Chapman University opens state-of-the-art clinic for individual, marriage and family therapy, Oct. 22
Orange, Calif. (October 5, 2011) — Chapman University’s Frances Smith Center for Individual and Family Therapy will celebrate its re-opening in its new location on Saturday, October 22, 2011, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Media are invited. The new center location is in Crean Hall, Suite 122, 501 West Palm Avenue in Orange, Calif., a few blocks west of the main campus. (The center was previously located in Smith Hall on the Chapman main campus.) Parking is available in the back of Crean Hall. The new state-of-the-art therapy facility features eight rooms where families and individuals can receive mental health services from supervised student therapists in training.
Established in 1965 by faculty and students concerned about helping families and individuals affected by the Vietnam War, the Frances Smith Center for Individual and Family Therapy (formerly known as the Chapman University Community Clinic) has grown into a well-respected training facility offering psychological treatment services to the local community at very low cost. The dual mission of the center is to provide high- quality and affordable mental health services to the local community, and to provide an excellent training and research environment to the 65 graduate students in the marriage and family therapy (MFT) master’s program at Chapman University.
Since 2007 the center has been nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. Of the approximately 80 marriage and family therapy masters programs in California, Chapman is one of just seven with national accreditation.
“What is exceptional about Chapman’s clinic is that it is located on university property, which affords better supervision for the students,” said Dr. Brennan Peterson, director of Chapman’s marriage and family therapy program. Students in California university-level MFT programs are required to complete 150 hours of face-to-face clinical training, often in an off-campus clinical setting.
Dr. Peterson worked with architects to design the clinic facilities, which provide enhanced clinical supervision, including live observation through one-way mirrors and digital video recording of therapy sessions.
“The presence of our on-site clinic helps us attract high caliber students, as every one of our MFT graduate students receives their clinical training at the Frances Smith Center.” said Dr. Peterson. “At Chapman, when you couple our national accreditation with our new state-of-the-art training facility, we have one of the premier MFT programs and training clinics in California.”
Named for Dr. Frances Smith, who at 96 is still a practicing therapist in Laguna Niguel, the clinic is an integral part of Chapman’s MFT program. Student trainees are under the direct supervision of licensed clinical faculty. The Center is composed of eight therapy rooms, including a play room for child therapy, and larger rooms for family and couple therapy. In addition, these rooms are equipped for direct observation and/or videotaping of sessions by clinical supervisors.
The center serves the entire Orange-area community, including underserved and disadvantaged families. The cost of one session ranges from $10 to $50, and the clinic does not take insurance. The most common presenting issues that center therapists work with include depression, anxiety, marital and couple distress, parent-child relationships, parenting stress, adjustment to unexpected life difficulties and post-traumatic stress issues.
Sessions are once a week and may continue as long as they are needed. If, after an initial evaluation, it is determined that the issue is beyond the available resources at the clinic, then the individual is referred to an appropriate outside establishment. Medication is not prescribed at Chapman’s clinic; however student therapists work with psychiatrists and physicians to help clients in need receive necessary medications.
The clinic sees an average of 160 clients each month. Its hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While many families and individuals who visit the clinic are referred from agencies, it is not necessary—direct appointments can be made.
For more information about the opening celebration event please contact Dr. Brennan Peterson, director of Chapman University’s MFT program, at 714-744-7915 or at bpeterson@chapman.edu. For more information about the clinic, please visit www.chapman.edu/counselingservices or contact Dr. Naveen Jonathan, director of the Frances Smith Center for Individual and Family Therapy at (714) 997-6932 or at jonathan@chapman.edu.
About Chapman University
Tracing its history to 1861,ChapmanUniversityis one ofCalifornia’s oldest and most respected private institutions. The university is known for its commitment to deeply engaged learning, providing students with a remarkable educational environment from the moment they step onto campus.ChapmanUniversityalumni are found throughout the world, providing ethical and innovative leadership in their communities and disciplines. Our graduates now excel in film and media arts, performing arts, educational studies, business and economics, law, humanities and the sciences.
###
Categories
Recent Posts
- ANNETTE BENING, ED ASNER, AND GARY COLE JOIN CAST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PLAY BRINGS THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF WARFARE TO LIFE
- DISNEY EXECUTIVES AND OTHER ORANGE COUNTY LEADERS JOIN CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY GOVERNING BOARDS
- Chapman University’s Office of the Provost and Musco Center Presents Provost’s Arts & Lecture Series
- General H. R. McMaster visits to commemorate partnership between Chapman University and Richard Nixon Foundation
- More Category 5 Hurricanes Forecasted by Scientists
Archives
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011