Frequently Asked Questions

Getting started is simple. You can complete our client inquiry form, which will help us learn a little about what brings you to therapy, your goals, scheduling preferences, whether you prefer in-person or virtual care, and any preferences you have for your therapist.

From there, we’ll help connect you with a therapist whose experience and approach align with your needs, and that therapist will schedule a free 15-minute consultation. 

Your free consultation is an opportunity to tell us what you’re looking for and ask questions before committing to therapy.

We’ll discuss what brings you to therapy, the type of support you’re seeking, scheduling and location preferences, therapist availability, fees, and any questions you have about using out-of-network insurance benefits.

Our goal is to make the process of finding the right therapist easier — not to expect you to figure it out on your own.

Before your intake appointment, you’ll receive access to our secure client portal and complete your intake paperwork electronically.

During your first appointment, your therapist will learn more about what brings you to therapy, your history, current concerns, strengths, and goals. Together, you’ll begin discussing treatment options and developing a plan tailored to you.

Availability varies by therapist, specialty, location, and scheduling needs. Because Darby Integrative Counseling has therapists with a range of specialties and schedules — including daytime, evening, and weekend availability — we can often offer multiple options.

During your consultation, we’ll let you know which therapists currently have availability that fits your needs.

Yes. We offer in-person, virtual, and hybrid therapy.

Our Silver Spring office provides in-person therapy for individuals, couples, and groups. Virtual therapy is available with clinicians who are authorized to practice in the state where you are physically located at the time of your appointment, with options available for DC, Maryland, Virginia and Florida.

Many Maryland clients choose hybrid therapy, alternating between in-person and virtual appointments depending on their schedules and preferences.

Our office is located at:

8700 Georgia Avenue, Suite 404
Silver Spring, MD 20910

We’re conveniently located in Downtown Silver Spring near the Silver Spring Metro Station and the Georgia Avenue exit from I-495.

Appointments are available seven days a week, including daytime, evening, and weekend hours. Individual therapist schedules vary.

When helping you find a therapist, we’ll consider both your clinical needs and your scheduling preferences.

Darby Integrative Counseling is primarily an out-of-network, fee-for-service practice. This means that rather than billing insurance as an in-network provider, clients pay for services and may use their plan’s out-of-network mental health benefits to seek reimbursement when available.

Many PPO and POS insurance plans include out-of-network benefits, while some HMO and EPO plans do not.

We’re happy to help you understand your benefits and estimate what therapy may cost after reimbursement.

Being out-of-network allows our therapists to focus on providing individualized care based on each client’s needs, goals, and preferences while offering access to clinicians with a wide range of specialized training and expertise.

Our model also gives clients greater flexibility in choosing a therapist based on fit and specialization rather than limiting their search to a particular insurance network.

At the same time, we recognize that cost matters. That’s why we help clients understand and use their out-of-network benefits whenever possible and offer therapists at different fee levels.

Out-of-network benefits are insurance benefits that may reimburse you for a portion of the cost of seeing a provider who isn’t contracted directly with your insurance company.

Depending on your plan, you may have an out-of-network deductible that must be met before reimbursement begins. After that, your insurance company may reimburse a percentage of its allowed amount for covered services.

Every plan is different, so reimbursement cannot be guaranteed. We can help you understand the benefits your plan reports before you begin therapy.

That depends on your specific insurance plan.

Your final cost may be affected by:

• Your therapist’s session fee
• Your out-of-network deductible
• How much of that deductible you’ve already met
• Your insurance company’s allowed amount for the service
• Your out-of-network coinsurance
• The type and length of service provided

We can help verify your reported out-of-network benefits and provide an estimate of what your cost may look like before you begin therapy. Insurance benefit information and reimbursement estimates are not guarantees of payment; final reimbursement decisions are made by your insurance company.

Fees vary based on the therapist’s licensure, experience, training, and specialized certifications.

Typical individual therapy fees range from approximately $90 to $205 per session, with lower-cost options available through graduate-level clinicians practicing under supervision.

Couples, family, intake, extended, and specialized services may have different rates.

Your exact fee will always be discussed with you before beginning services.

Yes. We believe that cost should not automatically prevent someone from accessing quality therapy.

Darby offers clinicians at several fee levels, including graduate-level therapists practicing under clinical supervision. Sliding-scale availability may also be offered based on financial need, therapist availability, and the type of service requested.

If cost is a concern, let us know during your consultation. We’ll explore available options with you.

A superbill is an itemized document containing information your insurance company may require to process an out-of-network claim. It generally includes information about your provider, dates and types of services, fees, diagnostic information when applicable, and billing codes.

Clients with out-of-network benefits may submit superbills to their insurance company to request reimbursement.

We can provide superbills and help make the reimbursement process easier.

Thrizer is a platform designed to simplify using out-of-network insurance benefits for therapy.

Depending on your eligibility and the services you select through Thrizer, the platform can help verify reported out-of-network benefits, submit claims, track reimbursement, and reduce the amount of insurance paperwork you need to manage yourself.

Thrizer’s benefit information is an estimate based on information provided by your insurance plan and does not guarantee reimbursement.

Using Thrizer is optional.

No. You can choose to manage your out-of-network claims yourself.

If you prefer, we can provide the documentation needed for you to submit claims directly to your insurance company.

If you’d like to verify your benefits directly, consider asking:

• Do I have out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health services?
• What is my out-of-network deductible?
• How much of my deductible have I already met?
• What is the allowed amount for outpatient psychotherapy?
• What percentage or amount will my plan reimburse after my deductible?
• Are telehealth psychotherapy sessions covered?
• Is preauthorization required?
• Is there a limit on the number of sessions covered?
• Do I need a referral?
• How do I submit an out-of-network claim?

Your insurance company may ask for the CPT code for the service. Common psychotherapy codes include 90791 for an initial diagnostic evaluation and 90834/90837 for individual psychotherapy.

Generally, health insurance reimbursement for psychotherapy requires the service to meet your plan’s requirements for medical necessity and typically requires a mental health diagnosis to be included on the insurance claim or superbill.

If you choose not to submit therapy to insurance, insurance reimbursement requirements do not apply in the same way.

Your therapist can discuss diagnosis and treatment planning with you and answer questions about how insurance use may affect your records.

We accept HSA and FSA cards for eligible services.

Because individual HSA/FSA plans and eligibility rules can vary, you may want to confirm coverage with your plan administrator if you have questions about a particular service.

You can still receive therapy at Darby as a self-pay client.

We have clinicians at different fee levels, including lower-cost services provided by graduate-level clinicians under supervision. Depending on availability and financial need, additional reduced-fee options may be available.

Let us know that cost is an important consideration when you contact us, and we’ll help explore available options.

We ask for at least 48 hours’ notice when canceling or rescheduling an appointment.

Appointments canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice and missed appointments may be subject to a $150 fee.

Because insurance generally does not reimburse for missed appointments or late-cancellation fees, these charges are typically the client’s responsibility.

Yes. We believe strongly in transparency around fees.

Your therapist’s fee will be communicated before you begin treatment. Eligible clients may also receive a Good Faith Estimate outlining expected charges in accordance with applicable federal requirements.

If your fee changes, you’ll be informed in advance.

Finding the right therapist involves more than simply choosing whoever has the next available appointment.

When making recommendations, we consider your reasons for seeking therapy, treatment goals, therapist specialization and training, scheduling needs, location, whether you prefer virtual or in-person care, financial considerations, and any therapist preferences that are important to you.

Our goal is to connect you with someone who is not simply available, but well suited to the work you’d like to do.

Absolutely.

You’re welcome to request a particular therapist after reviewing our therapist profiles. If that clinician has availability and is an appropriate fit for what you’re seeking, we’ll help connect you.

If you’re unsure whom to choose, that’s okay too. Tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll recommend therapists whose expertise and availability may be a good fit.

You don’t need to know.

Many people come to us knowing how they’re feeling or what they’d like to change without knowing whether they need CBT, EMDR, IFS, DBT, psychodynamic therapy, or another approach.

That’s part of what we’re here to help with. We’ll learn about what you’re experiencing and help connect you with a therapist whose expertise and approach make sense for your goals.

Therapeutic fit matters.

Sometimes it takes a session or two to determine whether a therapist’s personality, communication style, or approach feels right for you. We encourage you to discuss concerns with your therapist whenever you feel comfortable doing so.

If you’d prefer to work with someone else, that’s okay. Because Darby includes therapists with different personalities, backgrounds, specialties, and approaches, we can help explore whether another therapist at the practice may be a better match.

Yes. If your needs change or the initial match doesn’t feel right, contact us and we’ll help you explore other options.

Our priority is helping you find care that feels useful and appropriate — not keeping you with a particular therapist simply because that’s where you started.

Yes. We welcome you to tell us what matters to you in a therapeutic relationship.

That may include preferences related to therapist identity, cultural understanding, LGBTQIA+ affirming care, neurodiversity, spirituality or religion, therapeutic approach, lived experience, or a particular clinical specialization.

While we can’t guarantee that every preference can be accommodated, we’ll take your preferences seriously when helping you explore available therapists.

Our therapists work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families, although age ranges and specialties vary by clinician.

We’ll help determine which therapists currently work with your age group and the concerns you’d like to address.

Our therapists work with a wide range of concerns, including:

• Anxiety and stress
• Depression and mood concerns
• Trauma, PTSD, and complex PTSD
• ADHD and neurodivergence
• Grief and loss
• Relationship and couples concerns
• Addiction, substance use, and recovery
• OCD
• Burnout and high-performance careers
• Chronic illness and chronic pain
• Pregnancy, postpartum, and perinatal concerns
• Religious and spiritual concerns or trauma
• LGBTQIA+ concerns
• Family and intergenerational patterns
• Life transitions, identity, and personal growth

Because each therapist has different areas of expertise, we’ll help connect you with someone whose background fits what you’re seeking.

Darby’s therapists use a range of evidence-based, trauma-informed, psychodynamic, somatic, and integrative approaches.

Depending on the therapist and your needs, treatment may incorporate approaches such as:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Mindfulness-based approaches
• Motivational Interviewing
• Somatic and mind-body approaches
• Animal-Assisted Therapy
• Couples and relationship approaches

You don’t need to choose a modality before starting therapy. Your therapist can help determine which approaches may be appropriate for your needs and goals.

Many therapeutic approaches can be adapted effectively to telehealth, including CBT, DBT-informed therapy, CPT, IFS, and, when clinically appropriate, EMDR.

Whether a particular modality is appropriate virtually depends on your needs, circumstances, treatment goals, and your therapist’s clinical assessment.

Your therapist will discuss options with you and help determine the format and approach that make sense for your care.

Standard individual and couples/family psychotherapy appointments are typically approximately 53 minutes.

Initial intake appointments are generally 60 minutes.

Longer or specialized appointments may also be available when clinically appropriate. Your therapist will discuss the recommended session length and associated fee with you in advance.

Most clients begin with weekly therapy. Meeting consistently at the beginning can help you and your therapist build a strong therapeutic relationship, understand your goals, and establish momentum.

Over time, session frequency may change depending on your needs, progress, treatment goals, and your therapist’s clinical recommendations.

There isn’t one timeline that works for everyone.

Some people come to therapy to work on a focused concern for a relatively limited period, while others find longer-term therapy valuable for addressing complex patterns, trauma, relationships, identity, or ongoing personal growth.

You and your therapist will regularly discuss your goals and progress so that treatment remains purposeful and responsive to what you need.

Yes. Several Darby therapists work with couples and relationships.

Couples therapy can address concerns such as communication, conflict, trust, intimacy, life transitions, infidelity or betrayal, and recurring relationship patterns.

We also welcome clients in diverse relationship structures and will help match you with a therapist whose experience fits your needs.

Yes. Darby offers therapy and psychoeducational groups at various times throughout the year.

Current group offerings, availability, eligibility requirements, session length, and fees vary. Contact us or visit our Groups page to see what’s currently available.

No. Darby Integrative Counseling is a psychotherapy practice and our therapists do not prescribe psychiatric medication.

When appropriate and with your permission, your therapist can collaborate with psychiatrists, primary care physicians, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and other members of your treatment team.

Yes. With your written authorization, your therapist can coordinate with other members of your care team when doing so supports your treatment.

Integrated care can be particularly useful when therapy intersects with medication management, eating disorder treatment, substance use treatment, chronic health concerns, or other multidisciplinary needs.

We’ll discuss what information should be shared and obtain the appropriate authorization before communicating with another provider.

Yes. Protecting your privacy is an essential part of psychotherapy.

In general, information you share with your therapist is confidential and isn’t released without your written permission. There are certain legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality, including circumstances involving safety concerns or situations where disclosure is required by law.

Your therapist will review confidentiality, its limits, and your privacy rights with you before treatment begins.

We’re happy to help.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to tell us what you’re looking for, ask questions about therapy, discuss fees or out-of-network benefits, and learn which Darby therapists may be a good fit.

You don’t have to know exactly what kind of therapy or therapist you need before reaching out. Helping you figure that out is part of what we do.