Madeleine and Joe Herman 

 Tell us how you first got involved with NFCC. 

After being really bogged down with work in my early-to-mid 20s, I (Joe) started a new job that gave me a much better work-life balance. Right around that time, Carroll Patrizi reached out and asked if I would serve on the Advisory Board. The timing was perfect. Nick was a friend of mine from St. John’s and Camp Longhorn, and I struggled with my own mental health after witnessing his and Scott’s accident and again during an extremely stressful time in my professional life. I was fortunate enough to find a private practice therapist that I clicked with, who really helped to steer me in the right direction. I knew the need for affordable counseling was/is great and was excited to be asked to serve. 

As a past chair and longtime member of the Advisory Board (Joe), what are you most proud of NFCC accomplishing during this time? What do you hope to see NFCC achieve in the next five years? 

There are a couple of things I’d mention. The Board has always had wonderful, dedicated board members that have helped to make NFCC what it is today. I think what I am most impressed by and proud of, though, is the gradual transition of Board members to those did not know Nick personally but are still extremely supportive of the mission of providing affordable counseling regardless of age, finances, or beliefs. It’s indicative of the evolution of the organization that, to me, helps instill confidence in the long-term sustainability of the Center and the ability to execute its mission. The other thing I’d mention, obviously, is simply the execution of the mission. NFCC helps so many people get access to high-quality healthcare that normally might not have access to it. It’s a testament to the leadership and the quality of the counselors that NFCC has. 

There are a couple of things I’d like to see NFCC achieve in the next five years. The first is making progress in expanding our outreach efforts in tandem with corporate sponsorships. There are so many amazing and successful local organizations that are supportive of mental health. I think these businesses would benefit from partnering with NFCC to help provide outreach talks to their own employees, while also helping NFCC to reach further and deeper into the Houston community. To that end, I think eventually NFCC will find over the near-term that it will need more space to execute its outreach efforts while also maintaining high-quality standards of counseling at the Center. I hope to help NFCC think through and execute on its next (and hopefully last!) building expansion sometime in the next five years that will set it up best for long-term success. Space is tight and I think everyone affiliated with NFCC would benefit from this undertaking. 

As former chairs of our Crawfish Boil and longtime supporters of the Gala, tell us more about why you keep attending NFCC events. 

First, they’re fun! Second, I think it’s a great opportunity to see under the hood of NFCC and witness real-life testimonials to its impact on the community. As an Advisory Board member, I am lucky to get to hear some of these stories at our quarterly meetings, but not everyone gets that opportunity. I think it’s important for those that come to the events and support the organization to see how meaningful their contributions are. 

In your opinion, what is the most important work NFCC does? 

Clearly, executing on the mission is core to what NFCC does. But I think one of the most important things the Staff and clinicians do is to continue to innovate and think of ways to reach more people. I think the growth in our outreach program is testament to that hard work and creative thinking. 

Why is mental health important to you? What do you do to take care of your own mental health? 

I probably don’t do it often enough, but if I am feeling really anxious about something or mentally drained, I’ll log onto the Headspace app to help clear my head. I also find being open and honest with friends or family about my own personal or mental struggles is helpful—someone is always going through something similar. I think it’s just about finding that therapist, person, friend, or other outlet/sounding board that helps someone reset. And I don’t think it’s a one-size-fits-all prescription; we’re all different. It’s just about finding what works best for you.