Student Counseling Services
We are committed to supporting and enhancing the well-being and success of our graduate students through psychological counseling, referral services, outreach, and education.
Buffalo Attack and Other Identity Based Violence
The Wellness Center joins with the rest of the GC community in grief and outrage following the most recent White-supremacist attacks on Black lives in Buffalo, NY and politically-motivated shooting at a Taiwanese church in California. We reject acts of hatred in all forms and reaffirm our support and commitment to our Black and other minoritized communities.
Statement regarding Ukraine
We recognize the ongoing violence being perpetrated against Ukraine. We reject acts of terror in all forms and reaffirm our support for and commitment to our Ukrainian and Slavic communities. If you are being impacted and would like a safe space to process your thoughts and feelings, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us. Students of all ethnic and historical backgrounds are welcome. Additional resources can be found here.
Hours of Operation
The Wellness Center is open for in-person hours Tuesday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The center operates remotely on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to answer questions via our Virtual Front Desk:
- Connect to the Virtual Front Desk on Zoom - Meeting ID: 212 817 7020, Password: 6422
- Connect to the Virtual Front Desk via phone: 1 646 876 9923 US (New York), or find your local number.
You may also email us at wellness@gc.cuny.edu and we will return your message as soon as possible
COVID-19 information, resources and service changes
Service eligibility
Please note that you must present your student I.D. with a validation sticker for the current semester in order to be eligible for services.
If you are ineligible for our services (e.g., temporary students, visiting scholars, non-degree/non-matriculated students, faculty and staff who are not students, and students registered at other CUNY campuses), please visit our Resources page or our Crisis/Emergency Information which may assist you.

Free, Confidential Counseling Services
Matriculated students registered at The Graduate Center, CUNY and the Craig Newmark School of Journalism are invited to take advantage of our free, confidential services, including individual and group counseling, academic support, and referrals for external mental health service providers.
Explore our services and make an appointment
Workshops and Supportive Spaces
Our workshop series addresses topics such as procrastination, stress management, imposter syndrome, and more. Virtual workshops and videos are available while the Wellness Center is operating remotely.
Explore workshops and presentations
Resources for Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff members are often in a unique position to identify and support students who are in distress. Learn to recognize some of the symptoms and find ways you may be able to help.
Faculty and Staff GuideIf you are in crisis
If you are experiencing a mental health emergency and feel you are in imminent danger of harming yourself or others please call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.
Our Team

Grace Acevedo
Office Assistant
- Wellness Center

Yasmine Awais
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Nicole Benedicto Elden
Assistant Director
- Student Counseling Services

Elisa Cameron-Niang
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Shiyun Chen
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Erzulie Coquillon
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Cheri Daniels
Student Wellness Manager
- Wellness Center

Kendell Doyle
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Annie Egleson
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Molly Finkel
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Robert Hatcher
Director
- Wellness Center
Adjunct Professor
- Psychology

Danielle Hazeltine
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Deborah Mandas
Office Assistant
- Wellness Center

Gabriella Robinson
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services

Arielle Shanok
Deputy Director
- Student Counseling Services

Inez Strama
Supervising Clinical Psychologist
- Student Counseling Services

Tingyun Tseng
Clinical Fellow
- Student Counseling Services
Community Supervisors

Adjoa Osei (she/her/hers), Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her doctorate from Long Island University, Post campus with a concentration in serious mental illness. She was trained in both psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Her dissertation focused on examining how Black clinical and counseling psychology doctoral students experienced navigating personal and professional relationships within their academic program. She completed an APA-accredited internship at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Osei has a virtual private practice and an office located in Brooklyn, NY. Her practice is founded on the perspective that identity is integral to therapeutic work and thus, she views a person and their presenting problems within a cultural context.

Dr. Alexander Levine (he, him, his) began his work in mental health as part of the Trevor Project's LGBTQ youth lifeline, and then went on to earn his doctorate in clinical psychology. While in graduate school, his research focused on the intersection of internalized oppression and gender, and he received training in the integration of gestalt therapy and mindfulness. He also has over a decade of experience teaching donation-based yoga and meditation, and is passionate about integrating this into his clinical work. He has worked with students and supervised at multiple university counseling centers, and now is in private practice in NYC focusing on serving the LGBTQ community with mindfulness-informed cognitive behavioral therapy.

Dr. Anita Lanzi (she, hers) is a clinical psychologist who has been in private practice for 30 years working with adults who are dealing with a wide array of life issues. A lifelong New Yorker, I received my doctoral degree not far from home at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Early in my career I worked in several medical settings where I had the opportunity to hone short term treatment skills as a consultant to medical staff. As my greater professional interest lay in unraveling the repetitive patterns contributing to my patient's emotional distress, I later trained in interpersonal/relational psychoanalysis at the William Alanson White Institute.

Gregory Gagnon, PhD (he/him)
He is a psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He provides psychotherapy to people recovering from trauma, personality disorders, and psychological difficulties associated with chronic medical conditions, with a particular focus on providing services to members of the LGBTQ+ community. He is also a Graduate Center alum and a former trainee at SCS. He has published articles and book chapters on theoretical integration in psychotherapy, gender in psychological testing, psychological correlates of physical health, and group therapy for sexual minority people living with HIV.

Dr. Karen Starr is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. She is faculty and co-chair of the Independent Track at the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and adjunct clinical supervisor at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Dr. Starr teaches, writes, and presents on topics including psychoanalytic writing, psychoanalysis and Jewish studies, the history of psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy integration. In addition to journal articles and book chapters, her books include Repair of the Soul: Metaphors of Transformation in Jewish Mysticism and Psychoanalysis; A Psychotherapy for the People: Toward a Progressive Psychoanalysis; and Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Integration. Dr. Starr maintains a private practice in New York City and Great Neck, New York, where she conducts psychoanalysis and psychotherapy with adults and writing and dissertation consultations.

Dr. Melissa Corpus has training in both neuropsychology, psychological evaluations, and psychotherapy. At present, she provides supervision for post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees in her private practice. Prior to private practice, she worked in a VA hospital for 5 years providing supervision for pre-doctoral interns for The Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team, facilitated Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior trainings, conducted VA-wide police de-escalation training, administered forensic evaluations (fitness-for-duty psychological evaluations), and supervised multicultural training for pre-doctoral interns. Her interests include neuropsychology, forensics, and cross cultural issues.

Merav Gur, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist in clinical practice for over 17 years. She received her Ph.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University, completed her internship at St-Lukes Roosevelt Hospital Center, and a postdoc at Columbia University Medical Center/NY State Psychiatric Institute at the Anxiety Disorders Clinic. She served as an assistant professor at Columbia University Medical Center conducting research and training in empirically validated protocols. She also supervised graduate students and taught graduate level classes at Teachers College Columbia University. Her practice focuses on adults struggling with anxiety (including panic disorder and social anxiety), individuals who are trying to sort out their life path, build healthier attachments, and develop an authentic self. Additionally, she sees individuals with a history of trauma and those navigating depression, relational difficulties, and perinatal challenges. Dr. Gur utilizes psychodynamic psychotherapy as well as a skills-based approach combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Gur has published both in scientific journals and at the HuffPost, and contributed to published pieces about mental health at the Economist, BuzzFeed, Mic, and Self Magazine.

Vivi Wei-Chun Hua (she/her/hers), Psy.D is a clinical psychologist and an international student success coach. She received her doctorate from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University in Bronx, NY. Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Hua is particularly insightful about the unique challenges of studying in the U.S. as a foreign student. She provides coaching services specifically designed to help international students achieve academic, professional, and personal success in the U.S. In addition to coaching, Dr. Hua runs a successful psychology practice in New York City and provides psychotherapy for adolescents and adults suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, or cross-cultural adjustment issues. Through therapy, Dr. Hua empowers her clients to be their authentic selves and to break free of any psychological barriers, as a result of individual, societal, or systemic forces of oppression. Dr. Hua also provides clinical supervision to doctoral-level psychology students.
Dr. Julie Ackerman is a clinical psychologist in private practice and an adjunct assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Icahn School of Medicine/Mt Sinai. She is trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and has studied psychoanalysis in London and New York. She has worked at many college counseling centers around New York City, and specializes in college/graduate student and resident/physician mental health. She has particular interest and training in treating trauma, eating disorders, and psychosomatic illness.
Dr. Melissa Ilardi is a Clinical Psychologist working with children and adults in private practice.
Dr. Kristina Daniels is a Clinical Psychologist with unique training, diverse experience and style of supportive, collaborative psychotherapy.