The Temple University Psychological Services Center (PSC) is undergoing some changes, the most significant of which is the installment of a new, full-time clinical supervisor for the department.
Dr. Michael Bridges has officially taken over as clinical supervisor of Temple’s Psychiatric Services, to begin what he hopes are some positive changes to the service over the coming months. The ultimate aim of the new and improved PSC will be to offer professional level mental health services that are both accessible and affordable to people in the Temple community.
“The previous supervisor, Dr. Jay Efferen, was slated to retire,” Bridges said. “When he was on the PSC staff, he was also a part-time faculty member in Temple’s Psychology Department. That made it difficult for him to be around running the PSC all the time. I want to make the PSC available on a full-time basis.”
There has also been a significant reduction in the cost of the psychotherapy sessions, in an attempt to make the service more accessible to students.
“They used to run for about $50 per session. We are cutting the base rate down to $10 per session, and we’re now using a sliding scale to accommodate those with emergency needs or problems,” Bridges said. “We have several benefits to offer Temple’s community members who need psychological help. We are located on campus, have flexible hours, are confidential and there is no need to file insurance or worry about third party referrals.”
There are some other changes going on. The department is getting a physical “facelift,” with a new re-painting and re-furnishing job. The PSC will also be getting improved computers and other assessment equipment.
“The department has been essentially upgrading this past year. We are well on our way to improving the overall quality of mental health on Temple’s campus,” Bridges said. “We can accomplish this by offering everyone easy access to trained professionals on Temple’s staff, as well as an inviting and professional environment for the people who use the services.”
The PSC also offers a variety of alternative mental health services that other counseling services on campus do not, like treatment of learning disabilities, adult anxiety and social phobia.
“The center offers treatment and assessment for most psychological problems, like depression, anxiety disorders, work conflicts and problems with relationships. The PSC also has close ties with specialized clinics in Temple’s psychology department that treat child and adult anxiety disorder,” said Bridges.
These mental health problems are relatively common among college students, but most people don’t bother getting treatment or even an evaluation. Many times, this is because they are not aware that such services exist.
“Temple University has both a national and international reputation in psychological research and treatment. We have several important researchers and doctors on our faculty. Everybody in the Temple community should have access to these professionals, at a reasonable price for treatment,” Bridges said.
Eric Raible can be reached at eraible@temple.edu
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