Psychological Services Clinic

COVID-19 Update: The MU Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) and Center for Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH) continue to receive referrals and to provide services to adults, youths, and families. However, as our office is closed due to COVID-19, we are working remotely and providing all services via telephone or secure video-conferencing. Please call 573-882-4677 or email adpsc@umsystem.edu for support.

Commitment to Anti-Racism: The MU Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) and Center for Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH) are outraged and saddened by the multiple occurrences of police brutality and injustice against Black and Brown communities (Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Michael Brown, and too many others). These are the result of long-standing structurally racist systems that devalue Black and Brown lives. The disproportionate impact of these inequities is felt not only in the justice system, but also in education, medicine, and mental health care. As psychology providers, we believe that the ultimate manner by which to heal racial trauma is for individuals and the systems within which they work to recognize and eliminate explicit and implicit bias, prejudice, racism, and discrimination. However, at this time, many Black and Brown individuals have already experienced and will continue to experience racial trauma. Our clinic is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for these individuals. We are also aiming to increase provider representation and knowledge in our clinic by working with clinicians and consultants of diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, we are committed to bettering our community and ensuring the safety and well-being of Black and Brown lives.

NEW CLIENTS

SKILLS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL RECOVERY (SPR) BRIEF TELETHERAPY SERVICES

The PSC and CEBYMH are currently accepting new cases for short-term teletherapy in our Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) program. We are offering brief (1-5 sessions) therapy for children and adults who would like support in coping with stress and anxiety related to the life changes due to COVID-19. All sessions will be delivered via videoconference. With support from the Boone County Children’s Services and Community Health/Medical Funds, we are able to offer the SPR program free to Boone County residents. Individuals outside of Boone County may be eligible for free services through our program for Farm and Rural Missouri Families (see below). 

We are able to accept adults, teens, and children in Boone County who are experiencing increased stress due to COVID-19. We are also able to accept parents who are experiencing family- or parenting-related stress due to COVID-19.

After filling out the survey, our Assistant Director will contact you in 3-5 business days to provide you with more information about the program and to evaluate your or your child's fit for the program. For more info on our brief teletherapy services, click on the document on the right of this screen.

SERVICES FOR YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN BOONE COUNTY
Our process for children, adolescents, and young adults (18-19 years old) begins with a mental health assessment and feedback on that assessment, including diagnostic results and treatment recommendations. Then the assessor helps to facilitate a referral to services either within our clinic or out in the community. 
PARENTING GROUP

We will also be offering the 1-2-3 Magic parenting group for parents of children ages 2-12 years old via Zoom video sessions beginning March 3, 2021 and lasting for four weeks (see flyer on right of screen for more information). Parenting strategies for COVID-19 will be covered along with strategies for controlling obnoxious behavior, encouraging good behavior, and strengthening your relationships.

SERVICES FOR FARMERS AND RURAL MISSOURIANS 

The PSC and MU Engagement and Extension are partnering to provide services to individuals coping with the unique stressors of farm/ranch and rural life. We are currently accepting referrals for short-term (1-5 sessions) telehealth to help farmers, ranchers, other rural Missourians, and their immediate family members build stress-reduction skills and resilience. If you have been referred to the PSC by MU Extension, please use the following links to request services: 

SERVICES FOR ADULTS

Please check back soon for updates on our timeline for more widely accepting new, longer-term clients and opening for in-person services. Please also see BoCoMoProviders.org for a searchable directory of health and social service providers in central Missouri. 

EXISTING CLIENTS

If this is not an emergency and you are a current client, please contact your therapist directly via e-mail. 

IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CARE

If this is an emergency, please call 911. If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call the local 24/7 Crisis Hotline 1-800-395-2132 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For all other supports (e.g., food, utilities, medical care), check Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services or call United Way 211 or 1-800-427-4626 (TTY 1-866-385-6525)

RESOURCES FOR COPING WITH COVID-19

The American Psychological Association and National Child Traumatic Stress Network have also created resources for individuals and families dealing with worries about COVID-19. 

ABOUT THE MU PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES CLINIC

The MU Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) provides a wide array of mental health services. These include individual, couples, family therapy, and psychological assessment. Clinic staff will also consult with school, other clinics, and service agencies if appropriate. 

The PSC provides services to both children and adults. All sessions, including the initial intake appointment, are confidential to the full extent provided by law.

Mission

 
The PSC’s mission is to:
  1. Provide high-quality, affordable, evidence-based assessment and treatment services to youth, adults, couples, families, and groups in Columbia, MO and the surrounding community
  2. Provide high-quality training for University of Missouri doctoral trainees in clinical psychology and related disciplines in planning, administering, and evaluating empirically-supported assessment and treatment services
  3. Support research that advances understanding and effective promotion of psychological health    

Commitment to our Diverse Community

 
The PSC is committed to providing affordable and high-quality evidence-based, culturally competent services to clients from many walks of life. It is important to us that everyone who seeks services at our Clinic is treated in a respectful and welcoming way. We work to create an environment which promotes awareness and acceptance of all types of individual differences, including: age, culture, disability, gender, gender identity, military background, national origin, race/ethnicity, religious beliefs/affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other diverse identities. We strive to individualize evidence-based treatments to each client to ensure that treatment is culturally relevant. We also seek to be sensitive to the effects of diversity-related issues such as oppression, marginalization, discrimination and other forms of intolerance on our clients’ stress, coping, and adjustment.
 

Training Clinic

 
The PSC serves as a training clinic for Mizzou doctoral students earning their PhDs in clinical psychology. Services are typically provided through a team approach in which students work closely with a supervisor, who is a PhD-level licensed psychologist affiliated with the University of Missouri-Columbia Department of Psychological Sciences. The PSC provides a wide-range of assessment and therapeutic services (see Services Offered).

Services Offered 

 
Doctoral  students in clinical psychology, as well as some clinical faculty members, provide year-round services at the clinic. Services include individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults; family therapy; marital/couples therapy; and group therapy. Assessment services include behavioral assessment and psychological testing for children, adolescents, and adults. PhD-level providers and supervisors at the PSC serve on several managed care panels, including the University’s managed care program.
 
We provide group, couples, family, and individual therapy with children and adults, with an emphasis on evidence-based, goal-focused therapy. This means that treatment is typically brief, often 10 session or fewer, using treatment approaches that have been supported by research. Clinicians at the PSC use interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, exposure therapy, behavioral parent training, and behavioral couple’s therapy. 
 
Please note we do not provide crisis or immediate (i.e. same day) services. For most of our services, it takes some time before we can schedule an appointment, as we do often have a waitlist. If you need to see someone right away, please go to the Emergencies section for a list of crisis numbers.
 

Individual and Couples Therapy for Adults

 
We provide a wide range of psychotherapy services for adults. Adults commonly seek individual therapy at our clinic for academic problems, ADHD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress, tics/Tourette’s, career issues, chronic pain, depression, bipolar, divorce/separation, drug/alcohol use, family problems, grief/loss, sexual problems, and a number of other stressors. In addition, we also offer couples therapy for difficulties among couples. We conduct comprehensive, standardized diagnostic interviews with adult clients as part of treatment to ensure that our clients receive the most appropriate treatment for their needs.
 

Addictions

 
We offer specialized assessment and treatment for individuals struggling with alcohol/drug addiction issues.
 

Fees

 

Fees for PSC services are covered by a combination of client insurance, grants and contracts, and client fees.

  • Insurance:  The PSC accepts most insurance, and our faculty psychologists are on the provider panels of several managed care companies (including managed care organizations and preferred provider organizations).
  • Grants and Contracts: Boone County Community Services and Boone County Children’s Services Fund provide funding to help support PSC youth assessment and treatment services, parenting groups, and brief teletherapy for stress related to COVID-19 for clients who reside in Boone County. The PSC also has a small fund available to help support COVID-19-related services.
  • Client Fees and Fee Assistance: The portion of PSC services not covered by insurance, grants, or contracts are the responsibility of the client. For clients who are uninsured, ineligible for grant-supported services, or whose services are not covered by insurance, income-based fee assistance is available. PSC staff can provide you with a link to our fee assistance application.

Clinic fees:

  •  Individual, couple, and family therapy: $200 for the first (intake) session, $160 for subsequent sessions. Half-sessions (as deemed appropriate by clinician and supervisor) are $80.
  • Group therapy: $20 per group session.
  • Assessment: Please contact the PSC for information on specific assessment services and fees

Late Cancel/No-Show: Clients who no-show or cancel with less than 24 hours notice of the session are charged an administrative fee of up to $30.

 

 

Center for Evidence Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH) at the Psychological Services Clinic

 
For more information on the Center for Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health, please visit the CEBYMH website.
 
The CEBYMH provides evidence-based assessment and treatment for children, adolescents, and their families. Children and adolescents seen at the CEBYMH experience a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties. The CEBYMH offers evidence-based assessment and treatment of the following:
  • Anxiety, including Specific Fears and Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Depression and mood related problems
  • Disruptive Behavior and noncompliance
  • Family conflict and parent-child relationship problems
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD and OC spectrum concerns)
  • School Refusal
  • Social Concerns and Social Skills deficits
  • Tourettes, tics, and related disorders (e.g., hair-pulling, skin-picking)
The CEBYMH also provides comprehensive diagnostic assessments with children and caregivers and assistance with locating an appropriate mental health provider if we are unable to provide services.
 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

 
We are no longer offering our comprehensive DBT program.* However, we are offering a weekly Transdiagnostic DBT Skills Group to supplement individual therapy. Clients must be 18 or over, be under the coordinated care of an individual therapist, and pass an egilibity screener. This group accepts both in-clinic and community referrals. Clients commit to one 9-week module at a time; each module costs $180 (fee assistance applications are accepted). If interested in the Transdiagnostic DBT Skills Group, please e-mail adpsc@umsystem.edu requesting more information. 
 
*For more information on comprehensive DBT programs in the community, please vist DBT Vitality, DBT Columbia, and The Oak Center. 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

 
What happens when I call the PSC for an appointment?
 
You will first speak with one of our office staff, who will ask you a series of standard questions that we ask everyone. After this initial phone call, you can expect to be contacted by someone at our clinic within 3-5 business days to follow-up with you. Please note that our waitlist ranges from a few days to several months before a therapist has availability. This varies as a result of student and supervisor availability. If we do not have expertise or ability to meet your needs, we will provide you with referrals to other agencies or therapists who may be a better fit for you.
 
Payment
 
If you do have insurance, your information will be forwarded on to our faculity clinicians (our licensed psychologists) at this time. Depending on psychologist availability, you may be placed on a waiting list, and then we'll call you when one of our faculty clinicians has an opening.
 
If you do not have insurance, the office staff will ask you if you would like to see one of our doctoral student clinicians. Our doctoral student clinicians work under the licenses of our faculity clinicians while making progress on earning a PhD. If you'd like to see a doctoral student clinician, you will be placed on a waiting list, and we'll call you when one of our docotoral student clinicians has an opening.
 
What should I expect if I decide to get therapy at the PSC?
 
At the first session, you'll be asked to fill out standard paperwork and some questionnaire measures before you meet with the therapist. The first few sessions are typically dedicated to getting to know you and figure out how we can best serve your needs. In addition, you'll also meet with another clinician who will conduct comprehensive diagnostic interviews with you in order to help your therapist formulate the treatment plan.
 
Typically, therapy sessions are once per week for approximately 50 minutes, but this may be more or less frequent depending on the concern. Because we focus on brief, research-supported treatment, clients can expect to be asked to do some form of practice or work outside of the therapy session in order to increase therapy benefits. Towards the end of treatment, therapists and clients often decide to "taper" off sessions to either a biweekly or monthly basis.
 
What should I bring with me to my first appointment?
 
We recommend bringing a copy of your insurance card (if applicable), a list of your current medications and dosages, and names and contact information for previous treatment providers. The reason of this information is because the therapist may ask you to sign a release for us to contact your previous provider. In addition, if you (or your child) has had a previous psychological evaluations or testing, such as from the Thompson Center or MU Assessment and Consultation Clinic, we ask that you bring these records.
 
Everything I tell my therapist is private, right?
 
Yes, everything is confidential, but with some exceptions--which your therapist will review with you at the first session. There are three main exceptions, although there may be other less common exceptions. The three main reasons are: 
  1. If we are concerned that you will seriously harm yourself or another person
  2. If we have any suspicions* of child abuse and neglect, vulnerable adult abuse, and elder abuse
  3. If we are ordered by a court of law to disclose information about a client
*Therapists in the state of Missouri are legally mandated to report any suspicions of child abuse and neglect, vulnerable adult abuse, and elder abuse. 
 

Hours, Contact Information, Faculty, and Staff

 
PSC Main Office number: (573) 882-4677
PSC Fax Number: (573) 882-4583
 
For more information about therapy services or to schedule a phone screen, please you may also e-mail the Assistant Director at adpsc@umsystem.edu 
 
We are located at:
211 South 8th Street
Columbia, MO 65211
(next to Sub Shop on 8th Street)
 
Our hours* are:
  • Monday: 9am-7pm
  • Tuesday: 9am-8pm
  • Wednesday: 9am-8pm
  • Thursday: 9am-8pm
  • Friday: 9am-5pm
*Note: some of our clinic faculty may see clients starting at 8:00am. 
 
PSC Closing Policies
 
The PSC is closed when the University of Missouri is closed, including on University holidays and University campus closings due to severe weather.
University Holidays include:
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving and the Friday following Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Eve*
  • Christmas Day*
  • New Year’s Eve*
  • New Year’s Day*
*Please note that we often close from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. 

Clinic Staff:

Executive Director
 
Clinical Faculty Providers
Clinical Faculty Supervisors
Assistant Director
Jaclyn Valadka, M.A.
 
Office Staff
  • Madison Beedon
  • Rowan Basnett
  • Elizabeth Enrooth

Research Opportunities

 
The PSC and CEBYMH both currently have opportunties available for undergraduate research assistant positions. These RA opportunities allow for first-hand experience handling psychological data, which is an advantage when applying to many graduate programs in psychology.
 

Emergencies

 
The PSC does not offer walk-in crisis services, and we do not have staff on call to address these situations. If you are having an emergency, please call one of the services listed below.
 
For Mizzou students, the Counseling Center has walk-in crisis services available during business hours at 119 Parker Hall. You can either call at (573) 882-6601 or just walk-in. In addition, crisis services are available via telephone 24/7. For more information, go to http://counseling.missouri.edu/.
 
If you are not a Mizzou student, you can dial 911 or go to the University Hospital ER (or nearest emergency room).
In addition, the following crisis numbers below are available for anyone:
  • Columbia Crisis Line: (573) 445-5035 or 1-800-395-2132
  • Missouri Crisis Line: 1-888-761-HELP (1-800-761-4357)
  • National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
PDF Documents: 
PDF icon Information Letter on Center for Evidence-based Youth Mental Health
PDF icon Telepsychology Consent Form
PDF icon Brief SPR Teletherapy Information
PDF icon Services for Farmers and Rural Missourians
PDF icon 1-2-3 Magic Parenting Group--March 2021