81 results for author: SCCC

SCCC-Watts Flourishes!

In March 2018, the Southern California Counseling Center opened the doors to its first-ever satellite location in Watts on the campus of Watts Labor Community Action Committee or WLCAC. Today, six months in, SCCC-Watts is thriving. “When we signed the lease at the start of the year, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Marianne Diaz, Director of Outreach Services (photo). “We were told that the community would not be willing to pay for mental health services and that local residents wouldn’t be interested in non-court-ordered counseling. Turns out, not only is the community interested, they’re also comfortable with sliding-scale ...

National Suicide Prevention Month: What to do when you or someone you love is feeling suicidal

September is National Suicide Prevention Month.  In the wake of recent high-profile celebrity suicides, suicide is being discussed frequently in the media.   A piece that is often left out in these conversations is what to do when you or someone you love is feeling suicidal. The following resources are available to those in need:   NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/health/depression-suicide-helping.html Didi Hirsch: http://www.didihirsch.org/spc

Paraprofessional Counselor Mike Manzo offers some insight into his life prior to being introduced to SCCC [Part 1 of 3]

Community Counselor Course graduate and current SCCC Paraprofessional Counselor Michael Manzo offers some insight into his life prior to being introduced to the Southern California Counseling Center [Part 1 of 3].

The 5th Annual AGASTOCK is coming up!

Purchase Tickets! We are excited to announce that the 5th annual AGASTOCK benefit concert is coming up! Sunday July 29, 2017 3:30PM – 8:00PM Free admission for kids aged 16 and under The Echo 1822 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026 Agastock is an annual benefit concert produced by Melissa Monroe to celebrate the life of her two-year old daughter, Alice Ferguson, who passed away in 2013. This is the fifth annual concert, as well as the fifth anniversary of Alice’s untimely death. Melissa credits SCCC’s Trauma & Resiliency Training & Services program with helping her get back on her feet after such a sudden and devasta...

Newsletter, Summer 2018: Annual Report Edition

Click here to review SCCC’s 2018 Summer Newsletter: Annual Report Edition

Tickets on sale now to MUTT HOUSE: The Musical!

We are very excited to announce that tickets are now on sale to: MUTT HOUSE: The Musical A New Musical about being lost... and found.  A huge THANK YOU! to Kim Cookson, SCCC's Director of Trauma & Resiliency Services & Training for organizing this fundraiser. Kim's husband, Tony Cookson, is the creator of MUTT HOUSE and author of the book. Bullied all of his life, quirky outsider, Eddie Corbin, has finally found a place to call home in a neglected downtown animal shelter. When the city threatens to close the shelter, Eddie must do something he’s never done before…stand up for himself and fight for what's right. With the help of ...

Oh, the places we went! GALA 2018 was a night to remember!

THE FINAL TALLY IS IN! On Saturday, April 28, SCCC's family of volunteers and supporters helped raise an astounding $184,000! Browse all the event photos A small army of volunteers transformed ALCHEMY's anything-but-ordinary printing facility (generously offered free of charge to the Southern California Counseling Center) into a magical space to share and celebrate.   Board members, volunteers, counselors and community supporters enjoyed a Silent Auction, dinner, drinks and a bit of dancing.   Marianne Diaz introduced Michael Manzo, who provided a stirring account of his decade's long journey with the Center: from RAGE ...

SCCC-Watts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was a beautiful event!

On March 22, SCCC directors, supporters, counselors, staff along with LA community leaders braved the rain to celebrate the grand opening of the Southern California Counseling Center's new satellite facility in Watts.  While it was chilly outside, plenty of warmth was shared by everyone who made it to the event.  It was a landmark day in the history of the Center... and the foldies from Locol were pretty delicious as well.    

Tickets for SCCC’s Annual Gala are on sale now!

Please be our guest on board the SCCC 2018 GALA Express! This event sells out - purchase your tickets today! We hope to see you there!! PURCHASE TICKETS

Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for SCCC-Watts!

View the Press Release SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNSELING CENTER OPENS  FIRST OF ITS KIND SATELLITE COUNSELING CENTER IN WATTS Sliding scale, trauma-informed individual, family and group counseling services for the community   [WATTS, CALIFORNIA, February, 2018] –  In an unprecedented development, The Southern California Counseling Center has opened a satellite counseling center in the heart of the Watts neighborhood of south Los Angeles. The Southern California Counseling Center, has been an innovator and supporter of mental health services for diverse communities for more than 50 years.  While SCCC is headquartered in Mid-City, the ...

Volunteer gardeners spruce up SCCC’s new Watts building with a succulent garden!

Beginning in January, 2018, SCCC began leasing a 6-room building on the WLCAC campus to function as a satellite counseling center in Watts.   The building is already busy with clients, counselors and groups.  On Sunday, February 18th, Kim Cookson, Director of SCCC's Trauma & Resiliency Training & Services program, lead a team of volunteer-gardeners in planting a succulent garden around the exterior of the new building. Don't let the familiar brick exterior fool you... this is not Mid-City Special thanks to Kim Cookson, Will Daniel, Melinda Vyvyan, Michael Manzo and Candace Yoder for spending their Sunday hard at work in Watts

Newsletter, Spring 2018: Honor Roll Edition

Click here to review SCCC’s 2018 Spring Newsletter: Honor Roll Edition (more…)

They Call Us Monsters – Screening & Panel with Director Ben Lear

RSVP HERE The Southern California Counseling Center is hosting a screening and panel discussion with Director Ben Lear of the award winning documentary film, THEY CALL US MONSTERS. Ahrya Fine Arts Theater 8556 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Thursday, February 15th at 7:30pm. THEY CALL US MONSTERS takes viewers behind the walls of the Compound, the facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. To their advocates, they’re kids. To the system, they’re adults. To their victims, they’re monsters. In California, violent juveniles between 14-17 years old can be tried as adults. Typically, they are accused of ...

A Message from the Board Chair & Executive Director

As 2017 comes to a close, we pause and consider some of the events that unfolded throughout the year. With sadness, we acknowledge the violence and fear that affected us both as a community and as individuals. It is times like these that the need in our community is the greatest.  Following the tragedy in Las Vegas, the Southern California Counseling Center was given as a resource and referral to anyone affected by the horrific events of that day.  We experienced a significant spike in phone calls and visits, and our trauma-trained counselors provided help and guidance to those in need. Suffering is not limited to “front page ...

It’s time for the Holiday Gift Drive!

  From Marianne Diaz, Director of Outreach Services at the Southern California Counseling Center We are now in phase (2) of our effort for the families we gave thanks to with the Holiday Feast Drive. This is THE HOLIDAY GIFT DRIVE and is focused on the children in the family. I have always felt, and I could be wrong, that The Feast supported the heads of household while the GIFT provides excitement directly to the youths. I hope we get a huge response because the youths in the communities we target are surviving against tremendous social injustice and systemic oppression. The parents are afraid often and find it difficult to make due ...

The Holiday Feast Drive delivered Thanksgiving Dinner to 20 families

Living up to its name - the Holiday Feast Drive delivered full-fledged feasts to 20 families throughout Los Angeles A big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year's Holiday Feast Drive, an annual event organized by Marianne Diaz and Outreach Services at SCCC!  The event was a great success thanks to the generous support we received from our community. Many hands make light work The Holiday Gift Drive is kicking off now!  Stay tuned for ways you can contribute.

The Big Give at the Karsh Center was an incredible event

Michael Manzo, Mike Manzo Jr. and Arezou Yashoua represent SCCC at The Big Give Each year, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the Karsh Center assembles 1,000 complete Thanksgiving dinners-for-four and distributes them to families in need at an event they call "The Big Give."  This year, the Karsh Center invited their community collaborators to present their services to those lining up for their Thanksgiving dinners.  On November 19th, several members of the Southern California Counseling Center team headed to Koreatown to participate. "It was a humbling experience," says Arezou Yashoua, Clinical Client Coordinator at SCCC.  "While it's just ...

The 2017 Holiday Feast Drive is here!

Since 2004, Outreach Services has spearheaded SCCC's annual Holiday Feast and Gift Drives which have been supported by the entire community at the Center.  The Holiday Feast Drive is the first in a 2-prong call-to-action. As we all know the social climate, both in spirit and in actuality, has become even more visibly hostile to many of our most under-served communities. We at SCCC serve a huge number of clients who are feeling the sadness, fear and confusion that is coming at them every day, on top of the almost insurmountable obstacles they already face every day to keep lights on and food on the table. Often times, the Holidays can bring ...

Our annual Counselor Appreciation Retreat was a great time!

Each year, the Southern California Counseling Center hosts a Counselor Appreciation Retreat.  We invite counselors, alumni, staff and others in the community to enjoy a day of learning, socializing, food, fun and games.  This year, we had the treat of enjoying a presentation on "Why Therapy Works" by renowned psychologist and author Dr. Lou Cozolino. A special 'Thank You!' to the members of the Retreat Committee:  Syd Peterson and Arianne Groth (seen below) for putting together an amazing day! Syd Peterson & Aranne Groth And a hearty 'CONGRATULATIONS!' to this year's winning team: Jen Larkin, Evan Perlo, Phyllis Holland and ...

Newsletter, Fall 2017: Impact Edition

Click here to review SCCC’s 2017 Fall Newsletter: Impact Edition