Office of Applied Psychological Services
Office of Applied Psychological Services (OAPS) Heading link
University of Illinois at Chicago
Office of Applied Psychological Services Heading link
Link to our brochure
The Office of Applied Psychological Services (OAPS) is a mental health clinic in the Psychology Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). We offer therapy and psychological assessment using approaches that are based on scientific theory and supported by scientific evidence, with an emphasis on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. OAPS serves the UIC community, including faculty, staff, and students, as well as people living or working in the greater Chicago area.
OAPS Clinic Hours
Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Summer 2022 Therapy Intake Appointments will only be available during the following days and times:
Monday:
9-11AM
11AM-1PM
Tuesday:
12-2PM
2-4PM
Wednesday:
12-2PM
2-4PM
Thursday
9-11AM
Assessment Waitlist: As of April 1st, 2022, new clients who wish to be added to the OAPS assessment waitlist can expect to be scheduled for their first testing appointment in August of 2022.
COVID-19 Policies
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all clients, staff, and clinicians, we have implemented a number of cleaning and protective policies within the OAPS clinic for in-person services. The services we can provide at this time and our hours of operation have also been modified. All clients and OAPS personnel will be required to wear a mask and maintain physical distance at all times in the Behavioral Sciences Building and in the OAPS clinic. The only time a mask can be removed is if a client or clinician is alone in a clinic room, with the door shut.
POLICIES TO ENTER OAPS CLINIC:
ALL new clients must physically come to the clinic for their intake appointment, due to the nature of the training clinic and to ensure client wellbeing. After the first appointment, clients will have flexibility in fully virtual treatment options.
Contact-free Appointment & Paperwork
- Clients will receive access to a confidential portal to complete their intake documents prior to their appointment.
Symptom Screen
- All clients must complete a health screen (accessed via their confidential portal) at least one hour prior to their appointment. Clients will also be screened upon arrival to the clinic by the supervisor on site.
- New clients experiencing symptoms will be rescheduled; current clients experiencing symptoms can meet with a clinician via videoconference or telephone.
Protective Measures
- Protective face coverings must be worn in the building.
- Upon arriving to the clinic clients will be asked to wash their hands.
Physical Distancing
- Individuals are expected to maintain 6 feet of distance from one another at all times while in the clinic.
Services
Clinicians at OAPS are advanced graduate students in UIC’s Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Graduate student clinicians are supervised by licensed clinical psychologists. OAPS provides a variety of services, including therapy and psychological assessment. We also provide referrals to appropriate agencies for problems that we do not treat.
OAPS is a training clinic, staffed by student clinicians, thus there are certain presenting concerns that we are unable to adequately treat here. These include, but are not limited to, suicidal intent (or acting on suicidal thoughts in the past three years), psychosis, detoxification from substance use, court-referred cases, difficulties resulting from a traumatic brain injury, and diagnosing or treating autism spectrum disorder that requires more comprehensive care. If you are struggling with any of these issues, we will do our best to provide you with referrals to clinics that would be a better fit for your care.
Therapy Services
Using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing (MI), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and other evidence based practices (EBP), OAPS offers therapy for adults, children, families, and couples. We help individuals make changes that will improve their personal functioning and enhance their ability to cope with various life stressors. Therapy is available for a broad range of problems including depression, anxiety (e.g., O.C.D., panic disorder, social anxiety, separation anxiety, adjustment difficulties), trauma, substance use difficulties, relationship difficulties, parenting, emotion dysregulation, and personality disorders.
Assessment Services
We offer comprehensive psychological and educational assessment services to adults and children. Assessments evaluate a range of concerns including but not limited to Specific Learning Disorders, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Intellectual Disability (ID), personality assessment, career choices, and other emotional and behavioral concerns.
Fees
Fees are set with a sliding scale based on income.
Primary Clinical Supervisors
Clinic Director: Jenna Rowen Szerszen, Ph.D.
Associate Director: Jasmin Searcy-Pate, Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor: Katie Lawton, Ph.D.
Location
OAPS is located in the Behavioral Sciences Building (BSB) on UIC’s East Campus.
- For directions to the East Campus.
- For a map showing train and bus stops
- For a map of BSB and available parking.
- For a close up view of BSB and available parking.
- For a diagram of BSB.
Contact Information
To make an appointment or to learn more about OAPS, call 312-996-2540 and press “2” at the prompt to leave a message in the new client voicemail box. Your call will be returned within 1-2 business days.
Nondiscrimination Policy
The Office of Applied Psychological Services does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.