Mental Health is Complicated, but Our Mission is Simple
The Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill (and our satellite clinic in Old Town, Alexandria VA) was founded by Dr. Johanna Kaplan on a simple premise: provide the best possible anxiety care for the Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia area. We work together with you to give you the tools to take control of your life and help you overcome your worries and fears so that you can live your life confidently.
This collaborative, unique approach to treatment will ensure that you get the best possible combination of services. It will result in faster recovery, significant reductions in symptoms, and hope for a better future.
Our licensed clinical psychologists are specially trained in cognitive behavioral treatment for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, phobias, other anxiety-related disorders, depression, and behavioral disorders (e.g., ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder). Your providers are graduates of top universities and have received extensive clinical and research training in anxiety and depressive disorders. This allows us to provide the best evidence-based treatment possible for our patients.
Our clinicians spend over 10 years before they join our practice specializing in evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral treatment for anxiety, depressive and behavioral disorders. You will receive top of the line and most evidence-informed treatment currently available. Seeing a specialist vs. a generalist will be visible in the results you receive.
Treatment takes a shorter time (research shows around 3-6 months vs 2-3 years) and will last longer (up to 5-10 years vs 1 year).
This collaborative, unique approach to treatment will ensure that you get the best possible combination of services. It will result in faster recovery, significant reductions in symptoms, and hope for a better future.
Our licensed clinical psychologists are specially trained in cognitive behavioral treatment for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, phobias, other anxiety-related disorders, depression, and behavioral disorders (e.g., ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder). Your providers are graduates of top universities and have received extensive clinical and research training in anxiety and depressive disorders. This allows us to provide the best evidence-based treatment possible for our patients.
Our clinicians spend over 10 years before they join our practice specializing in evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral treatment for anxiety, depressive and behavioral disorders. You will receive top of the line and most evidence-informed treatment currently available. Seeing a specialist vs. a generalist will be visible in the results you receive.
Treatment takes a shorter time (research shows around 3-6 months vs 2-3 years) and will last longer (up to 5-10 years vs 1 year).
Where Can the Washington Anxiety Center Provide Services?
The following are States in which Washington Anxiety Center clinicians can provide in person services (please note our physical offices are located in Washington, DC) and Virginia, but house visits can be arranged for an additional charge in the other states below.
In addition to our in-person offerings, The highlighted blue states indicate the states in which Washington Anxiety Center clinicians can provide teletherapy services (please note our physical offices are located in Washington, DC and Virginia), however, empirical research has found CBT services delivered via teletherapy are as EQUALLY effective as in person. We have also found no differences in the effectiveness of treatment based on the method (teletherapy or in-person) at our center.
- Washington, D.C.
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Delaware
In addition to our in-person offerings, The highlighted blue states indicate the states in which Washington Anxiety Center clinicians can provide teletherapy services (please note our physical offices are located in Washington, DC and Virginia), however, empirical research has found CBT services delivered via teletherapy are as EQUALLY effective as in person. We have also found no differences in the effectiveness of treatment based on the method (teletherapy or in-person) at our center.
Our Payment Structure
At this time, we accept credit, check or cash for payment. We do not accept insurance of any kind or form.
We believe in following best clinical practice without insurance companies potentially dictating the terms of treatment. However, we do fill out receipts with diagnostic and service-based codes that can be submitted to insurance on your own, if you choose to do so.
Due to our highly specialized nature (CBT, exposure therapy, and working with children and adults), in our experience, our particular sample of patients have had relatively successful reimbursements rates (approximately 60-90%) for the cost of the sessions. We encourage you to check in with your particular insurance provider/plan to see what percent is reimbursable for out-of-network services. We are happy to provide some general guidance in this process.
Many of our patients use applications, such as Reimbursify, to submit their claims. If you sign into your insurance carrier online, they will have a "submit your claim" under mental/behavioral health. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes to submit 3 months worth of claims.
We believe in following best clinical practice without insurance companies potentially dictating the terms of treatment. However, we do fill out receipts with diagnostic and service-based codes that can be submitted to insurance on your own, if you choose to do so.
Due to our highly specialized nature (CBT, exposure therapy, and working with children and adults), in our experience, our particular sample of patients have had relatively successful reimbursements rates (approximately 60-90%) for the cost of the sessions. We encourage you to check in with your particular insurance provider/plan to see what percent is reimbursable for out-of-network services. We are happy to provide some general guidance in this process.
Many of our patients use applications, such as Reimbursify, to submit their claims. If you sign into your insurance carrier online, they will have a "submit your claim" under mental/behavioral health. The process usually takes 10-15 minutes to submit 3 months worth of claims.
How do I set up my first appointment?
Before we bring you in for a formal intake evaluation, we will conduct a brief 15 minute screening over the phone (free of cost) to determine if our services are the right match for your needs. You can either call us at 202-768-6494 or email us at [email protected] to schedule a call.
What will my first session look like?
At the first session you will be given information regarding the confidentiality of sessions, you will fill out a HIPPA form, release of information form, and an agreement to participate in outpatient clinical services. You and/or your child will be asked several clinical questions regarding the concerns that led you to seek treatment. The clinician will discuss their diagnostic impressions and recommendations for treatment. If you determine that our course of recommended treatment is not a good fit for you, we are happy to provide you with other local referrals.
How long are my individual appointments AND how long will treatment last?
A typical appointment is 45 minutes in length. Depending on your clinical needs, we also offer a 60 minute, individual session. Additionally, sessions can be more than once a week, if clinically appropriate. Please check with your insurance company prior to sessions beginning to check for "out of network" benefits.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an evidence-based treatment that is geared to be short-term in duration. The average duration of treatment is approximately 3-5 months of weekly appointments. However, some patients conclude before this duration, and some, depending on level of complexity and need, require longer-term treatment. We are flexible in our approach with our patients and we use empirical measures to evaluate progress in treatment.
Where can I find other sources of information on the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders?
We recommend the Anxiety and Depression Association of American at www.adaa.org
and The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive therapies at www.abct.org