The NAOMI community derives its name from a remarkable friendship between two women who suffered great loss but chose to encourage, support and serve one another as they journeyed on the path to healing and rebuilt their lives.

Healing happens in relationship.

Trauma dis-integrates a person – separates various parts of the brain and the rest of the body from each other, pulls us apart – and creates distance between ourselves and other people. Our healing begins when people move toward us and we don’t run away. Our healing happens when we are known – truly known – and loved.

In 2023, Surgeon Health General Dr. Vivek Murthy said that the United States had a loneliness epidemic and that, if we didn’t address it, the consequences would be dire: ”Lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”