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.

We are also committed to respecting the dignity and person of all members of our community.

We seek to maintain inclusive, mutually respectful attitudes and behavior in relation to others, regardless of difference. We recognize that difference may be immutable or changeable, and may be found in cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, intellectual, ideological, political, sexual, gender, disability, and other domains. These differences make up our individual identities, and are essential to a complete university community of individuals with unique perspectives and backgrounds. We recognize the presence of intrinsic bias as well as systemic inequities which privilege the perspectives and voices of some identities over others. We are committed to increasing our awareness of and decreasing the power of these internal and external forces.

We reject all acts of hatred and reaffirm our commitment to students of all faiths, racial groups, nationalities, immigration statuses, genders, sexual identities, as well as political parties.

We invite students to visit our self-help resources page.

Hours of Operation

The Wellness Center is open Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Our office is open on-site as follows:
Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

You may also email us at wellness@gc.cuny.edu and we will return your message as soon as possible.

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 Self-Help Resources or our Referrals page which may assist you.

two women sitting in high-backed arm chairs in a cozy office, participating in a counseling session

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
A mixed group of adult men and women sitting in a circle in a well-lit room, taking part in a support group

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 supportive spaces
Professor teaching

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 Guide

If 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.

Crisis/Emergency Information


Our Team

Helen Hu

Helen Hu

Clinical Fellow

  • Student Counseling Services
Ryan Savino

Ryan Savino

Clinical Fellow

  • Student Counseling Services
Joy Shen

Joy Shen

Clinical Fellow

  • Student Counseling Services
headshot: Inez Strama

Inez Strama

Assistant Director

  • Student Counseling Services

Community Supervisors

Daam Barker headshot

Dr. Daam Barker has extensive experience working cross-culturally with children, adolescents, young adults, couples, and groups.  He currently practices privately and with first-generation college students in the Equal Opportunity Program at Seton Hall University.  He earned his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis before earning a Master’s degree in Community Counseling from The University of Cincinnati and a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from Fordham University.  Dr. Barker completed his pre-doctoral internship training at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Manhattan specializing in cognitive-behavioral, dynamic, and group psychotherapy interventions for adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, and trauma.  He also completed externships at The Manhattan Psychiatric Center and Student Counseling Services at The Graduate Center, CUNY, where he trained in Time Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy and Emotion Focused Therapy for couples.  Dr. Barker’s clinical and research interests include multiculturalism and cross-cultural psychotherapy, intersectionality and identity development, adjustment disorders, complex anxiety, trauma and resilience, post-traumatic growth, and group therapy.  He lived and practiced in Guyana, South America for 12 years working with clients of all ages and completed several consultancies for non-governmental organizations including UNICEF and IOM.  As a clinician, he works to develop a strong therapeutic alliance with clients to support their investment in the process of change.  This empathic relationship provides a safe space for clients to fully understand their concerns, devise a personalized treatment plan, and learn new coping skills to respond to their circumstances.

headshot: Adjoa Osei

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. 

Headshot: Alexander Levine

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.

Headshot: Anita Lanzi

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.  

Headshot: Greg Gagnon

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.

headshot: Karen Starr

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 PsychoanalysisA 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.

Headshot: Melissa Corpus

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.

Headshot: Merav Gur

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.

Headshot: Vivi Wei-Chun Hua

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.

All information shared with Student Counseling Services counselors and staff is confidential and will not be included in your academic record or released without your written consent, except in specific and limited circumstances:

  1. When there is risk of imminent danger to yourself or to another person, the counselor is legally bound to take necessary steps to prevent such danger;
  2. When there is suspicion that an individual under 18 years of age or a seriously impaired individual is being abused or maltreated, the counselor is legally required to inform the proper authorities;
  3. When a valid court order is issued for medical records, the counselor and the agency are bound by law to comply with such a request; and
  4. When otherwise required by law or statute. 

Note: Verbal consent for limited release of information may be necessary in special circumstances.