Psychotherapy FAQ

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a form of treatment that involves talking with a trained mental health professional to help address mental health concerns, emotional difficulties, and other related issues like anxiety, depression, personal trauma, and relationship issues.

There are many different types of psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, humanistic therapy, EMDR, DBT, solution-focused brief therapy, relational therapy, existential psychotherapy and others.

Anyone can benefit from psychotherapy, regardless of their age, background, or specific concerns. It can be helpful for people dealing with a wide range of issues, including trauma, stress, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and more.

During psychotherapy, you will work with a therapist to explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The therapist will help you identify patterns and develop strategies for coping with difficult situations, managing symptoms, and achieving your goals.

The length of individual sessions is around 50 minutes. How long you’re in therapy overall can vary depending on you and your specific needs. Some people may only need a few sessions, while others may need ongoing therapy for an extended period of time.

Yes, psychotherapy is typically confidential, meaning that what is discussed during therapy sessions is kept private. However, there are some exceptions, such as if the therapist believes that you or someone else is at risk of harm.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust. You will be provided with written copy outlining confidentiality and limits to confidentiality.

There are a number of ways to find a therapist, including asking your primary care physician for a referral, searching online directories, reviewing websites, reading reviews, many therapy offices like Rock Creek Therapy will help direct you to a therapist in the practice who would be a best fit based on your needs and concerns.

Engaging in psychotherapy can support your wellness. Rock Creek Therapists offer support to clients navigating many behavioral health needs. Rock Creek Therapists provide quality wholistic care to meet your unique needs.

Some of the benefits available from therapy may include: Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values. Developing skills for improving your relationships. Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy. Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety. Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures. Improving communications and listening skills. Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones. Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage. Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence.

Seeking out extra support when you need it can come with so many benefits. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand.

There are many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy.  Some may be going through a major life transition, or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Others  need help managing  low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, problematic substance use, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts, feeling stuck. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life.   In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to address needs in their lives.

Therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your needs.

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you take part in the process.  The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life.

Rock Creek Therapists are not psychiatric providers and cannot prescribe medication. There are multitude of studies that show that psychiatric medications and therapy may produce the best results for some clients. If you are currently on medications we can work with your prescriber to support you. If you are unsure about whether medication may support your needs, we can help in this decision making process. We can also  explore holistic wellness approaches and can provide education and support in connecting with holistic providers

Rock Creek Therapy is out-of-network. This allows us to focus on your specific needs and co-create a treatment plan to meet your unique needs . This means that you may use your out-of-network benefits for reimbursement for many of our services. As a client, you pay for services, at time services are rendered. You will receive a receipt called a super bill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.  We will provide you with the information insurance companies need.

Call your insurance company and ask the following questions:
Do I have mental health out-of-network benefits?
Do I have a deductible and do out of network payments count towards it?
What is your reimbursement rate (percentage) for medical billing CPT codes 90791 (Initial assessment) 90834 and 90837 (individual therapy)? If you are coming in for couples or  family therapy you will want to ask about codes 90846 and 90847.
What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
Is approval required from my primary care physician?

Rock Creek Therapy serves clients 18 and older and offers individual, couples and group therapy to clients of any gender. Some of our therapists have specialized advanced training in EMDR, Sensorimotor and supporting clients with postpartum.

Rock Creek also provides psychological evaluation and assessment services.

Rock Creek Therapy is also dedicated in supporting clinicians to grow professionally  by providing clinical supervision to provisionally licensed professionals seeking clinical hours towards licensure. Many of Rock Creek Therapy’s team are board approved supervisors for counselors and therapists in DC, MD, and Virginia.

Our therapists are masters or doctoral level trained behavioral health providers. All of our therapists are independently licensed as psychologists, professional counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, or provisionally licensed providers working under direct supervision of an independently licensed therapist.

Yes Rock Creek Therapy provides both telehealth and in-person services. For telehealth services Rock Creek Therapy uses a HIPAA compliant video conferencing app that can be accessed by smartphone and computer with internet access. Some clients appreciate not having to commute to therapy and engaging in therapy while physically at a different location. Please call Rock Creek Therapy to discuss your options.

Costs for psychotherapy can vary based on your location and your therapist’s level of expertise. Rock Creek Therapy’s fees vary and are based on each therapist’s years of experience, education, post-graduate certifications and areas of expertise. We are out of network providers and will be happy to discuss rates with you during your free phone consultation.

We require 48 hour notice for canceling an appointment. Cancellations with less than 48 hours notice require payment in full. If you are unable to attend your session in person, you can ask to reschedule or switch to meeting virtually.

You will need to contact us and schedule your complimentary phone consultation. From there we’ll determine if we’re a fit for your needs and schedule a formal intake session.

You and your potential therapist will discuss  issues that you are currently looking to work on. This is also a good opportunity for you to ask questions that you may have about their practice. At the end of the consultation, you and the therapist will decide what the next step will look like.

We are just south of Dupont Circle in the Dupont Circle Building at 1350 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20036