The Center for Applied Psychology is a division of GSAPP that develops, implements, and evaluates projects where application of the most current knowledge in psychology leads to the understanding and amelioration of problems with which our society is concerned. These projects involve faculty, doctoral students, and community-based participants in the design and delivery of psychological services and in research regarding the projects. The center's programs and services are applicable and available to all types of organizations, including corporations, schools, state agencies, community organizations, psychological clinics, and child and family programs.
The Resources
The primary resource of the Center for Applied Psychology is the faculty of the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers. A broad spectrum of psychology is represented by these professionals. Their interests and experiences cover individual, group and organizational assessments; treatment of psychological problems from many perspectives; organizational behavior; and improving the psychological climate of the work place and communities. They are nationally and internationally renowned for their work.
The Programs
Programs conducted by the Center for Applied Psychology are developed by assessing the needs in the community and matching them with the expertise of the faculty and associates of the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. The current programs are broadly based and involve the application of psychology at individual, group and systematic levels: Programs in Psychotherapy. The Psychological Clinic, Foster Care Counseling Project, Rutgers/Somerset Counseling Project, the Tourette's Syndrome Program Programs in Schools/Education. School Consultation, Emotional Intelligence Project, Social Problem-Solving/Decision-Making Program, School-Based Youth Services Project, New Jersey Center for Character Evaluation Programs in Organizations. Organizational Consultation, Career and Performance Consulting Group, Team Building, Stress Reduction and Management, Emotional Intelligence Factors in the Workplace, the Organizational Psychology Consulting Group
The Psychological Clinic, physically located within the GSAPP site, is the training unit for doctoral-level students in GSAPP and in the clinical Ph.D. program. It provides a full complement of outpatient services to the Rutgers University community, surrounding communities, and human service agencies. Therapeutic, educational, and vocational services are provided by graduate students under the close supervision of faculty and cooperating psychologists. There are 10 consultation rooms, 2 playrooms for child therapy, and 3 rooms for group/family work. Headed by a full-time director, who is also a member of the clinical faculty, the staff includes a full-time administrative assistant, a part-time evening receptionist, four students who serve as clinic coordinators, and a test materials library coordinator. The clinic provides assessment and outpatient therapy for a widely diverse population of children, adolescents, and adults who have any of the following conditions: anxiety and panic disorders; depression and mood disorders; learning difficulties or disabilities; attention deficit disorder (with or without hyperactivity); chronic pain/headache/stress-related medical illnesses; and family problems such as emotional complications of divorces, step-parenting problems, and adoption-related services. Modalities of treatment include cognitive and cognitive/behavior therapy, family therapy, contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapies, brief psychodynamic therapy, marital/couples therapy, child play therapy, and group therapy. There is emphasis on empowering clients and engaging in a collaborative therapeutic relationship for each of the approximately four hundred individuals and families seen each year.
The Natural Setting Therapeutic Management (NSTM) project is a home-based intervention program designed to remediate the severe behavior problems of individuals with developmental disabilities who have become at risk of being institutionalized. The project's ultimate goal is to maintain the individual in the community by training caregivers (including parents, skill sponsors, and workshop supervisors) in a myriad of skills necessary to accomplish this. The NSTM projects has been supported by the Division of Developmental Disabilities of the state of New Jersey since 1980. Since that time, it has provided free services to more than 275 individuals in New Jersey. A Case Management Program augments the traditional NSTM services by providing in-house case management services. Student clinicians work closely with the professional team. The program is located in its own quarters, five minutes from the Psychology Building.
The Network for Family Life Education is a nationally recognized program that improves sexuality education by harnessing the energy, unique knowledge, and intelligence of teens to educate their peers about sexuality, inform adults about teen concerns, and change school sexuality education programs to better meet the needs of young people. Through the Network's newsletter, SEX, ETC., and it's web site http://www.sxetc.org, over three million teens per year are influenced to make informed, thoughtful decisions about their lives. The network is central to the efforts made by the Center for Applied Psychology to prevent psychological distress and encourage thoughtful living.
For further information contact:
Lew Gantwerk, Psy.D.
Director Center for Applied Psychology
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
41A Gordon Road,
Livingston Campus
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Telephone: (732) 445-7795
Fax: (732) 445-7970
E-mail: gantwerk@rci.rutgers.edu