At Just Mind, one of the things we do is help those struggling with immigration issues through providing psychological evaluations and counseling services. Going through the process of filing for US resident status or defending oneself against deportation can be a very anxiety provoking time in many individuals’ lives. However, finding a good counselor can be a very important step in one’s immigration case.
- Extreme Hardship: Evaluations are often performed for non-citizens or for non-citizen’s spouse and children. This evaluation would identify the ways in which a non-citizen or non-citizen’s family would suffer if the non-citizen was deported or not allowed to enter the country. Common concerns include psychological stressors, emotional hardship (i.e. depression, anxiety, worry, fear for the future), health concerns, financial considerations, and educational opportunities.
- Psychological Stressors: Some individuals may fail to file for political asylum within one year of entering the country, as required by law. A psychological evaluation would document the presence of psychological stressors that may have prevented a person from filling for political asylum within one year.
- Domestic/Spousal Abuse Waiver: This evaluation seeks to establish the presence of domestic abuse in order to file for legal status (separately from their U.S. citizen spouse). The psychotherapist is tasked with assessing the presence of abuse and the psychological and practical impacts of the abuse. Sometimes the abuse is obvious, but at other times it is more subtle. Documented indicators of abuse is cited as physical, verbal or psychological assault.
SERVICES PROVIDED BY
Diana Schaefer, MA LCSW
Counselor: Adults, Couples
Diana Schaefer, LCSW with more than 30 years of experience. Diana works with attorneys in Texas and New York on hardship evaluations. She speaks English and Spanish.
Eva Escobedo, LPC-S
Counselor: Couples, Adults, Parenting, Families
Eva started her career as a therapist more than 20 years ago in New York City working with a population challenged by chronic mental illness. She completed a master’s degree in Rational Emotive Therapy at the Albert Ellis Institute, and a master’s degree in Humanistic and Existential Psychotherapy at CIEEXH. In 1994, she started a private practice in Mexico City where she gained invaluable experience.
Costs
Evaluation and report cost
$1,500 flat rate (evaluations take 4-6 hours, reports take several hours and are 6-7 pages, and we will connect with your attorney for feedback)
Court cost
If the counselor is required to be in court, time preparing and in court will also cost $150 per hour. If a counselor is required in court, there is a mandatory deposit of 4 hours of time ($600) that will be taken 7 days in advance of going to court. This is non-refundable. If your court case day is moved, please let them know with as much notice as possible so they can attempt to accommodate your request.
Common questions
Immigration Hardship Evaluation
A report is written by a mental health professional in relationship to a pending immigration case. The process of evaluation aims to predict the hardship or psychological distress that would be experienced by a US citizen as a result of the removal of the non-permanent resident relative from the US.
You can call to schedule an appointment with one of the designated therapists who does the evaluation. The entire process is typically completed with 1 to 2 weeks.