our attention.

I keep returning to how much of contemporary life is designed to capture and fragment our attention. Phones, notifications, algorithms, advertising—there’s an enormous competition underway for this very finite human capacity.

I’ve been thinking about attention almost as an ethical question: What deserves my attention? Because whatever we repeatedly attend to eventually becomes part of the world we inhabit.

Incidentally, I wrote my dissertation on ADHD many years ago and I’m surprised that it continues to be relevant to the work I’m doing today.

Finish this sentence: “Lately, I’ve been thinking about…

...how much gratitude is a form of seeing.

We often talk about gratitude as thankfulness, which it certainly can be. But I think there’s something prior to thankfulness: noticing that something is beautiful, astonishing, fleeting, funny, tender, or simply good.

A tree swaying in the wind. Morning light coming through a window. My dog acting completely ridiculous. Someone you love sitting across from you drinking coffee and smiling at you. The fact that any of this is happening at all.

The world is constantly offering itself to us, and we are remarkably capable of missing it.

Maybe gratitude begins when we don’t.

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Dr. Victor Barbetti is a clinical psychologist and Co-Owner of The Village Center for Holistic Therapy, where his work invites curiosity, presence, and a deeper connection to our lived experience.

This fall, Victor will be offering Third Thursdays Community Meditation, a monthly meditation class at The Village’s West End studio, as well as his quarterly Cacao Ceremony at our Shaler studio. To learn more about Victor, his work, and upcoming offerings, visit villagetherapy.org/victor.

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