Office 4 in McLean, one of the rooms our Clinical Interns use, in soft daylight. Office 4 in McLean, one of the rooms our Clinical Interns use, in soft daylight.

The McClerren Group Institute

Lower-cost therapy
in McLean, Virginia

Our supervised Clinical Interns see clients for $50 a session or less. Same practice, same approach, at a fee that doesn't get in the way.

In person in McLean

Virtual anywhere in Virginia

Why it costs less

Our Clinical Interns are graduate students finishing their training in counseling. Their programs require hours with clients under close supervision, and they earn those hours here, learning the way our whole team works. The lower fee reflects where they are in their careers, not how seriously we take your care. Training the next generation of therapists matters to us. So does making good therapy affordable. The Institute lets us do both.

Whoever needs the help

Our interns see adults, couples, families, and children and teens, for nearly all the same reasons people come to the rest of our team: anxiety, depression, grief, strain in a marriage, a child who's struggling, and more.

How to get started

01

Send a short form. It takes about two minutes. Tell us who you're looking for help for and what's going on. A sentence or two is plenty.

02

Talk with a clinician. The clinician we think fits you best, based on your request, calls you for a free, 30-minute intro call. You'll talk through what you're looking for, fees, and format, and make sure it's the right fit.

03

Book your first session. We'll send you a link to schedule. Most people start in one week or less.

Choose the Institute on the form, and we'll match you with an intern. If you'd like a rate below $50, your intern will send you a short application.

There's no commitment on the call. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you, and help you find who is.

Request a free intro call

Free, 30 minutes, by phone with a clinician

Your intern has backup

Every clinician here, interns included, has ongoing supervision and consultation, led by our Clinical Director, who is an NBCC Approved Clinical Supervisor, and a team of Virginia board-approved supervisors.

With you

Your intern, who gets to know you and does the work alongside you.

With your intern

Two supervisors, one at their graduate program and one here, who each meet with them every week.

Around you both

The rest of our team, ready to consult when a question comes up.

Meet our Clinical Interns

Read a bio or two before your intro call. You'll see where each intern trained, how they like to work, and who they see.

Ashley Harper, clinical intern, therapist at The McClerren Group in McLean, Virginia

Ashley Harper

Clinical Intern

Accepting new clients

Not sure who fits? That's what the intro call is for.

Meet the whole team →

What you'll pay

$50

Open to anyone

As low as $10

Set by household size and income

Sessions are $50, and anyone can book at that rate. If $50 is still a stretch, a short application based on household size and income can bring it as low as $10. Almost everyone qualifies for some reduction.

Out-of-network benefits, superbills, and HSA and FSA cards work here just as they do with the rest of our team.

Fee details →

Our staff clinicians can also see a limited number of clients at a reduced rate, set by the same short income-based application.

Questions about the Institute

Will I get good care from an intern?

Yes. Your intern uses the same approaches as the rest of our team, with a supervisor's eyes on the work. If your needs ever call for a more experienced clinician, we'll tell you and help you make the move.

Can I book at $50 without applying?

Yes. Choose the Institute on the form, and that's it. The application is only for a lower rate, and filling it out is up to you.

How is my rate set?

By two things: how many people live in your household and your household income. You'll share both on a short application your intern sends you, and they set your rate, anywhere from $10 to $50.

What happens when my intern's training ends?

Interns are with us for a season of their training. Well before your intern's season ends, the two of you will plan what comes next. You might continue with another intern, move to a staff clinician, or wrap up if you've gotten what you came for. Your intern will walk you through what each option costs.

When you're ready, the request form is already set to the Institute.

Request a free intro call

Free, 30 minutes, by phone with a clinician

In crisis? Call or text 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Graduate student looking for an internship? See Careers & training →