What we do!
The MU Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) provides a wide array of mental health services. These include individual and family therapy, and psychological assessment. Clinic staff will also consult with school, other clinics, and service agencies when 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.
![A photo of a diverse lady](/sites/default/files/split-layout/2024-07/-2.jpg)
Our Mission
Provide high-quality, affordable, evidence-based assessment and treatment services to youth, adults, families, and groups in Columbia, MO and the surrounding community
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
Support research that advances understanding and effective promotion of psychological health
If you need immediate access to care
If this is an emergency, 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 assistance (e.g., food, utilities, medical care), visit Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services or call United Way 211 or 1-800-427-4626 (TTY 1-866-385-6525).
![A photo of a black female talking at a clinic](/sites/default/files/split-layout/2024-07/adobestock_308495088-3.jpg)
Office Info
Contact Info:
Main Office number: (573) 882-4677
Fax Number: (573) 882-4583
For more information about therapy services or to schedule a phone screen, please e-mail the Assistant Director at adpsc@umsystem.edu.
Location:
211 South 8th Street
Columbia, MO 65211
(next to Sub Shop on 8th Street)
Normal Hours of Operation:
*Hours subject to change seasonally;
- Monday: 8am-5pm
- Tuesday: 8am-8pm
- Wednesday: 8am-8pm
- Thursday: 8am-8pm
- Friday: 8am-4pm
Clinic Staff:
Executive Director:
Clinical Faculty Providers:
- Erin S. Bullett, PhD
- Noel M. Elrod, PhD
- Nan R. Presser, PhD
- Jeremy Skinner, PhD
- Jenna Strawhun, PhD
- Abby Underwood, LCSW
Clinical Faculty Supervisors:
Assistant Director:
- Desmond Spann, M.A.
Office Manager:
- Kassie Muser
Staff:
- Destini Atkins
- Leslie Navarro
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. Telehealth sessions may be available when the University shifts to remote operations; please check with your clinician regarding your scheduled sessions.
University Holidays include:
- Martin Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Labor Day
- Juneteenth
- 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.
Our Services
What we offer:
Doctoral students in clinical psychology and clinical faculty members provide year-round services at the clinic.
Ph.D.-level providers and supervisors at the PSC serve on several managed care panels, including the University’s managed care program.
Services include:
- Individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults
- Family therapy
- Group Therapy
- Assessment Services (Behavioral assessment & Psychological Testing)
- For children, adolescents, and adults.
Our Focus:
Our services emphasize evidence-based, goal-focused therapy. Treatment is typically brief, often 10 sessions or less, using treatment approaches that have been supported by research. Interventions include cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, motivational interviewing, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, exposure therapy, and behavioral parent training.
*Please note we do not provide crisis or immediate same-day services. We have a waitlist for some of our services, so it may take a while before we can schedule an appointment. If you need to see someone right away, please go to the Emergencies section for a list of crisis numbers.
Services by Population
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.
- If you are seeking services for your under-18 child, or are 18 or 19 years old and living in Boone County, please fill out this confidential survey.
Parenting Group Services:
We will also be offering the 1-2-3 Magic parenting group for parents of children ages 2-12 years old. Groups last 4 weeks and are currently being held via Zoom video sessions (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.
- If you are interested in joining the parenting group, please fill out the following confidential survey: https://showmeportal.missouri.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=YWRPHAMTC8
Rural Mental Health Services:
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 services 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 or are interested in rural mental health services, please use the following links to request services:
- For youth services: Youth Rural SPR Request
- For adult services: Adult Rural SPR Request
General Adult Services (Non-Rural):
If you are interested in adult therapy services, please fill out this confidential survey.
Please also see BoCoMoProviders.org for a searchable directory of health and social service providers in central Missouri.
- Individual 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, post-traumatic stress, tics/Tourette’s, career issues, chronic pain, depression, bipolar, divorce/separation, drug/alcohol use, family problems, grief/loss, sexual problems, and other stressors. We conduct comprehensive, standardized diagnostic interviews with our adult clients to ensure they receive the most appropriate treatment for their needs.
- Addictions
- We offer specialized assessment and treatment for individuals struggling with alcohol/drug addiction issues.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- We no longer offer our comprehensive DBT program.* However, our weekly Transdiagnostic DBT Skills Group to supplement individual therapy is available to clients who are 18 or over, under the coordinated care of an individual therapist, and pass an eligibility screener. In-clinic and community referrals are welcome. Clients commit to one 10-week module at a time; each module costs $200 (fee assistance applications are available). If you are 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 visit Aspire Counseling, DBT Columbia, and The Oak Center.
- We no longer offer our comprehensive DBT program.* However, our weekly Transdiagnostic DBT Skills Group to supplement individual therapy is available to clients who are 18 or over, under the coordinated care of an individual therapist, and pass an eligibility screener. In-clinic and community referrals are welcome. Clients commit to one 10-week module at a time; each module costs $200 (fee assistance applications are available). If you are interested in the Transdiagnostic DBT Skills Group, please e-mail adpsc@umsystem.edu requesting more information.
Fees and Good Faith Estimates
Fees and Insurance:
Fees for PSC services are covered by a combination of client insurance, grants, contracts, and client fees.
Our licensed faculty providers accept most insurance plans and bill our services through University Physicians. Our staff clinicians (graduate trainees) do not bill to insurance.
Clinic fees for Clients seeing Staff Clinicians:
- Grants and Contracts: and Boone County Children’s Services Fund provide funding to help support PSC youth assessment and treatment services and parenting groups for clients, ages 19 and under, who reside in Boone County. Grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NCFRASAC grant # USDA-2020-70028-32728) and the Missouri Department of Agriculture (USDA NIFA grant # 2021-70035-35436) help support PSC services for farmers, ranchers, and rural Missourians across the state. The PSC also has a small fund available for scholarships.
- 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.
Standard Session Fees:
All clients not seeing a licensed clinician are eligible for fee assistance. The fees listed below are our fees prior to any fee assistance being applied. Your estimated fee will be shared with you prior to scheduling any sessions.
- Individual 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: Dependent on group type.
- 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 are charged an administrative fee of up to $30.
Good Faith Estimates:
In accordance with federal law designed to protect patients from unexpected medical bills, you will receive a Good Faith Estimate for any reasonably anticipated services for which you are not using your insurance at the MU Psychological Services Clinic.
This includes fees for intake, assessment, individual psychotherapy, and group psychotherapy services. If applicable to you, this estimate will be provided within one business day of completing a phone screen.
Please note that receipt of a Good Faith Estimate does not guarantee services, nor is it a recommendation or prediction for the number of visits you may attend. If you are assigned a therapist and choose to initiate services, you will receive a new Good Faith Estimate from this provider; you are also entitled to receive new estimates whenever there are significant changes to your treatment plan, including new/changed diagnoses, increased frequency of services, or initiation of additional services (such as group programs).
You have a right to initiate a dispute resolution process if the actual amount charged to you is $400 or more beyond the estimated charges stated in your most recent Good Faith Estimate. If you have concerns related to your estimate or would like to initiate a dispute, please first contact your provider or the MU PSC during business hours.
Commitments to our Diverse Community
![A photo of a black male smiling](/sites/default/files/img/2024-07/adobestock_465554124.jpg)
Commitment to Multiculturalism:
At the MU PSC, providing access to affordable, quality mental health services for all is central to our mission. We strive to be a safe and affirming space for individuals from all backgrounds and identities. We recognize that all of us—providers and clients—possess multiple cultural identities that shape how we view and interact in the world.
We view diversity broadly, encompassing one’s racial/ethnic identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, immigration status, income, age, rural/urban residency, and more. Our providers receive ongoing training in the delivery of culturally relevant treatments, and we welcome conversations about identities that matter to you.
We approach the therapy process with a healthy dose of cultural humility and respect for your values and beliefs. For far too long, mental healthcare has been a space dominated by and only accessible to a small group of individuals (i.e., primarily white, cisgender, and heterosexual individuals). Our efforts towards improving our multicultural humility, knowledge, and skills are a continual process, and we welcome your feedback on how we can continue to grow.
Commitment to Anti-Racism:
The MU Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) and Center for Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH) recognize that there are 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 mental health providers we are committed to engaging in behaviors and actions to recognize and eliminate explicit and implicit bias, prejudice, racism, and discrimination. However, we recognize that 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 all 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.
Research Opportunities
The PSC and CEBYMH currently have opportunities available for undergraduate research assistants. These opportunities allow for first-hand experience handling psychological data, which is an advantage when applying to many graduate programs in psychology.
PSC is a Training Clinic
The PSC serves as a training clinic for Mizzou doctoral students earning their Ph.D.s in clinical psychology. Services are typically provided through a team approach in which students work closely with a supervisor, who is a Ph.D.-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).
If you would like to make a donation to the PSC, one of the few mental health clinics in the Columbia, MO community that can provide fee assistance for clients, please go to The Psychological Services Clinic Fund.
The PSC Fund![A photo of someone at a clinic](/sites/default/files/split-layout/2024-07/adobestock_802528744-2.jpg)
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when I call the PSC for an appointment?
Complete a request for services online or call the office and speak with one of our office staff. We will ask you a series of standard questions. After this initial request, we will contact you within 3-5 business days. If you request to be contacted by email, please check your spam folder regularly as our messages sometimes get routed there.
Please note that our waitlist ranges from a few days to several months before a therapist is available, a timeline that varies due to student and supervisor availability. If we do not have the expertise or ability to meet your needs, we will provide you with referrals to other agencies or therapists who may be a better fit.
What should I expect if I decide to get therapy at the PSC?
Prior to the first session, you'll be asked to fill out standard paperwork and questionnaire measures. The first few sessions are typically devoted to getting to know you and figuring out how we can best serve your needs.
Typically, therapy sessions are once per week for approximately 45-50 minutes, but may be more or less frequent depending on the concern. Because we focus on brief, research-supported treatment, clients are asked to practice or work outside of the therapy session to increase therapy benefits. Towards the end of treatment, therapists and clients can 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. We ask for your previous treatment providers information, so we can complete a release to contact them and ensure that we provide you with the best care possible.
In addition, if you (or your child) 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. The three main exceptions (there may be other less common exceptions) are:
- If we are concerned that you will seriously harm yourself or another person
- If we have any suspicions* of child abuse and neglect, vulnerable adult abuse, and elder abuse
- 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.
What is The Center for Evidence Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH)?
Center for Evidence Based Youth Mental Health (CEBYMH) at the Psychological Services Clinic 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
- Tourette’s, 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. For more information on the Center for Evidence-Based Youth Mental Health, visit the CEBYMH website.
Emergencies
![A photo of a phone with 911](/sites/default/files/inline-images/adobestock_93534546.jpg)
The PSC does not offer walk-in crisis services, and we do not have staff on call to address these situations. If you are experiencing 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 on the fourth floor of Strickland 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, visit http://counseling.missouri.edu/.
If you are not a Mizzou student, you can dial 911, call/text 988 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)
- The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386; https://www.thetrevorproject.org/