It’s totally normal to be nervous about starting therapy. It can feel intimidating to sit with someone and talk about how you feel. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. It takes courage to start going to therapy. The fact that you are on this website, looking for help, and reading this right now shows that you are brave and insightful.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and speak freely without judgment. Our therapists are committed to finding a way to help you feel as comfortable as possible. We’re here if you want to talk about the things that are making you nervous about counseling.

Take your time to read through our website. If you sense that our office may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can go to the “meet us” page to read about our mental health providers who are accepting new clients.

Once you have found a therapist who seems like a good fit for you, just click the “make an appointment” button at the bottom of their profile page. From there, you can 1. create an account, 2. schedule an appointment, and 3. complete all intake forms. You can also call or email the therapist of your choice to go over any specific questions you may have. When you meet, you can ask questions to learn more about their training and education and how they have helped others with similar concerns. You’ll also be able to discuss what’s on your mind, and your therapist can share my ideas around how they can help you.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as trying out the waters together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to get a sense of what it’s like to work with your therapist. Your therapist’s approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to us is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together. We have multiple mental health providers at our office, so if one is not a fit, another one may be.

If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that’s actually very normal. It can often feel difficult to talk about some things. During our sessions, you never have to talk about something you’re not comfortable talking about. It’s our job to give you the space to slowly start working through the tough stuff. We’ll move at a pace that feels comfortable to you, and you can share what you feel ready to share

You can also let your counselor know that you are nervous to open up about something, and you can talk about that too. Whenever you have a lot of feelings about something, you are welcome to discuss them in session with your therapist.

When you open up, our therapists will not think you are crazy. I can assure you that they will think you are a courageous human being. Many of our clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are crazy).

We know that what you are going through is common through the many years of working with people like you. What you’re experiencing is likely very common. The difference is that you are taking a step to feel better. We are committed to creating a judgment-free space for our clients.

We all struggle, and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. We understand that people go through hard times, and that seeking support is a sign of strength. Whatever it is you’re going through, we provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgement.

It can be concerning to think that the things you say or do in therapy could “get out.” We want you to know that unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else, the information you share in counseling is confidential. In fact, your therapist will talk with you about confidentiality and its limitations when you meet for the first time.

As licensed mental health providers, we highly respect your privacy and value your trust. You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out. If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask your therapist at any time during your work together.

You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast.

If this is true for you, I want you to know that new clients often feel relief from being able to unload and get support after the first couple sessions. After a few sessions, people are able to learn new ways to manage challenging stuff in their lives.

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of our clients find 8-12 weeks to be enough time to resolve immediate challenges, while other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy. We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a semi-structured appointment that helps your therapist get to know you and the challenges that brought you into treatment. We’ll invite you to share more about yourself and to talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past. Some questions that we like to ask during a first session include:

What brought you to therapy?
Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?

You can ask us questions as well. You might be curious about about your therapist’s experience or how future sessions work. The most important part of a first session is determining if your therapist is a good fit for you. If you feel like you and your therapist have a good connection and understanding, you can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

To get started, go to our “meet us” page to see which of our therapists are currently accepting new clients. From there, you can read each of their profiles to see which therapist feels like the best fit for you. Select the provider that feels like the best fit, and click on the “make an appointment” button at the bottom of their profile. You’ll be prompted to 1. create an account, 2. schedule an appointment, and 3. review and sign all intake forms. From there, you’re ready to go!

All of our clinicians accept CareFirst/BlueCross BlueShield insurance plans, and some of our clinicians also accept Cigna/Evernorth, Johns Hopkins EHP, and Optum/United Healthcare, and Aetna plans. We accept those with Out of Network benefits, as well. Which means that you would pay for services out of pocket and receive a Superbill (receipt) from your clinician, which you would provide to your insurance company for a percentage of reimbursement.

If paying out of pocket, you can use cash, credit card, or a Health Savings Account to do so. Our services begin at $140 at intake and $120 for each follow-up session.

Read more on your preferred clinician’s profile page to see which insurances they accept, their availability, as well as their session pricing here.