Joseph J Peters Institute

"Terrible experience with these people besides running programs which are useless and a waste of time they also don't care about their clients well being or providing or following any of the standards outlined in the American theraputic standards. Furthermore, they've manipulated records, mislead me, lied and conduct business in a predatory fashion as none of the clients there are there of their ownn free will. These people are exploiting a vulnerable community forcing usless programs.which have zero statistical data to substantiate the effacy of their programs and will literally say anything to get their way or turn the tables. Ive never been more disgusted with a group of people in my life. I feel they should be held accountable as they would never treat a patient that wasent forced to be there in the manner that they treat their patient's and its unacceptable and they believe they answer to no one which is their arrogance on full display. They believe they can release anythimg and everything to parole amd expect you to have a level of trust or theraputic relationship when in reality no other therapist releases anything thst is not comoletly necessary in order to be client with parole thus again showing you whonthey actually work for which it isn't the clients. There is no metrics for completing the programs it's when they think tour remorseful enough and only then can you complete the program, meaning that as long as they've got openings your going to be enrolled monthly so they can continue to keep the $ rolling in. The evaluations are a total scam as well and if they get a referral yourndoing the program. There is no ethics or objective reason other then theybget money for your attendance. They alsondont vare about yourntime and will schdule things when ever they want and demand the client to make it work even if its at the last minute. They break the laws by refusing to release medical records which are your right as well and chsnge the policy repeatedly in order to attempt to avoid having to release them. All one needs donis submit a request inw writing snd they must release you all files within 30days max but no other office takes more them 2 days to provide you a copy and they only.do.thisni can figure monthly can alter or change your records to be complient. They committed fraud and violated the law by lying and signing all my records and releases with verbal consent given and I NEVER was made aware of any of this and once i brought their criminal behavior to their attention they kicked me out of the program in order to get me violated and silence my observations of wrong doing. Photo below shows this scam and is proof. Dont taken this abuse lying down write your local representive photograph everything you sign and question everything. This place is harming people and needs shut down. These are dangerous, unethical people and for more resources go online and look up if your therapist is right for you. If you way no to the majlritynofnthe questions then you know they're not good for you and your not in a good relationship."

"Seriously the worst service I have ever “received” in the history of my mental health journey. The intake department is disorganized, the waitlist is years longer, and the only therapist I spoke with exuded absolutely no empathy! I called JJPI well over TWO YEARS AGO and was put on their waitlist for EMDR therapy - an amazing type of therapy for those struggling with PTSD. I called regularly to check the waitlist over the past two years, and during the course of waiting moved twice. JJPI failed to ask for any address updates, so in October 2022 when it was finally my turn to be assigned a therapist, they could not reach me. I called again at the beginning of November to ask if I was still waitlisted, and I was told by the intake department that it was indeed the case. Little did I know, I had already been assigned a therapist and she was trying to reach me. In fact, she had been trying to reach me since October, and upon not hearing from me for 2 WEEKS, I had ALREADY been discharged! Rather than the intake department inform me of this, or that I had ever been assigned to a therapist in the first place - whoever I spoke with opted not to do their job that day, or even bother to look into my situation. Without my knowledge, my case was reopened, and they reassigned me to the first therapist. When she could not reach me (yet again) because I had moved, I was discharged a SECOND TIME. I received a letter for the FIRST TIME at the end of November. The letter was dated 11/14, and notified me that I was being discharged from JJPI after waiting TWO YEARS for services. I left a professional, albeit angry voicemail, and received a call today from Tongyu Zhou, the therapist that had been assigned to me. Grant it, if this had all been some logistical error, I would not have written this review. I am writing this review because of Tongyu Zhou and how she spoke to me when she broke the news that there was absolutely nothing she could do. Not only was she cold, and her voice devoid of any real warmth or emotion, she continued to talk over me when I was simply attempting to express that I upset about what happened. While I understand she was at a loss, it is no excuse for her to speak to someone struggling without compassion, validation, or even bothering to listen first. Active listening skills and the ability to validate emotions is necessary to be a good therapist. I am trying to give her the benefit of the doubt and consider that perhaps she is young, and/or a recent graduate, but I have been spoken to with more compassion and understanding by doctors, fast food workers, and customers at my own job. Given that I work in the mental health field myself, I feel compelled to write this review. I hope that she sees it, takes in the feedback, and does her best to treat her patients better than she has treated me. It would not have been so difficult to listen to my feelings on the matter and offer a few lines of validation with actual emotion in her voice. “I can hear how upset you are,” would have worked fine. She could have said “This system is rigid and unfair, and I wish I could do more,” or even simply, “I am so sorry.” Instead I was spoken to as if she were a robot simply parroting back protocol. All in all, I am relieved I will not be receiving therapy from someone who lacks such basic skills. Hopefully, Tongyu Zhou and the receptionist I spoke with at the intake department are not a reflection of the other employees at JJPI. Luckily, I am receiving funds for therapy through the VCAP, and I will be using them to get therapy elsewhere. I strongly suggest you consider this route if you have experienced a violent or sexual crime in Philadelphia. All JJPI offered me was to go back to the bottom of the waitlist after two years. This is the coldest treatment I never received, bar none."

"Been on waitlist for 5 months and counting as high priority. Was told my time on the waitlist has come and they would assign me with a therapist 3 weeks ago. No one called me back. Tried contacting them multiple times again and just got the run around. Frustrated and tired. Doing this to people with mental health struggles is not okay. Edit: been past 6 months and they still say I have a couple months to go ha! Don’t even waste your time yall. They could care less and lie to you continuously letting you keep hope and call you “high priority” to make you feel like they they’re doing something about it. What a joke"

"Intake went fairly well back in early March. I was told that I needed one on one with therapist there because of my condition/disorders. I was put on a waiting list for therapist but was never contacted by J.J. Peter's . Several months later still no reply when I call/e-mail."we will get back with you." No on does."