Center for Psychological Services
What We Do
The St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services was established in 1986 with the dual mission of providing psychological services to community residents and training opportunities for graduate psychology students in the University’s Clinical and School Psychology programs.
As a training center, our availability will vary depending on various factors. We ask that you please call our Center at 718-990-1900 to get up-to-date information on service availability.
Welcome
We welcome you to the St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services and thank you for your interest in our services. Please take some time to review the information contained on this site. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 718-990-1900.
Mission
The Center for Psychological Services at St. John’s University has a tripartite mission:
- The Center serves the Department of Psychology as a training site for all of its graduate students in the Clinical Psychology and School Psychology programs.
- The Center strives to provide the highest quality psychological care to the local community by delivering evidence-based psychological services at a modest cost. Services include psychological testing and therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults.
- In addition, the Center carries out a number of research projects and facilitates research opportunities for students and faculty.
Overview
The St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services was established in 1986 with the dual mission of providing psychological services to community residents and training opportunities for graduate psychology students in the University’s Clinical and School Psychology programs.
From its beginning, the Center has made the affordability of the services that we provide a priority. Consequently, our services are offered at low to moderate costs, on a sliding scale basis, and are provided by the psychology graduate students under the close supervision of licensed psychology faculty. The services provided at the Center are evidenced based and, as such, are typically short-term in nature.
In 2006, the Center moved from the St. John's Queens campus to its current location in the community, about one mile west of the campus on Union Turnpike. It is a state-of-the-art facility with twelve private and comfortable treatment rooms, a spacious and attractive reception area, classroom areas, and administrative offices. The Center offers a full range of psychological services for children, adolescents, and adults, including individual consultation and psychotherapy, psychological assessments, and group therapy.
Currently, there are approximately 80 graduate students in training at the Center, representing diverse cultural backgrounds. They are supervised by about 20 full-time and adjunct faculty members from the University’s Department of Psychology.
The pursuit of knowledge through research is also a goal at the Center. In order to serve the training needs of the doctoral programs, the Center provides psychology students and faculty members with opportunities to conduct research in order to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.
Hours of Operation
| Monday - Thursday | 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. |
| Friday | 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. |
Depending on student and staff availability, the Center may offer Saturday hours (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.).
The Center for Psychological Services follows the closing schedule of St. John’s University for all weather-related and holiday closings. In following the University’s calendar, the Center is typically closed on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer months.
Contact Us
Center for Psychological Services
Seton Complex, St. John's University
152-11 Union Turnpike
Flushing, NY 11367
Tel: 718-990-1900
Fax: 718-990-1586
[email protected]
Please note that we cannot utilize email to arrange for services. If you would like information about scheduling an appointment, please call the Center at 718-990-1900.
The Center does not provide 24-hour emergency coverage and does not offer walk-in services. If your situation is urgent, or in any emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Additional Information
If you feel that your situation is an emergency or requires an urgent response, contact 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room.
Additional Mental Health Resources
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
NYC Well: 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355)
1-800-LIFENET (1-800-543-3638): a confidential, toll-free mental health help line for New York City residents
New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906
NYC Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-621-4673
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233
The Parent Helpline: 1-800-CHILDREN
This resource list is provided solely for your information and convenience. The Center for Psychological Services does not endorse nor guarantee the provider’s services.
The Center strives to provide the highest quality psychological care to the local community by delivering evidence-based psychological services at a modest cost. Services include psychological testing and therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults.
Child and Adult Individual Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy at our Center is collaborative, client centered, and goal-focused. In this model, the length of time that services are provided can vary widely and is typically dictated by progress toward goals. Clients meet one-on-one with a student therapist, usually on a weekly basis. Individual therapy is useful when personal issues affect one’s ability to cope with the demands of daily living or result in personal distress. Emphasis is often placed on the acquisition of practical skills which can alleviate symptoms and promote better functioning. Common referral topics include anxiety depression, and relationship issues.
The first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your needs. By the end of this evaluation period, your student therapist will be able to offer you an initial impression of your needs and related recommendations.
Assessment
Psychological Testing
In general, the goal of “psychological assessment” or “testing” is to answer questions concerning intellectual, academic, social and/or emotional functioning. Clients are also evaluated in terms of their strengths and weaknesses as they relate to school performance. This is usually accomplished through standardized testing (e.g., intelligence and academic tests), informal testing, interviews, questionnaires, observation, and review of previous evaluation records or reports. Assessment often involves multiple visits to the Center for completion of this process.
School Neuropsychological Assessment
The purpose of a School Neuropsychological Assessment is to comprehensively assess the "whole child" according to their functioning across a variety of domains that are related to academic performance. A school neuropsychological assessment involves the evaluation of psychological, cognitive, and neuropsychological abilities and processes, social-emotional functioning, and academic achievement. Further, the information gathered from these measures is interpreted according to information gathered from parent, teacher, and client interviews, rating scales, and behavioral observations.
Each of these assessment options culminates with a feedback session to discuss the findings. A formal written report summarizing the results is provided. Findings from these types of assessments often help in determining eligibility for special education placements, curriculum modifications, and testing accommodations in educational settings.
Diagnostic Consultation (Intake)
In-depth diagnostic interviews are conducted with clients, who also complete relevant questionnaires. Consultations determine the dimensions of the client’s problems, establish a working diagnosis, and provide recommendations.
Our Center does not accept insurance. However, in keeping with our mission of providing services to members of the community at low to moderate cost, our fees are arranged on a sliding scale basis. The sliding fee is based on client or family income. As a part of a Vincentian University, we are committed to make these services available to those most in need. Flexible payment schedules may be arranged, so cost should not prevent someone from receiving services.
At the first telephone screening, you will be asked to provide information regarding your income in order to determine an approximate fee. You will be asked to bring documentation of income when you come in for your first appointment. Clients that are not able to provide documentation will be charged the full fee.
Payment for each therapy session is due at the time of check-in for that appointment. If you are pursuing an assessment, half of the testing fee is due at the time of the first appointment, 25 percent of the remaining balance at the second appointment, and the final 25 percent at the time of the third appointment. The entire service fee must be paid before the feedback conference.
We request that clients cancel therapy appointments 24 hours in advance. Clients will be expected to pay for session that are missed without cancellation or cancellations with less than 24 hours notice.
What is a training center?
A training center is typically a facility that provides training opportunities to students that are in degree granting programs in a particular field of study, under the supervision of those licensed in the respective field. Our training center provides training opportunities to graduate students in the school and clinical psychology programs at St. John’s University. Our role within the University allows us to provide students with valuable work experience and faculty supervision. Center clients benefit from this environment because of our evidence-based practices, multicultural experience, and flexible fees and scheduling.
What does supervision by licensed faculty mean?
This is a great question. Because our students are trainees in the fields of school and clinical psychology, the care that they provide to our clients is closely monitored by New York State licensed psychologists, who are referred to as the supervisor. This means that the supervisor meets with their respective students regularly (e.g., weekly) to review cases and plan for continuing care. In order to facilitate the training relationship between our clinicians and clinical supervisors, sessions may be viewed live by supervisors or via video recording. This allows our clinicians to work with their licensed supervisors to provide you the best standard of care possible. We treat this confidential information with the utmost security, ensuring that these recordings are kept completely confidential, are made for training purposes only, and destroyed upon completion of training need. If you have any concerns about your care, you may request to speak directly with the student therapist’s supervisor.
Will my conversations with my student therapist be confidential?
Yes. All client-therapist conversations are private and confidential. Even the fact that you are being seen at the Center is kept strictly confidential. However, there are rare circumstances (e.g., when safety is at risk) when disclosure of confidential information may occur. Your therapist will discuss our confidentiality policy with you at your first session.
What can I expect at the first session?
You will be asked to arrive for your first appointment at the Center about 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. When you first come in, you will be asked by a staff member to complete some forms. Please bring paperwork documenting you or your family's income (E.g. a pay stub, recent W-2 forms, or tax return), which will be used to verify the fee for the service that you are seeking.
A therapist will then meet with you privately and you can expect to talk about the concern(s) that brought you into therapy/assessment. You may be asked to answer some questions regarding your background and personal history. Your clinician may request that you bring supporting documents (e.g., previous evaluations, IEPs, work samples) that may help guide the treatment/assessment process.
You and your therapist will work collaboratively to develop a plan and discuss future sessions.
How long does a session last? How often do I have to come?
Individual therapy sessions are typically scheduled for 45-50 minutes, but you and your therapist may decide to meet for longer or shorter periods as needed. Initially, most clients have sessions once per week.
Group therapy sessions typically occur weekly and are scheduled for about 90 minutes.
Testing sessions are typically scheduled for several hours at a time with varying frequencies.
What happens when I need to cancel my appointment?
We ask for 24 hours notice if you need to cancel your appointment. You may cancel by contacting the front desk at 718-990-1900.
How much does therapy cost?
We provide services on a sliding scale basis. Please refer to the Fees section for more information.
How long does the testing take? How long is each session?
Each comprehensive evaluation typically involves several sessions and depends on the pace at which you or your child completes tasks. For adult clients, each testing session may last 2 - 3 hours. For child clients, particularly those younger in age, each testing session may last 1 - 2 hours.
What can I expect at the end of testing?
You will meet with your clinician for a feedback session to go over the test results and receive recommendations for you or your child. During the feedback session, you and your clinician may work collaboratively to discuss what your options are. Either at the feedback session or shortly thereafter you will receive a written report with the test results and findings.
Can I use this assessment in order to apply for special education, test accommodations, or social services?
Yes, you may choose to utilize the report you receive as part of an application for testing accommodations. Most school districts also accept our reports as part of eligibility determinations for special education. Please discuss your needs with your clinician at the first session. You may wish to check with a school district or testing board prior to initiating this service.
How much does an evaluation cost?
We provide services on a sliding scale basis. Please refer to the Fees section for more information.
Administration
Tara Rooney, Ph.D., Director
William Chaplin, Ph.D., Director of Research
Center Supervisors
Raymond DiGiuseppe, Ph.D., ABPP
Shauna Dixon, Psy.D.
Emma Cruz-Duran, Psy.D.
Brett Grube, Ph.D.
Rafael Art. Javier, Ph.D., ABPP
Felicia McNair, Ph.D.
Tara Rooney, Ph.D.
Parking
The Center is conveniently located about a mile west of the main St. John’s University campus on Union Turnpike. There is on the street parking available via both metered parking and residential street parking.
Directions
By Bus
Take the Q46 bus to 153rd Street.
By Subway
Take the E or F train to Union Turnpike/Kew Gardens Station. Then take the Q46 bus to 153rd Street.
By Car
Long Island Expressway: Exit at Utopia Pkwy (exit 25). Follow Utopia Pkwy southbound, and then make a right at Union Turnpike.
Grand Central Parkway Westbound: Exit at 168th St. (exit 17). Stay on service road and take a right at Parsons Boulevard and then a left at Union Turnpike.
Grand Central Parkway Eastbound: Exit at Parsons Boulevard (exit 16). Take a left at Parsons Boulevard and then a left at Union Turnpike.
We are pleased that you are considering the St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services for your mental health needs. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have about our services. For more information, please call our front desk at 718-990-1900. They will be able to answer basic questions about the services that we provide.
To schedule an appointment, please call the Center’s front desk at 718-990-1900. Your contact information will be taken and forwarded to one of our courteous psychology doctoral fellows, who will then contact you at the number provided to conduct a brief phone screening.
The phone screening will include a number of questions that will help us to understand why you are seeking services and to ensure that we have the services you need. If we determine that we cannot meet your needs at this time, we will provide you with referral information.
Community Resources
American Psychological Association (APA)
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) - New York
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
NYC Well Prevent Child Abuse NY
This resource list is provided solely for your information and convenience. The Center for Psychological Services does not endorse nor guarantee the provider’s services.
University Resources
This resource list is provided solely for your information and convenience. The Center for Psychological Services does not endorse nor guarantee the provider’s services.