April 5, 2017 NCC has been chosen as a Mental Health Hero by the Keep Oregon Well campaign! The Center will be recognized at an awards ceremony on May 6 and highlighted during Mental Health Month in May. What’s particularly wonderful about...
MoreBuilding a Happy Stepfamily
The stepfamily is a special kind of family. The backgrounds and lived experiences each person brings to the stepfamily should be valued. Although enriching, it can also be very challenging. Partners can forget that their new family is formed out...
MoreI’m Right and You’re an Idiot
February 21, 2017 Barb’s Blog – Don’t panic. These are not my words but the title of a book I have yet to read. The title certainly got my attention, as I am sure it did yours. Whether you’re red or blue, west or Midwest, you will...
MoreTuning In AKA Attunement
January 27, 2017 Think about a time when someone really ‘got’ how you were feeling. It may have been a time when you were feeling terrible. Maybe you were angry, hurt, or disappointed. In that moment, someone took the time to notice how you were...
MoreNew Year’s Resolution Success
January 5, 2017 Jazzed in January and a flopped in February. That pretty much describes New Year’s resolutions that fifty percent of us make. Those of us that don’t this year still remember years of failure that results in an attitude of, “Why...
MoreGrief and the Holidays
December 14, 2016 Grief doesn’t take a holiday. In fact, the holidays are poignant reminders of our loss and loneliness. As Christmas approaches, our first instinct is to retreat or withdraw but somehow grief manages to find us. There are several...
MoreDon’t Scrooge Yourself
December 3, 2016 Barb’s Blog Some practical thoughts from Sr. Barbara Kennedy, LPC, therapist and co-founder of NCC: Last year I was invited to speak on holiday stress at two different gatherings. During both presentations I could almost...
MoreNot Just a Dinner Blessing
November 23, 2016 Barb’s Blog This is not your ordinary “Let’s be grateful – it’s thanksgiving time” blog. It’s about gratitude but not the kind that says, “Once a year we should say a blessing at dinner.” At first the following ideas...
MorePregnancy and Infant Loss Day
October 15, 2016 On October 15th of each year we remember Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. It is a day to commemorate the death of all children lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, SID and other tragedies. It will always be a time that parents...
MoreLiving with SAD
October 7, 2016 Are you one of the many people in the northwest experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder? This mild form of depression usually begins in the late fall and lingers through the winter. Although researchers have not conclusively...
MoreCount Her In
September 30, 2016 The Women’s Foundation of Oregon just released a report called “Count Her In” (see the full report at www.womensfoundationoforgon.org). It reveals some very sad statistics about women in Oregon. -Nearly half...
MoreThe Weight of the World: Self-care in Troubled Times
July 12, 2016 World, national and local news consistently sends a barrage of images depicting recent acts of violence, stories of racism, abuse, natural disasters and other stories of profound suffering. It is both normal and healthy to have such...
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