Frequently Asked Questions

What About Insurance? All of our therapists are out-of-network providers for all of the major health care companies, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna and United Behavioral Health. Out-of-network coverage varies by insurance carrier and policy, so we encourage you to call your insurance company prior to your first session to find out your exact mental health coverage. Often, clients are reimbursed between 50-80% by their insurance company for counseling sessions.

What payment do you accept? We accept cash, checks and credit cards (VISA, MasterCard and Discover). Payment is expected at the time of service. We provide counseling clients with a typed statement at the beginning of each month for those who want to submit for reimbursement from their insurance company. Note: Some counseling clients choose not to file for reimbursement for confidentiality reasons.

How come you are not in-network?  We’ve made a conscious choice to go out-of-network, thereby not working for the insurance company but instead with you, the client. Insurance companies can not only dictate the length of treatment, but also the kind of treatment and request detailed information about the client. We prefer to avoid all of that and work with the client’s best interests in mind.

Do you offer shorter or longer sessions? Yes. Kathy Richardson offers 30- and 90-minute individual therapy sessions, and David Sternberg offers 30-minute individual counseling sessions. Ninety minute sessions are good for those looking to make significant progress in a short period of time. Thirty-minute sessions are half the cost of regular sessions, so they appeal to those clients on a tight budget.

Do you offer counseling sessions over the phone? Yes, but only on a limited basis. David Sternberg and Kathy Richardson offer phone sessions for those interested in 30-minute sessions or the traditional 45-50 minute psychotherapy hour. Phone sessions are ideal for those who travel a lot.

Do you offer any specials? Yes. All of our therapists offer a discounted pre-paid package. Save 10% per session if you pay with a personal check for your first five counseling sessions. Call us to find out more about this deal.

If you have any other counseling or psychotherapy-related questions, please call our Washington, D.C., counseling office at 202.588.1288 or email us at info@dctalktherapy.com