Meet Our Team - Abby Cerino
Abby Cerino
Position at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center:
ADHD and Executive Function Coach
How long have you been working at Hallowell Todaro ADHD?
I just started this month and I’m very excited to be here.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Northampton, Pennsylvania on Leni Lenape Ancestral lands.
What are your favorite books / TV shows / movies?
The books that come to mind as having had a profound influence on me are “Jitterbug Perfume” by Tom Robbins, “Dharma Bums” by Jack Kerouac, “100 Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “The Clan of the Cave Bear” series by Jean M. Auel, and “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coehlo.
Some of my favorite TV shows include “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Walking Dead,” “Outlander,” “Hilda,” and “Star Trek.” Movies I have enjoyed are “Under the Tuscan Sun,” “Bread and Tulips,” “Amelie,” “Chocolat,” “The Matrix,” and the “Star Wars” series.
What is your favorite sport and/or sports team?
I don’t pay much attention to team sports these days. I enjoy hiking and snowboarding in my free time. I do love a good game of volleyball as well.
Complete the following sentences:
When I’m not at work, you can find me...
out in Nature, enjoying solitude and getting to know the land and its inhabitants. In the garden, making herbal medicine, drinking tea, meditating, practicing yoga, or enjoying a walk with a good friend.
When I want to de-stress, I...
walk, garden, go into Nature, talk with a friend, hang out with animals (my kitties and chickens).
My favorite time of year is...
spring and fall.
My favorite thing to cook is...
breakfast!
The best gift I ever received was…
an immersion blender from a roommate who I least expected it from.
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I’d go to...
Italy, India, Turkey, Mongolia.
What led you to pursue a career helping others?
I have always been naturally inclined towards helping others. It’s in my blood, it’s how I find meaning and purpose in life. It is essential to my being to be of service.
What education, skills, and expertise do you bring to your role?
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, two Teaching Credentials (Social Science and Multiple Subjects) from Humboldt State University, a Trauma-Informed Youth Professional Certificate from the Center for Adolescent Studies, and 15 years of experience teaching and mentoring in diverse settings, including outside in Wilderness settings. I am a 200 hour certified Yoga Teacher, Energy Practitioner, Herbalist, and Wilderness Skills Instructor. I feel I bring grounded energy and presence, an eagerness to work alongside my clients, and can provide a variety of supportive practices and approaches as needed or wanted to support them in moving forward.
Who/what inspires you?
I am inspired by people in my life who have overcome major obstacles to create lives they love, people who have not only survived but manage to thrive and keep a good attitude, people who are badass and humble simultaneously, people who understand the value of work, rest, and play, people who live from the heart, and do their best to live in integrity with themselves and their values. I am inspired by Nature, my Grammy, and by stories of Indigenous, Earth-based people whose resilience and teachings show us how to live in relationship with Mother Earth and remember our responsibilities as humans.
What’s your personal philosophy/approach toward the work you do?
My approach is to meet people where they are at in their lives and support them in uncovering their gifts, working with their strengths, and understanding areas for growth. I also enjoy working together to co-create routines, rituals, and practices to support them in going forward towards what they want for themselves and their lives.
What is one small thing people can do to improve their lives and increase their happiness?
Spend more time being present with the things they enjoy. Spend more time in Nature. Practice gratitude each day and live from the heart.
We provide a range of support for people with ADHD.