Great question. Both terms mean the same thing and refer to mental health counseling in the form of traditional talk therapy.

Here’s an official definition from the American Counseling Association (ACA): “counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.”

In more conversational terms, it’s kind of like having a personal trainer or physical therapist for your mind.

How do you know if you need one or not? It depends. Everyone’s situation is different.

If you’re on the fence, give us a call. We’d be happy to schedule a complimentary phone consultation to hear more about your specific situation and help you figure out if we might be helpful to you.

Session rates vary a bit amongst our therapists based on years of experience, speciality training, etc. That being said, the average session fee is about $180 per 50 minute session.

As far as insurance, we are an out-of-network provider. What that means is that our clients are responsible for payment at the time of service. However, we can provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

If finances are a concern, we do have a sliding fee scale available for clients who qualify based on household size and income. We also have a limited number of significantly reduced rate sessions available through our clinical internship program. As much as possible, we want to prevent finances from being a barrier to receiving the care you need. If you’re interested, please reach out! We’d be happy to talk more.

Yes, all of our providers are credentialed by the Virginia Board of Counseling under the Virginia Department of Health Professions. You can read more about each individual therapist’s licensing on their staff bio page.

[Coming soon!]