Community Mental Health Services

 Therapy is a safe, supportive space to talk about what’s going on in your life — whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, sad, anxious, or just unsure of your next steps. It’s a collaborative process where you and your therapist work together to better understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and find healthier ways to cope or grow.

 You’ll be matched with a graduate student in clinical psychology or mental health counseling who is in advanced training. These students are supervised weekly by licensed psychologists and licensed professional counselors.  This ensures high-quality, ethical, and thoughtful care. Many clients find that student therapists offer a compassionate, attentive, and thoughtful approach.

Not at all. Some people come to therapy with a specific diagnosis, while others are simply looking for support through a difficult time. Whether you’re dealing with stress, relationship challenges, grief, trauma, or just want a place to explore personal growth — therapy can help.

The first meeting is called an “intake” where your therapist will ask questions about your current concerns, your background, and your goals for therapy. You can also ask questions and decide whether the therapist feels like a good fit. It’s okay to take your time — building trust takes time.

 Most clients meet with their therapist once a week. We’ll work with your schedule to find a time that works best for you.

That’s okay. We understand that past experiences may make it harder to try again. We’ll go at your pace, and we welcome your honesty about what’s worked — or hasn’t worked — for you before.

That’s completely normal. Many people feel unsure before starting therapy. Just know you don’t have to have it all figured out — we’ll meet you where you are. The hardest part is often just making the first call.

Children and teens go through a lot — and sometimes, they need extra support. Therapy can help kids manage anxiety, sadness, behavior challenges, school stress, or difficult life events. It also helps them develop tools to express emotions and navigate challenges in a healthy way.

Your child will meet with a doctoral student in clinical psychology who is trained in child and family therapy, under the supervision of licensed psychologists with extensive experience. We use evidence-based practices that are age-appropriate, compassionate, and research-backed.

We usually start with an intake session (sometimes includes parent and child; sometimes just your child) to better understand concerns and your child’s history. Then we schedule a first session with your child, where we begin building a trusting relationship. Your child’s comfort and sense of safety are our top priorities.

We partner closely with caregivers and may offer regular check-ins or parent guidance sessions, depending on your child’s age and treatment goals. For younger children, you may be more involved; for teens, we respect their growing need for privacy while still keeping you in the loop.

Depending on your child’s age, therapy may include talking, drawing, playing games, or practicing new coping skills. It’s designed to be engaging and supportive while helping your child feel seen and understood.

Yes — we value collaboration with parents. We’ll check in regularly and let you know how things are going, while also respecting your child’s need for confidentiality in certain situations (especially for older kids and teens).

Not at all. Therapy can help with a wide range of concerns, from big life changes to everyday stress. Early support can make a big difference in helping kids and families thrive.

That’s totally understandable. Reaching out for support shows strength and care. We’re here to make the process as comfortable and clear as possible — and we’ll walk with you every step of the way.

Autism and Related Disorders – usually called Autism Spectrum Disorders, because they include a wide range of psychological disorders. Parents may observe impairments in social interactions and/or communication and/or narrow, restrictive behaviors. Assessment and treatment of these disorders is available from the WCU's community partner program, Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center (SPARC). More information can be found on their website: www.sparcwc.org.

Court-ordered treatment - we may be able to work with individuals and families who are involved with the justice system but are unable to provide specific court-ordered treatments.

Crisis Management - while we will certainly assist any of our clients if they find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life and unable to cope, the most likely outcome will be referral to a higher level of care. In addition, clients needing ongoing crisis management will be better served by community resources staffed to provide this type of assistance.

Custody Evaluations/Recommendations - we are unable to perform custody evaluations, and we do not provide recommendations to the court with regard to custody matters. We would refer you to your attorney for referrals for these services.

Forensic evaluations – as a training clinic, we conduct evaluations to diagnose and make treatment recommendations. We do not conduct forensic evaluations or make recommendations within a legal context.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment – if you feel you need be seen more often than one time per week, we will refer you to community resources that are staffed to provide more intensive care. You are welcome to return to our clinic when weekly sessions are more appropriate.

Psychiatric medication or consultation – we can provide a list of community resources for psychiatric medication, but do not have any staff who can prescribe or monitor medication.