St. John's Counseling Center

An Interview with The Rev'd Gary L. Hellman

by Jeanne Sutton

April, 2008

The Rev'd Gary Hellman arrived on the staff at St. John's as pastoral counselor in 1976. In two years the center grew and expanded and was incorporated as a nonprofit organization. From the beginning, it was a unique psychotherapy center, qualified to address both the emotional and spiritual dimension of human suffering and growth. The challenge is to treat each individual, couple, family and community as part of a broader holistic focus of mind, body, and spirit that they may fulfill their abilities and dreams.

In 1992, Gary became the Director of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute (PSI) at Trinity Church. In 1993, St. John 's Pastoral Counseling Center became a member of the Institute. Presently four churches are part of the group: Trinity Wall Street, St. John's in the Village, St. Bartholomew's, and Rutgers Presbyterian. The PSI Board of Directors consists of one member from each church or group and members of the city at large. St. John's is represented by David De Porte.

The staff of the Institute is interdisciplinary including psychologists, pastoral counselors, social workers and art therapists; psychiatrists serve as consultants. PSI offers clinical internships for students in clinical psychology, pastoral counseling, and social work as opportunities arise.

Like the staff, the population who comes for therapy is diverse. About 8000 sessions are provided each year. There is a sliding fee from $75.00 to $200.00 and typically the average is $100 - $125. The fee for an individual may be lower if covered by insurance. And in cases of special need subsidies have been arranged.

Besides individual. marriage, and family therapy, there are groups available to focus on different needs in the community: new mothers, stress management, working women's support, children's bereavement, mediation, art therapy, treatment for trauma through visualization, recovery from addictive illness, EMDR, acupuncture. There is a broad choice. Some treatments occur in the center or are referred to an appropriate provider.

If you feel you need something more out of life or are uncomfortable, call for an appointment to learn more in a confidential conversation. --212-285-0043 or 212-242-5019 (St. John's).

Whatever you can do,
Or dream that you can,
Begin it.

read more about PSI

read more about The Rev'd Garry L. Hellman