doreen dodgen-magee, psy.d.

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doreen dodgen-magee, psy.d.

author | speaker | psychologist
https://linktr.ee/drdoreendm

05/24/2026

On Friday I took a break from editing my new book (see slide 2) to race across town to have take new head shot photos for promotion.

Mark is brilliant & the BEST at what he does. When I shared how much I did NOT want to have photos taken, he wisely said,

“I imagine a visit to me for this purpose is akin to a visit to the dentist.”

He was right but he was also wrong because, once I was there & in his presence, there was nothing painful about it. He knows how to “feel” his subjects and that’s what we all crave…to feel felt.

Mark is a person with whom it would be impossible to be uncomfortable.

Me with me? Another story entirely. I make myself uncomfortable all the time (again, see slide number 2 which is from the Introduction of my book).

Writing about the power of boredom means practicing the risky business of actually doing less (and sometimes nothing) myself.

This does not make it easy to build the kind of platform I need to to make a book soar. I’m grateful for Mark’s help (as well as the help of so many others) in this process.

In the coming weeks/months, if you find things here that are helpful, would you please share them? I want to tell the world it’s ok to do less and it’s going to be hard to reach them while I’m doing practice/research to prove my point.

You’re incredible. Thanks for being here.

Mark…I don’t have enough words to thank you adequately for all that you loan & give me in all of life! Thank you!

thanks for the hair assist texts and calls! i think it’s getting there!

05/14/2026

Moments that moved me (mostly to tears) this week.

🥿 When my nephew appeared on stage in the musical Cinderella. For some reason, his frilly slippers undid me. Later, when he winked at me from on stage, my heart felt like it might explode. Big feelings of love and vulnerability all at once e. Wonder.

🖌️ My beloved Ollie painting on the new canvas which requires only water to make brushstrokes appear. Something about being present to discovery moved me and gave me chills.

❤️ Walking in to the “A Solace of Objects” exhibit at , I spotted this wish heart. While it’s my dad I wish I could call, it made me feel connected, as did the exhibit itself, with everyone else who grieves. The gift and weight of this has stuck with me.

🪂 With grief central in my mind, I hopped home to have family time. We drug out the big play parachute for the first time since Ollie was born and he loved it. The tears that flowed were ones of pure joy and elation. (I wish I could call my dad to tell him all about Ollie.)

🕯️Being with others for an hour at , silent and engaged, alone and yet together, in darkness and candlelight wound me back together.

Bidden or not bidden, acknowledged or ignored, our feelings are present. Ignoring, pushing past, or denying them hurts us individually and communally.

I dare you to embody your feelings a bit more today than yesterday. Look at them. Name them. Let them teach you.

What were the big emotional moments for you last week? I’d love to know of at least one.

05/12/2026

One of the coolest things I’ve learned in my last several years of political engagement is that some candidates knock on your door (or give you a call) because they want to know what you care about, what needs to be addressed, and how they might help your community.

This is the truth!

I’ve learned so much from witnessing Hank’s process as one of these people.

Never in my life did I believe so many people would invite him in for dinner, book group, a nice long chat.

This is because he genuinely cares. He wants to listen and offers to do so.

We need more people like this representing us in all offices.

Please hop over and follow Hank then get to know the listeners/winners like this who are running to rep you. Be loud about them. We need them in office!

Hank, you are running an incredible campaign and you’re a gift to your community! Keep showing us the way!

05/08/2026

Last weekend I had the glorious opportunity to witness two dear ones shine and be reminded of the power of art.

For the last few years I’ve been fortunate to have a front row seat to the unfathomably talented ’s process as she created her new solo show “home.” (Please go gaze at all the pieces in Bend or on her website jenniferrabin.com)

Every piece is made of found objects and fibers and, together, the speaks to how we create hospitable (or inhospitable) places for ourselves and others. How we become resourceful when it’s needed.

The work made me think long and hard about who has access to what resources and how the resilient among us show immense creativity in creating home. I have so much to learn.

“In the most ACAB, ‘F**k you’ move, magpies are now using ‘anti-bird spikes’ to create nests,” Jennifer said during her artist talk. I now want to be a magpie, somehow creating home out of hate.

Jennifer’s work is vital, inspirational, painfulbeautiful, and spot on. So thrilled that it is being shown in Bend & I want it to travel the world!

That evening we hopped over to to witness the brilliance of on closing night of “Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.” He, his cast mates, and al the technical folks blew us away and transported us. Such a fantastic performance & so beautiful to get to cheer this beloved one on!

To get to bear witness to someone in their element is a holy thing and Saturday held this, times two, for us. Witnessing someone soar is a gift like none other!

In a world that is undermining art, it is more important than ever to make your way to it, support it, and make it!

Jennifer and Austin, keep making art that makes us uncomfortable, thoughtful, and awake. We are so much better because of you!! (Please hop over and follow these two to learn more about ther offerings.)

05/02/2026

This is the first May Day in almost 60 years that I haven’t been racing around dropping off flowers on friends’ porches.

Instead, I’m between places.

Between cities.

Between living in a world where my friend Julie existed physically to one in which she doesn’t.

Between thinking of this day solely as May day and as something also deeper and older…Beltane (a Gaelic celebration marking the rebirth experienced in nature (and us) at this half-way point between spring and summer).

Last night I gathered up my little pouch of gems that I travel with and walked along the boardwalk, under the moon, letting them soak up all the feels and energies outside of me in order to soothe the ache inside of me.

I grew up thinking something like this could send me to hell, what with all the pagan ceremonies and things.

What is birthing in me right now, however, (and will be to the day I die) is an embrace of all practices that connect me to Love and a deeper interior knowing. All the myriad of ways to pray, to grieve, and to live.

Last night that was carrying stones around at midnight, barefoot on rough wood with thePacific Ocean’s rising tide on my right. I’m here for it.

As we head into May, what are you hoping to let grow within you? What seeds can you leave in your wake that will grow for the good of others.

Please put ideas below.

04/19/2026

So excited to announce that my new book “In Praise of Boredom. The Case for Doing Nothing in a World that Won’t Stop.” has been picked up by and will be out in the world in June 2027.

Stay tuned for all the great new ideas about how to embrace boredom and find more joy, focus, empathy, and more!

Image created by (this is NOT AI!!!!!)

04/18/2026

It isn’t easy to put our phones down. They’re actually made with designs that work, intentionally, to keep us tethered to them.

If there’s any hope of being moderate with our tech use, it’s found in enriching our embodied lives.

Play is for all of us at every age and stage in life.

When it’s easily accessible and on our radar, it’s the perfect motivation for leaving your phone behind.

Thanks to and for offering our community this beautiful opportunity to put our phones away and play together. It was wonderful!

If you’d like to know about future offerings, sign up for my newsletter in the link in my bio and for Oregon Unplugged’s newsletter in theirs.

📸 credit: .j.m

04/13/2026

My Monday Mantra.

I believe this one to my core.

Narcissism begets hierarchy, binary judgmentalism (you’re in or out, idealized or devalued), exclusion, belittlement, and exploitation.

It demands subjugation.

It says, over and over, “Only I can (insert whatever action the speaker believes themself to be right about/best at/knowledgable of).”

It wants to rile you up (it gets more intense attention that way). It wants you to bow down or be distracted by it’s absolute belief in itself.

It is a cancer.

The only way to fight it is to meet it with a steely-eyed resistance. To say, “I see you and, wow, your desire for my attention is a lot. Not to worry, however, I have a wide gaze and an awareness that there are many ways to live and be in relationship to myself and others. For these reasons, I will not bow down.”

The most powerful antidote to narcissism is a person who knows ones self (strengths and weaknesses) and seeks to know and respect others as they are, becoming an ally as a result. This person knows that a world built on homogeneity, requiring MY WAY to be the BEST/ONLY way, is not a world fit to thrive in.

When enough people live in this way narcissism is checked.

We’re entering into a season where this is more important than ever. Let’s all do our part….especially when it’s hard to do so.

Address

9 Monroe Pkwy Ste 280
Lake Oswego, OR
97035

Telephone

+15036355110

Website

http://www.doreendm.com/

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