Embedded Therapist Services: Cornell Tech

Meet Sarah, Cornell Tech's embedded therapist

Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis, LCSW is the new CAPS Embedded Therapist for Cornell Tech. Learn more about Sarah on her bio page.

Students from Cornell Tech and several other New York City programs can now access mental health support from a Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) counselor located onsite at Cornell Tech. 

This is the second embedded therapist location for Cornell, a model in which ongoing mental health support is provided from within a “satellite” office located outside of the health center. Learn more about the Embedded Therapist Model.

Mental health services at Cornell Tech

Embedded therapist services at Cornell Tech are:

"Let's Talk" drop-in consultation

Let’s Talk is a free drop-in service that allows students to consult informally with Sarah without an appointment – either in person or by Zoom.

Consultations are offered first-come, first-served, and are typically about 20-25 minutes in length. (Note that Let's Talk is not a substitute for counseling, and not appropriate for urgent concerns or mental health emergencies. Learn more about Cornell Health's Let's Talk model.) 

Sarah's Fall 2024 Let's Talk hours*: 

 *Not available Thursday, 11/28 and Friday, 11/29 

COST: There is no charge for Let's Talk consultations. 

Individual counseling

Sarah provides single-session therapy and short-term individual counseling from her office on Cornell Tech's campus (2nd floor Bloomberg Center) and by Zoom.

Students wishing to schedule a counseling appointment with Sarah should first schedule a CAPS access appointment. During this free initial 25-minute appointment, you can discuss your concerns with an access counselor (from Cornell Health in Ithaca), and request a counseling appointment with Sarah. 

To schedule a CAPS access appointment: 

  • Log in to myCornellHealth using your Cornell NetID and password, and select "Appointments"
  • Or call Cornell Health during business hours to speak with a scheduler: 607-255-5155 

Follow-up counseling appointments may be scheduled with Sarah directly.

COST: There is no charge for initial CAPS access appointments. Individual counseling appointments have a $10 copay (automatically Bursar-billed; your insurance will not be charged for counseling appointments). 

Other mental health support from Cornell Health

Students at Cornell Tech and other relevant NYC-based programs may also access the following services offered by Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at Cornell Health in Ithaca.

Group counseling

Student may participate in any of Cornell Health's Ithaca-based counseling groups that meet by Zoom. View current group counseling offerings and look for groups meeting "via Zoom." 

Groups are led by CAPS counselors and address concerns and experiences common among undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Students who are interested in joining a counseling group can schedule a group counseling orientation. Students may also be referred to group counseling through an access appointment or by the embedded counselor at Cornell Tech.

COST: There is no charge for participating in group counseling. 

CAPS Workshops

Students in New York City may participate in CAPS workshops that meet by Zoom. View current workshop offerings and look for workshops being offered online. 

Workshops are led by Cornell Health counselors and focus on helping students develop skills to thrive. 

COST: There is no charge to participate in CAPS workshops. 

Referral services

Cornell Health can provide students with assistance finding an off-campus therapist or a provider who can prescribe psychotropic medications. Visit our Finding Off-Campus Mental Health Providers page for more information.

Students in New York City can also access mental health support through Rivia Mind or Teladoc Health, as well as any other off-campus provider or telehealth service. Learn more by visiting our Cornell Tech & Other NY City-Based Programs page.

24/7 phone consultation

Students anywhere in the United States can call Cornell Health 24/7 (607-255-5155) to consult with a medical or mental health provider from our staff or from our on-call service. The provider will help you determine what care is needed, provide self-care information, and can refer you to services in your area, when appropriate. Learn more about 24/7 phone consultation.

More resources to support your well-being

Visit our webpage for Cornell Tech and several other New York City programs to learn about other Cornell services and resources available to you, including:

Learn more about ...

The embedded therapist position at Cornell Tech (FAQs)

Why has CAPS added this support at Cornell Tech?

Cornell Tech has a relatively small student body and while students have access to a wide range of medical services through Weill Cornell Medicine, students report that access to mental health support has been challenging. While students will still be able to look for off-campus mental health providers in New York City on their own, the creation of a New York City-based student Health Fee has allowed the necessary funding and staffing to support for this new CAPS embedded therapist position. Data from this site will be useful in assessing the need for other targeted mental health support across Cornell.

Where are embedded therapist services offered?

Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis, LCSW provides services from her office on Cornell Tech's campus (2nd floor Bloomberg Center) as well as by Zoom.

Are the hours the same as at Cornell Health? 

For the most part, yes. However, given the unique schedules of some NYC-based students, there may be some variation. Cornell Health's embedded therapy model encourages embedded therapists to explore ways to to meet the unique needs of the students within their college. 

What types of services are offered?

Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis, LCSW provides individual "Let's Talk" drop-in consultations, in-person and virtual counseling services, as well as some psychoeducational programming, and advisement for faculty and senior administration on emerging mental health issues and academic integration.

How do students make an appointment with the embedded therapist?

Students wishing to schedule an appointment with Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis, LCSW follow the same procedure as any student seeking CAPS counseling services and request a CAPS access appointment. At that appointment, the student may request the embedded counselor.

Does the embedded therapist support post docs, research associates, or custom role at Cornell Tech?

No. Those populations would continue to utilize the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) and eni Counseling services for mental health support.

How does this role consult with faculty and staff at Cornell Tech?

The embedded therapist may field questions from faculty and staff or proactively serve as a guide when emerging mental health trends surface. Faculty and staff may also reach out to the embedded therapist to request expertise as it relates to communicating mental health information and/or services to students. The embedded therapist will also partner with some staff and faculty to create and deliver psychoeducational programming, as well as partner on annual events such as orientation or other academic transitions.  

What happens when the embedded therapist’s capacity is reached, or students would prefer a different therapist?

If capacity is reached, or if the embedded therapist’s schedule can not accommodate a student’s needs, that student would be directed to an off-campus provider during their CAPS access appointment.

In addition to services offered through CAPS, students at eligible New York City sites can search the online ThrivingCampus directory. Other options for mental health support are listed on our Cornell Tech & Other NY City-Based Programs page.