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University of San Francisco, The Center for Child and Family Development benefit concert: “ An Evening with Sattar” on Sunday, May 22 was a great success!

The concert began with a bi-lingual introduction by Dr. Laleh Shahideh, the elegant Master of Ceremonies. After giving the audience an overview of the Center’s mission, Dr Shahideh introduced Sheena Sattarpour, Administrative Director of the Center and Sattar’s daughter.

Sheena introduced Maestro Sattar (The WAALM Award Winning Vocalist of 2005) with grace and humor and her spot-on imitations filled the theater with good-natured laughter and applause. Sheena introduced her father as her hero and the concert began with Maestro Sattar entering the stage to stirring music.

The Presentation Theater of School of Education was filled with enthusiastic applause for the magical performance of Sattar and his 4 musicians.

Singing in a language other than English, Maestro Sattar, like Andrea Bocelli and Il Volo, spoke in a language of the heart. “I felt he was speaking directly to my spirit” said Judy Giampaoli, the Director of the School Outreach Program. “It was a beautiful and moving experience” said Judy Goodell, a faculty member from the Counseling Psychology Department.

After 1 ½ hours and Sattar’s completion of the last song request, the concert ended with thunderous applause and cheering. Laleh again took the stage and encouraged the audience to consider making donations using the “Be a Child’s Hero” remittance envelopes in their programs. She then introduced Dr. Brian A. Gerrard in his role as Executive Director of the Center. A portion of his speech in which he presented Sattar with the Center’s award follows:

“The Center for Child and Family Development has a special award to honor persons in the community who make a unique contribution to children and families. Two previous recipients are Dr. Nancy Iverson, who works with children with cancer, and Cloe Madanes, the internationally famous family therapist who works with physically and sexually abused children…

… Tonight we honor Sattar for his humanitarian work in aiding many children’s organizations, such as the orphanage in Tajikistan mentioned in your program. We also honor him for his commitment to social justice reflected in the deep empathy and compassion for the suffering of others that flows through his music. In one of his songs the English translation is: “I grieve…hurtfulness is everywhere…” Sattar, the Center for Child and Family Development is pleased to present you with the 2011 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children and Families.”

L-R:Dr. Brian Gerrard; Sheena Sattarpour, Maestro Sattar; Matthew Chalhoub

The VIP reception followed in Rm 119 with outstanding Persian food of great variety. Attendees received a signed poster of Maestro Sattar and most had their photo taken with him.

It was a magical event with great success.

USF – Center for Child and Family Development still welcomes your support and donations. Please contact them HERE

Maestro Sattar’s Official Website ; Facebook & Blog

The USF Center for Child and Family Development is proud to present An Evening With Sattar, a benefit concert event featuring Iran’s most idolized musical artist, Sattar!  The concert takes place in San Francisco on May 22, 2011.  For more information and to purchase tickets for this special event, please see the following link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/155904.  All proceeds go towards the USF Center for Child and Family Development, which has provided school-based family counseling to more than 10,000 children since 1984.

Check out Sattar’s newest music video “Ajab Sabri Khoda Darad! (What Patience God Has!)” below:

An Evening With Sattar
A Benefit Concert for the USF Center for Child and Family Development

May 22, 2011
5:00PM
University of San Francisco’s Presentation Theater
Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/155904
Parking Map: http://usftherapist.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/parking.pdf

About Sattar:
He is admired by more than 100 million people. He has recorded over 200 songs and performed in more than 22 countries. He was the favorite of The Persian Royal Family and is Iran’s most idolized musical artist. His name is SATTAR. SATTAR’s fame began at the age of 22 with the release of the theme song to “Morad Barghi,” a popular telvision show in Iran. The show made him an instant STAR. Young, talented, and extremely handsome, he soon became an ICON all over the Middle East.

In 1978, SATTAR migrated to the United States and continued his singing career in Los Angeles, California. In 1980, he got married and eventually became a father. His career blossomed further through the years, leading him on tours all over the world. As a caring individual, SATTAR volunteers to perform at charity events for causes he believes in supporting.

With over 30 years of fame, SATTAR’s career has been Dynamic. He has over 50 greatest hits which include the Internationally known “GOLEH SANGAM.” Other hit songs are “SHAHZDEH KHANOOM,” “HAHMSAFAR,” and “GOHLEH POONEH.”

The key to his longevity is his amazing vocal ability which ranges from traditional ballads to the diverse sounds of present day Pop Music.  Friends and family like to refer to him as “The Persian Frank Sinatra” – Loved, Respected, & a True Icon.

About the USF Center for Child and Family Development:
The Center for Child and Family Development has provided school-based family counseling to more than 10,000 children since 1984.  The Center has a strong social justice focus reflected in its commitment to serving at-risk and under-served children.

You always hear stories from people saying, I didn’t feel liked I belonged in my family.  I felt like an outcast.  Everyone liked sports and I liked the opera!  Or I was the middle child I always felt lost or like I had to prove a point.

So many people go through life not knowing where they belong, not knowing where their place in life is.  There are ways to help prevent things life this from happening.  

Self-esteem is a person’s main belief about themselves. A person’s self-esteem is based on their actions, both as how as well as what he or she does. Although self-esteem varies from time to time, the pattern usually leans toward a healthy or unhealthy view of self. With healthy self-esteem, a person is more likely to succeed in life.

The Best feeling in the world is being able to go to a place where you can call home.  A place where you feel like you belong, a place where no one can hurt you, a place where you can learn something new each day from the ones who love you the most.

By making the effort to communicate with the members of our family, we know that we are loved and respected and that we belong.   Each person in your family needs to:

Sometimes our biggest conflicts come when both spouses are right. 

My older daughter and my niece are currently working at a clothing store chain notorious for hiring only “beautiful” people. While this is all fine and good for them, it raises questions in my mind about children and teenagers who are not traditionally “beautiful.”
 
 We all feel for the less-than-perfect kids who are bombarded daily with images of beautiful, svelte models everywhere. I believe that, with confidence and support, they can be gorgeous, too. So much depends on attitude. My daughter is now considered beautiful, however, she had a rough middle school experience which took a lot of “support” to help her overcome a bad self-image. As soon as she hit high school, braces off and clear skin, all bets were off and she was hugely popular with the boys. That gave her the confidence she needed to build an attitude I’d been trying to instill in her all along. Confidence really is key.

Sometimes life throws curveballs at you. It’s hard to always keep a smile and be happy about things. Follow these steps to help stay positive and not let things affect you. Remember you always have a choice.

Internship Positions Available at Our Community Counseling Center

Internship Positions are currently available with the University of San Francisco Community Counseling Center. Our interns work with a variety of clients: family, individual, couple at our counseling center based at Mercy High School, 4^th Floor. The Center for Child and Family Development has a family systems and school-based family counseling orientation. Many of our clients are parents and guardians who want to help their children overcome challenges that impede their learning.

• Placements from 10-20 hours/week
• Flexible schedules for weekdays and Saturdays
• Opportunities to collect child hours
• Group supervision Mondays 3:30-4:30 pm
• Minimum 12 month contract
• Internship stipend : $1000/yr
• Supervision by Chris Trailer, LMFT
• Psychology license supervision also available

For further information contact Dr. Brian Gerrard, 415-308-3725. To apply, email gerrardb@earthlink.net with resume and references.

Internship and Traineeship Positions Available Through Out School Outreach Program

Internship and Traineeship Positions are currently available with the University of San Francisco Center for Child and Family Development School Outreach Program. We place MFT trainees and interns in public, Catholic, and private schools where they function as a School-Based Family Counselor. Counselors work with the child, teacher, principal, and parents/guardians to help the child overcome challenges impeding school success. Common problems experienced by schoolchildren are family related (e.g. families under stress due to economic or health problems, parents separating or divorcing, and other forms of family stress). The Center for Child and Family Development has a family systems and school-based family counseling orientation.

• Placements 20 hours/week, placement day flexible
• Opportunities to collect child hours
• Group supervision (2-hour) available on different weekdays
• Individual supervision in addition for trainees
• Monthly in-service training on Saturday mornings
• Minimum 9 month contract
• Supervision by experienced team of licensed mental health professionals

For further information or to apply, contact Judy Giampaoli, LMFT, Director: School Outreach Program, jgiampaoli@yahoo.com with resume and references.

I often suggest journal writing to my clients who are grieving the death of a loved one or dealing with a difficult life change as a useful way to deal with and befriend the intense emotions that often accompany these experiences. Some say, “oh, I’m not a good writer.”  To that I reply that what is important is the act of expression, not how pretty or correct it is. In fact, the word “express” literally means “push out”, that is, pushing out all of those churning, claustrophobic and chaotic feelings in a way that gives them “breathing room” and makes them workable. The following are some tips for the use of journaling as a healing tool in grief and other difficult life transitions:

Living a Grateful Life
by Carleton Kendrick, Ed.M., LCSW

Why not use this Thanksgiving Day as the first step toward becoming a more grateful family? Giving thanks for one’s blessings on this holiday is traditional. Feeling grateful every day is an attitude and a way of experiencing life. If you want to cultivate gratitude as a family value, the following questions can help you make giving thanks an integral, daily part of your lives.

How can we give thanks every day?
Focus on creating both individual and family rituals. Keep “gratitude journals”; set aside time for family prayer; try to be more physically affectionate with one another; make an effort to express your appreciation and encouragement (the dinner table is the perfect place to do this). Giving your thanks daily establishes gratitude as a priority in your family.

What do we take for granted that we might express thanks for every day?
We all need to open our eyes and appreciate our daily gifts: food, shelter, clothing, good health, friendship, the beauty of nature, and the kindness of others. Talking about ways to increase our awareness of these daily blessings is productive.

Is doing for others a way of expressing gratitude?
Discuss how helping others is gratitude in action. You might not only prepare and/or help serve a holiday meal at a homeless shelter, but also talk about how your family can make a commitment of time and service to this shelter on a regular basis. Expressing thanks by actively helping others in an ongoing way can be one of your family’s “gratitude goals.”

What attributes do you possess that you are thankful for?
This self-examination encourages self-gratitude, helping us pause to appreciate our skills, talents, and personality traits. If we’ve lost sight of our special gifts, this gives family members an opportunity to point them out to us: “You are the best listener.” “You always manage to cheer us up when we’re down.” “You can fix anything that’s broken.”

Who has treated you with kindness and generosity, and how would you like to thank that person?
Gratitude can take many forms – a homemade gift, a thank-you card, a phone call, a spontaneous favor. Remembering those who have made us feel special and valued encourages us to become more aware and appreciative of human kindness. You might discuss ways to show your gratitude by passing on a person’s kindness through your own acts of generosity.

Teaching your children by example how to make their gratitude known is at the core of teaching them how to appreciate and celebrate the abundance in their lives. These are lessons learned throughout a lifetime, not merely discussions we have at Thanksgiving dinner.