Portland, OR (July 26, 2007) – Samaritan Counseling Centers, Inc. of Portland, Oregon, announced today the launch of its new website, www.sccpdx.org.

Part of their re-branding initiative, sccpdx.org marks the beginning of their online campaign targeting families, individuals, and parents in an effort to help them create lasting and healthy relationships.

This re-created website sports a fresh new look, that highlights Samaritan Counseling Center’s brand. With a strong use of photographic elements and a minimalist approach to design, the site is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. The new navigation structure makes information both easy to find and interesting.

The site, which began development in March of 2007, was a collaborative effort between the staff of Samaritan Counseling Centers and Brady Brim-DeForest of Los Angeles based Kiwi Ad Agency.

Samaritan Counseling Centers (SCC) has offered a similar perspective to
thousands of men, women, children, couples and families since its inception
in 1983. A perspective that has assisted mothers find peace with their
children, partners find support in their relationship, the grieving find
hope in their relationship with their deceased loved one and confidence
where pain and hardship had eroded it. The spirit of the agency’s founders,
folks with great perspective, has assured that the work of SCC continues to
be meaningful.

If you have been following the work of SCC over the past few years, you know
the agency has struggled financially. I am proud to report that we are
recovering and making strides to grow our reach to people who need us but do
not know of our work. Last year, we received a federal grant to support
healthy marriages. We are able to use this grant and the hope it offers to
create a new direction and a new perspective for SCC. Our new offerings include, expanded parenting classes and support, expanded premarital and
pre-commitment education and counseling and couples/relationship skill
building services. Additionally, this grant will allow us to grow
physically.

In late 2007, SCC will open the “Center for Healthy Relationships and
Families.” This center will offer counseling and education services with
the opportunity to meld personal, spiritual and faith traditions.
Moreover, we will be able to double our physical capacity.

With our new direction and funding, we will be able to cover only part of
this growth. We will need funding to finish the modifications to the
building and to furnish it. As we make this attempt to grow, taking this
risk to offer more to more people in need, we will need to expand our
partnerships and expand our funding base and ask for additional support

from folks like you. SCC is moving in a positive direction. We won’t be
the biggest agency in Portland, that is not our goal, but we can be a
shining light to all those who seek our kind of care and our methods for
service. With your help anything is possible! Won’t you help?

Research shows that regardless of gender, culture, socioeconomic status, skin color and language, nearly everyone wants a lifelong, secure, happy and committed relationship. In his book, “Fighting For Your Marriage”, Howard J. Markman shared, “If you want to have a great relationship, the way you handle differences matters more than what those differences are”.

Sometimes in our relationships, our focus turns more to “pleasing” or trying to meet the needs/desires of our partners, while overlooking our own. Or we may try to hide/deny differences between us, to avoid conflict.

As noted by renowned relationship specialists, Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson, virtually every relationship will experience problems and disillusionment, due to “differences”. The differences can be real and/or perceived. How you perceive your differences, how you manage your feelings, where you focus your attention and how you act and communicate under stress, will determine the quality of your relationship. If you can change your belief that your partner is the source of your happiness or unhappiness – if you can understand that differences and the struggles they create are not a sign of a failing relationship – if you can see your relationship as a journey along a path of development, then you will be well on your way to a more fulfilling relationship.

If you would like to learn more about how to create a healthy, loving relationship, attend one of our relationship workshops:

1) LET’S TALK: Communication for Couples

2) EVERYONE FIGHTS: Do it Right

3) WHERE IS THE “ME” IN “WE”: Breaking the Ties of Co-Dependence

4) THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF LOVE: Commitment, Friendship and Intimacy

Samaritan Counseling Center is offering this series of four Relationship Workshops, on the following dates: Starting July 26^th, 9^th, 23^th and 6^th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. To sign up, please call 503-281-3318, ext. 0.

These workshops will be offered again on September 6^th, 13^th, 20^th and 27^th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. as well as September 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and in October 9^th, 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th. Call for times and locations.