Communities Behave Like the People Who Comprise Them

 

A colleague recently asked me whether community development needs “civic therapists.” At first, it sounds like consultant-speak gone too far. But the more I sit with it, the more it feels exactly right. Because many struggling towns aren’t held back by zoning codes, grant formulas, or business attraction strategies. They’re held back by something quieter and much more personal: chronic apathy and low civic self-esteem.

Communities behave just like the people who comprise them. When residents carry confidence, places feel vibrant and possible. When residents feel disconnected, discouraged, or invisible, that mood spills into the streetscape. And after decades of disinvestment—whether economic, social, or emotional—many communities have people who simply don’t feel great about where they live. That’s not a technical problem. It’s an emotional one.

This is why big, shiny investments often fall flat. A new park, a redevelopment project, or a splashy grant announcement can look impressive on paper, but if the average resident doesn’t feel connected to their neighbors or to the larger story of their community, the project rarely sticks. It becomes another thing that “the city did,” not something we built together. When people are disengaged, the place stays stuck.

Here’s where connection and neighboring come in—not as feel-good add-ons, but as core infrastructure. Trust is the currency that allows communities to take risks, make decisions, and move toward a future where everyone feels they belong. And trust isn’t built through five-point strategic plans. It’s built through small interactions repeated over time: conversations on a porch, neighbors showing up for a cleanup day, a local business hosting a game night, people genuinely asking each other what they care about and listening to the answer.

Small wins matter because they create shared ownership. Shared ownership builds pride. And pride breeds possibility. When a resident feels known, when their contribution is valued, when they feel connected to the people around them, their sense of belonging strengthens. And belonging is what fuels the confidence necessary for bigger decisions—whether that’s supporting a new development, volunteering for a committee, or simply believing that the community’s best days aren’t behind it.

If we asked residents simple human questions—What would make you care more about your town? What would make you proud to say you live here?—we’d uncover insights no consultant report could ever match. Not because expertise isn’t useful, but because transformation begins in the emotional soil of a place, not in its spreadsheets.

So maybe community development really does need civic therapists. Or maybe those of us doing this work simply need to think a little more like one—starting with connection, trust, and belonging, and letting everything else grow from there.

Written by David L. Burton

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Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or burtond@missouri.edu. You can also visit his website at https://engagedneighbor.com.