Our 2021 Virtual Spring Bash: “Celebrating Resiliency” was a tremendous success!

On Saturday, May 22nd, the SCCC community gathered together (virtually) to celebrate the Center and its mission during the  2021 Virtual Spring Bash: Celebrating Resiliency.  An ambitious goal of $125,000 was set, and thanks to the incredible generosity and support of the SCCC community, we beat our goal!   Hosted by long time SCCC Board Member and raconteur Saul Janson, the event featured a fantastic silent auction, several celebrity cameos, testimonials and a look back at how SCCC met the challenges presented by 2020 head on, demonstrating resiliency, compassi...

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Covid-19 Vaccine Information

Please check the following resources for more current information on COVID‑19: Federal, State and Local Resources: California COVID-19 vaccination eligibility California Department of Public Health - My Turn  Vaccine Finder Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Information Hub Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Vaccination 

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From Kenneth V. Hardy, Ph.D., Clinical and Organizational Consultant for the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships in New York

May 29, 2020 From Kenneth V. Hardy, Ph.D., Clinical and Organizational Consultant for the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships in New York Here is a passage from an article I wrote in 2014 following the death of Freddie Gray. You can replace his name with another and what is stated still rings true today. Last April, like millions of other people, I sat transfixed in front of my TV, watching cars being torched and turned over, buildings being set ablaze, and crowds of young people throwing rocks at police. This was all happening in Baltimore, in the wake of the death ...

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It’s time for the Holiday Gift Drive!

WE NEED ALL GIFTS BY 12:00pm, DECEMBER 20TH 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 ...

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The Agastock Trash-A-Thon Party is around the corner!

Melissa Monroe and her daughters Grace and Alice Ferguson.   Trash-a-thon Party in Celebration of Alice’s Life Hoover Parks and Rec 1010 W 25th Street LA, CA 90007 Saturday, November 16, 2019 From 3-5 PM Join us for clean up, snacks, and songs! It is our great pleasure to announce that the 6th Annual Agastock celebration is coming up!  This year, Melissa Monroe and her daughter Grace have organized a Trash-A-Thon to honor what would have been Alice Ferguson's 8th year of life.  The party, being held on the afternoon of November 16th (details below), ...

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Newsletter, Fall 2019: Impact Edition

Click here to review SCCC’s 2019 Fall Newsletter: Impact Edition

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The Nancy Steiny Legacy Fund for Clinical Excellence

Nancy Steiny It is with deep respect and gratitude for Nancy Steiny and her long dedication to the work of the Southern California Counseling Center that we announce the creation of the Nancy Steiny Legacy Fund for Excellence in Clinical Training. It serves as a lasting tribute to her clinical wisdom as well as her efforts to build a remarkable program of training and support for counselors over more than four decades. The Legacy Fund is supported by individuals and organizations committed to life-long learning and professional development for those ...

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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 ...

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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

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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].

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Newsletter, Summer 2018: Annual Report Edition

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

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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 ...

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Newsletter, Spring 2018: Honor Roll Edition

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

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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 ...

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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 ...

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SCCC thanks Melissa Monroe for Agastock 2017

Melissa Monroe with daughter Gracie On Sunday, July 23rd, musicians, family and friends of all ages gathered at The Echo to celebrate the life of Alice Ferguson during the 4th Annual Agastock concert.  Melissa Monroe, the event's organizer, brought together an incredible showcase of talent and support from across the United States to pay tribute to Alice. For the fourth year in a row, the Southern California Counseling Center's Trauma & Resiliency Program has had the honor of being named as sole beneficiary to all funds raised during the event.  Thanks to ...

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SCCC’s FAST FACTS – the Center in a nutshell

    Given all the programs, services, trainings and groups on offer at the Center's multiple locations, it can be difficult to grasp the full scope of SCCC's activities as an organization.  To help, we put together a Fast Facts page which highlights and summarizes some of the more interesting statistics and information about the Southern California Counseling Center.  Take a look.  

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New Assistant Clinical Director for Southern California Counseling Center

Marisa Ice, LMFT, who has served as our Client Coordinator and School-Based Program Director for the last several years has been promoted to Assistant Clinical Director of the Southern California Counseling Center effective July 1, 2017.  Starting in 2009, Marisa trained at SCCC before she was licensed and then came on staff in 2013.  She has brought innovation and efficiency to the client assignment process, helped to expand our LAUSD School-Based Counseling Program and has demonstrated excellent clinical judgement. Marisa will be taking on the Assistant Clinical ...

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Alumni Workshop explored wide range of sexual interests and relationship models with Kayna Cassard

On Friday, June 2, SCCC Alumna Kayna Cassard presented a two-hour workshop titled Working with the Kinks:Fetishes, Fantasies & Ethical Non-Monogamy for SCCC alumni, supervisors and current counselors. Kayna is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Sex Therapist.  The workshop provided definitions, guidance, and practical approaches to working with the wide range of sexual interests, behaviors and “alternative" relationships that contemporary therapy clients engage in.  Kayna works and teaches from a sex-positive and affirming approach, providing a ...

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Agastock 2017 is around the corner!

Purchase Tickets! It is our great pleasure to announce that the 4th Annual Agastock concert is around the corner! Sunday July 23, 2017 2:30PM – 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 died of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood in August of 2013.  This is the fourth annual concert, as well as the fourth anniversary of Alice's untimely death.  Melissa credits ...

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