Have you ever felt like you need to talk to someone? I mean, honestly. "There's a stigma behind mental health," agrees Kristy Weidner, LCSW co-founder of Village Center for Holistic Therapy in West End and Shaler.
What is PROFILE and X3?
X3 is a digital marketing, data analytics, and production company located in Pittsburgh, PA and Irvine, CA offering data driven growth and professional video production. Profile is a series with business owners and influencers where we explore a day in their life and what it takes to run a business.
What is Holistic Therapy?
Holistic therapy is a combination of mental, physical, and spiritual wellness practices focused on a natural, non-intrusive efforts. Traditional therapy can consist of talk sessions preceded by a psychiatrist prescribing medications. Holistic does not mean sans-medication, but rather focuses on remedies that encourage mindfulness. Dr. Victor Barbetti is the psychologist and co-owner of Village.
What is svadhyaya?
Frank Udavcak had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Barbetti during this PROFILE episode and they briefly discussed mindfulness. The word "svadhyaya" is derived from "sva" meaning "self" and adhyaya means inquiry or examination. This practice of self-auditing/self-awareness is the core of holistic therapy and derives from yogi practices.
Self-awareness allows us to process our emotions objectively rather than immediately acting or responding to them. This practice reverts us to a place of balance and understanding of ourselves.
How Do You Start A Therapy Center?
A lot of time. Kristy and Dr. Barbetti worked for over 3 years organizing and preparing paperwork; from health insurance acceptance, to finding a building --- it's not easy. With years of prior work under their belt and both possessing a passion of leading effective change, they decided to pursue their goal.
How Do You Measure Success Rate in Therapy?
I wanted to ask this question because while this industry is from ethically classifying patients as numbers, it is important to have benchmark data and quantifiable milestones. Things like "patient retention" or "recovery rate" or qualifying someone's self-rated well-being are things that I can imagine being data points.
I didn't get the opportunity to speak with Dr. Barbetti intricately on this topic, but as I pursue my own career, it will always interest me and be an area of improvement. One of my goals is to provide a service for mental health and addiction awareness where information and resources are congregated and learning exercises and obtaining health information are accessible.
The Future of Mental Health & Wellness
While X3 continues to work with companies making a difference in the medical and mental health world, we notice the ongoing progress as a society and individually when it comes to understanding what mental illness is and also, what wellness is. During the podcast I was invited to, it was apparent that many people think they only need help when it's too late. As humans, we are constantly in a marathon with ourselves. Keeping up is imperative for EVERY person and we must maintain our mind, body, and our spirit.
Want To Try A Workshop?
Village offers FREE workshops. Check out their site to see when you can try out a yoga, discussion groups, etc.
Visit www.xthree.co to learn more.