The Frances Smith Center for Individual & Family Therapy at Chapman University is open and taking new clients during the COVID-19 quarantine. The clinic is operated by graduate students in the Marriage & Family Therapy program with oversight by clinical faculty members and has served the Orange County community for over 50 years. Sessions are being offered via telehealth, either over the phone or through videoconferencing. At this time, all sessions are free until the Clinic re-opens for normal business.

Due to this time of uncertainty, you may find that levels of stress or anxiety are heightened. While the thought of seeking therapy virtually may seem daunting, we are here to help treat a wide range of issues including, stress management, couple conflict, family stress, parenting skills, anxiety or depression.

Previous research has shown that most aspects of therapy delivered via video sessions often mirror in-person sessions (Gros et al., 2013). Benefits to receiving therapy while remaining at home include; flexible scheduling, the ability to implement new skills directly in the home, as well as no time needed for commenting.

To access counseling services, please call (714) 997-6746 and press 1 for the intake line. Leave your name, telephone number, and a good time to reach you. Calls are returned on Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to complete a telephone intake, which takes approximately 20-30 minutes.

All clinical staff are graduate students in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Chapman University. The students are Marriage and Family Therapist Trainees (or MFT Trainees) and are under the direct supervision of licensed clinical supervisors, ensuring high-quality clinical services in a training environment.

For more information, please email Clinic Director, Susan Jester (sjester@chapman.edu) or Administrative Assistant, Bridget Womelduff (womelduff@chapman.edu)