NAMI Johnston County, NC, Inc.

07/20/2025

Try and find one thing that makes you happy and do it today and then share what you did and how it made you feel!

Sharing is Caring!!

A few ideas:

🌼 1. Step Outside for just 5 Minutes

Sit on your porch, feel the sun, listen to the birds, or look at the sky. Just breathe.

☕ 2. Make Your Favorite Warm Drink

Try a new tea and soak in a warm bath

💌 3. Send a Kind Text to Someone You Care About

A simple “thinking of you” can boost your mood just as much as theirs.

🎶 4. Play a Song That Makes You Smile

Dance, hum, or just let it wash over you. One feel-good song can shift your whole energy.

✨ 5. Light a Candle or Use Essential Oils

Scents like lavender, citrus, or vanilla can create instant calm or joy in your space.

Whatever you do we hope it soothes and nourishes your soul!

07/08/2025

The NAMI Connection meeting for July 8th in Smithfield is cancelled. Our members will be attending a memorial service for Don White.

Send a message to learn more

07/04/2025

As we celebrate July 4th—remember it’s about celebrating freedom.

But sadly— not for everyone.

For many of our veterans, today isn’t about hot dogs and fireworks.
For some, it’s one of the hardest days of the year.

Because when you’re living with PTSD, the sound of fireworks doesn’t bring joy—it brings back memories.
Memories you didn’t choose.
Memories that flood in without warning.
It can cause anxiety, fear, and deep emotional pain.

And no—it’s not something you can just “shake off.”
That’s not how trauma works.
That’s not how the brain works.

But this is where NAMI Johnston County, NC, Inc. comes in.
NAMI offers powerful, free support programs for veterans, for families, for anyone struggling with mental health. There is help. There is hope. And there is healing.

So today, I ask you to do something real.
Something meaningful.

Call a veteran.
Don’t text. Don’t send an obligatory “thinking of you” message.
Call.

Don’t make it about July 4th.

Just say:
“Hey, I’ve been thinking about you. Just wanted to hear your voice.”

That’s presence. That’s human connection. That’s love.
And that’s what makes all the difference.

Because the freedom we celebrate today?

They paid for it.
Let’s honor that—not just with fireworks, but with real care for the people behind the uniform.

06/28/2025

👂𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔—𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆

When someone opens up—really opens up—it’s not just small talk. It’s courage. And when you’re struggling with your mental health, you don’t want advice wrapped in noise.

You want to feel heard without judgment, without interruption, without someone waiting to speak.

Try these gentle ways:

👌So pause, don’t speak to just speak
🗣️Let them stumble through their truth.
😢Let them cry if they need to
👏Put your own pain aside to help them
🤫Let the silence hold space for what they can’t quite say yet.

🎯Your quiet presence might be the safest place they’ve had in a long time.

Sometimes it’s not words people need—it’s presence, and sometimes even silent presence just holding their hand.🤝

𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕

People who are hurting often don’t announce it. They retreat.

🔴They fade from group chats.
⛔️They stop posting.
🛑They cancel plans without explanation.
🫂And sometimes, that’s when they need someone most.

𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑—𝒑𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕.

If someone used to share often and now doesn’t, check on them.

Not with a “you good?” text, but with a real moment of care.

📞Pick up the phone—

𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥

💌Send a card and write words that would make you feel better not platitudes really think about what they may be going through and if you were going through the same thing, what would you need?

A call. A card. A visit.

One gentle act can remind someone they’re not invisible.

𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒅, 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓

❤️When someone is in a mental health crisis, they don’t need you to fix them.
👀They need you to really SEE them.
🪑To sit in their sadness without trying to spin it into a silver lining. 🚷To walk with them—not in front of them, not above them.

🎧Be someone who listens with their ❤️ heart and shows up without needing recognition.

You don’t have to say all the right things. You just have to stay.

Every silence is saying something.

Mental health struggles are rarely loud.

They’re quiet.

They’re vanishing acts.
Missed calls.
Tired eyes.
Unanswered texts.

Be the one who notices.
Be the one who stays.
Speak less. Mean more.
Notice who’s quiet.
And be a shepherd—not a performer.

06/11/2025

Brian Wilson was a musical icon whose battles with mental illness walked hand in hand with his genius.

06/08/2025

Even though I'm at National, group is still on for 10am

06/07/2025

Thanks to our friends and community partners at Deep River Brewing Company for hosting our Family Fun Day in May and for the $800.00 donation. Barbara Digirolamo and I are beginning to work on a big NAMI Johnston County, NC, Inc. event there in September of 2026.

06/07/2025

On Thursday, June 5th, we had the pleasure of presenting at AdvanceTEC in Clayton. Bringing the message of mental health in the workplace to more companies in Johnston County.

05/21/2025

NAMI JoCo will be at Carolina Outreach this morning from 9 to 11 a.m. Stop by to say 'Hi' and check out the services there.

05/17/2025

NAMI North Carolina NAMIWalk with Rich, Anthony, Pat, Jen and Albert.

05/12/2025

https://www.namiwalks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.team&teamID=72136

I'm supporting NAMI!

05/11/2025

A special thanks to NAMI North Carolina Executive Director Holly Doggett for joining us for Family Fun Day at Deep River Brewing Company on Saturday, May 10th.in Clayton. Holly joined our Affiliate Founder Marilyn Lundin, President Rich Callahan, and our 2023 Advocate of the Year Albert Dixon.