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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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Creative Therapy Solutions for
Individuals, Couples and Families
T
he word “holistic” is everywhere these days. Health food stores,
supplements, exercise gyms, and yoga studios all use it as a
buzzword. But what does it really mean? In terms of treating
mental health, “holistic” means understanding someone as a whole
person: the person’s emotions and thoughts, physical health, social
relationships, life situations, and spirituality. “Holistic” means that
we don’t just see a person as “having a problem” or as a medical
diagnosis. We see you as an individual with a unique story, with
specific strengths and personal struggles. In line with our holistic
approaches, we also see mental health as something that needs to be
maintained just as much as physical health; in fact, they’re related to
each other in significant ways and can affect each other positively or
negatively.
This holistic approach
to health and wellness
has informed our
approach from the start
and we are pleased to
bring it to the community
of Shaler Township. Codirectors Kristy Weidner,
LCSW and Victor Barbetti,
PhD began the Center
with the idea that
our mental health is best served when we feel like we are a part
of a community. Last year, the Center offered free yoga, guided
relaxations, and meditation classes during the 2015 Venture Outdoors
Festival, bringing mindfulness to the greater Pittsburgh community.
When our Shaler Township location opened last fall, we raised funds
and awareness for the Alle-Kiski HOPE Center, a center that shelters
families and their pets from domestic violence. We continue to
offer free meditation classes and low-cost yoga and PiYo classes that
provide a way for the community to access high quality wellness
activities.
So what does holistic therapy look like?
Holistic therapy consists of practices meant to explore the
connections between the mental, physical, social and spiritual
aspects of one’s life. The therapeutic process includes an in-depth
reflection on our connections to others, relationship patterns, and
family dynamics, as well as one’s thought process and emotional
life. Therapy that is holistic might also consider movement and
exercise, relaxation and stress reduction skills, mindfulness skills,
and an exploration of diet. But most important, holistic therapy is a
collaborative process, so that means the therapists and instructors
at the Center work to involve you in the design of your therapy and
lifestyle plan.
Our services, tailored to your needs
Our staff consists of a psychologist, a psychiatrist, counselors, social
workers, and registered yoga teachers. Therapists at the Center are
trained in many different specialties including: depression, anxiety,
relationship issues, academic performance, grief and loss, and stress
management. We also offer services for the Deaf and hard of hearing
from staff who are fluent in ASL.
Our wellness services are designed to support our counseling
services and include yoga and meditation classes, private yoga
instruction, reiki, and themed wellness workshops, such as Yoga
for Boosting Your Mood, Yoga for Self Love, and Aging Vibrantly:
Internal Nourishing for External Health. Our workshops on chakra
integration and Ayurvedic diet have been particularly popular, and
feature vibrant and talented teachers like Brooke Smokelin, E-RYT and
Bhavna Mehta, RYT-500.
The Village
Center for
Holistic
Therapy has
two convenient
locations:
Village North in
Shaler Township
and Village
West in West End Village, close to downtown Pittsburgh. For more
information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please
visit www.VillageTherapy.org or call 412.455.6890.
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