By Jennifer Price
Since 1997, George Washington psychology doctoral students have been providing discounted therapy to members of the GW community as well as residents throughout the Washington area.
But after moving last year from its previous location at 22nd and M streets to Old Main on F Street, the Center Clinic will now be able to serve even more patients with 30 percent more space.
Additions include a large waiting room, larger treatment rooms with new furniture, separate child and group therapy rooms and an observation room where students can observe their peers treating patients.
The nonprofit community mental health clinic also now has regular access to psychiatric consultation through collaboration with the GW Department of Psychiatry.
“This move has been a longtime goal for the program,” says Dorothy E. Holmes, director of the Professional Psychology Program and a professor of clinical psychology.
The clinic has a total of about 200 patients, and about 30 are seen each day. About 45 students work in the clinic.
Students begin working in the Center Clinic during their second year of the Professional Psychology Program. Each student treats about four patients.
The clinic uses psychodynamic therapy, which is Freudian based and seeks to uncover the factors that determine a patient’s behavior, such as a person’s motivations, urges or personal history, through long-term therapy.
“We believe that in order to help someone effectively to be able to work better, love better, be a better citizen, one needs to look at those factors,” says Dr. Holmes. “Self understanding and self awareness are critically important.”
Dr. Holmes says the clinic is an integral part of the Professional Psychology Program, which graduates 34 students a year, because it gives students hands-on training.
“They need to acquire the knowledge and skills that equips them to diagnose and treat a wide variety of mental health problems that people have. Problems in living, problems in loving and problems in work,” she says. “Therefore, we need a clinic for our students to practice under close supervision.”
While the Psychology Program’s core faculty supervises the clinic, each student is also assigned to one of 100 clinical psychologists in the D.C. community, who volunteers their time to supervise a student’s work.
Providing mental health services to the underserved is a key component of the Professional Psychology Program, says Dr. Holmes. That’s why last year the clinic only charged on average $10 to $20 per visit.
In 2009, the doctoral students saw patients ranging in age from eight to 66. About 41 percent were minorities, and 22 percent were full-time students. The average annual income was about $24,000. And the most common diagnoses were anxiety disorder and depression.
In addition to seeing patients in the clinic, students work in agencies, such as public schools, homeless shelters, rehab centers and battered women’s shelters, throughout the region to provide psychological services and support.
“The students see how what they’re learning works in the real world,” says Richard Ruth, associate professor of clinical psychology.
During their third year of the program, students have the option of working 16 hours in the clinic or at a community agency.
Swetha Vajapey chose to stay at the clinic because she had several long-term clients that she didn’t want to abandon.
“The beauty of the clinic is you get a really wide range of patients,” says Ms. Vajapey. “You learn what it’s like to develop your own style, which is really important. While you learn therapy, no one can tell you what kind of therapist you want to be in the room.”
To schedule an appointment at the clinic, call 202-994-4937. Appointments are available between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.