Effective psychological services are offered through VPS for individuals of all ages, abilities, genders, orientations, ethnicities, and spiritual beliefs. Evidence-based treatments employed within VPS aim to improve quality of life and enhance mental health outcomes for those suffering with problems including anxiety, depression and other affective disorders, child behavioral problems, eating disorders, neurological and developmental disorders, and other mental health concerns.
Vermont Psychological Services
(formerly the Behavior Therapy and Psychotherapy Center)
Vermont Psychological Services (VPS) is a non-profit outpatient mental health clinic and training facility for the clinical psychology graduate program in the Department of Psychological Science at The University of Vermont. VPS has been providing service for over 45 years. Services are typically provided by clinicians who are obtaining their Ph.D.'s with the supervision of licensed clinical psychology faculty.
Quality Community Services/ Mission Statement
Vermont Psychological Services (VPS) was established in 1972 and has served over 15,000 clients since that time. VPS has focused on providing clinical training, while simultaneously offering community services based on empirical research. Though much has changed since the clinic's inception, two fundamental aims have remained constant:
- To train clinical psychology graduate students in providing high quality psychological services utilizing the scientist-practitioner model to assure each client receives the most effective, empirically-supported clinical interventions. Generally, these focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in addition to other well-supported modalities (e.g., Aceeptance and Commitment Therapy-ACT, Motivational Interviewing-MI).
- To provide high quality, evidence-based, psychological services to the widest range of individuals possible, particularly those who identify as a part of a historically underserved population (e.g. low-income individuals, abused and/or traumatized children, families in conflict, refugees, and individuals with HIV).
Description of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Evidence-Based Practice
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy that is based on the cognitive and behavioral model: the way that individuals perceive a situation is more closely connected to their reaction than the situation itself. One important part of CBT is helping clients change their less helpful thinking and behavioral patterns, which leads to enduring improvement in their mood and functioning.
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) involves the integration of: (a) clinical expertise/expert opinion, (b) external scientific evidence, and (c) client/patient/caregiver perspectives to provide high-quality services reflecting the interests, values, needs, and choices of the individuals we serve.
