June 3, 2020
We are heartbroken by the atrocities committed against our black and brown community members. Too many lives, families, and communities are being destroyed by senseless violence and intergenerational trauma brought on by racism and discrimination. As an organization founded on Catholic social teaching principles, we at The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center (NCC) believe each person has inherent human dignity – and that racism is a life issue. Our Clinical Director Korina Jochim, LMFT says it best: “To me, taking an antiracist stance is inextricable from social justice work.”
Thirty-four years ago, NCC was founded to ensure that professional mental health care was accessible to all, regardless of racial, cultural, faith, marital, sex, gender, or socioeconomic background. Through the years, we’ve provided a safe space for healing and hope, with our doors and our hearts open. Right now, there is indescribable pain, sadness, hurt, frustration, and anger. We want you to know that we are here for and with you. Our organization is far from perfect, but our therapists are fully equipped to care for all in a culturally responsive way through their outrage, trauma, and grief.
We are committed to the fight for equity for the long-haul. Our staff and board still have a long way to go in our own equity work. Our community deserves better from us, and from all organizations in a place of power and influence. As an organization, NCC continually acknowledges our own racism and privilege, and works to decolonize our thoughts and actions in order to better support our community. We are committed to using our platform to speak out against the injustices we see, and supporting all in dealing with their mental health issues.
– The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center
