Answers about starting therapy at North Star in Washington, DC.

Availability varies by therapist and can change over time. The best way to find out whether North Star is currently accepting new clients is to contact us directly. Our team can help you understand current openings, answer practical questions, and guide you toward a therapist who may be a good fit for your needs.

Getting started is simple. You can complete our contact form, call us, or email us to ask questions and take the next step toward beginning therapy. Our team can help you learn more about the practice, answer practical questions, and guide you toward a therapist who may be a good fit.

Yes. A free consultation is a low-pressure way to ask questions, learn more about the practice, and explore whether North Star may be the right fit. It can also help you understand therapist availability, therapy options, fees, and next steps before scheduling a first appointment.

The first therapy session is usually focused on helping your therapist get to know you. You may talk about what brings you to therapy, what has been feeling difficult, your history, your goals, and what you hope will change. It is also a chance for you to ask questions, get a feel for the relationship, and begin deciding whether the therapist feels like the right fit.

Yes. North Star offers in-person therapy at our Dupont Circle office, located at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20036. The office is directly south of Dupont Circle and is accessible by Metro, bus, car, bike, or on foot.

Yes. North Star offers virtual therapy, in-person therapy, and hybrid therapy depending on your needs, therapist availability, and clinical fit. Some clients prefer fully virtual therapy, while others choose in-person sessions or a combination of both.

Yes. North Star’s office is near Dupont Circle Metro on the Red Line. The closest Metro access point is the Dupont Circle south entrance. Our office is located at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 203, Washington, DC 20036.

Availability varies by therapist. Some clinicians may have different scheduling options, and your therapist or the practice administrator can help you understand what appointment times are currently available.

You do not have to figure that out alone. North Star can help guide you toward a therapist based on what you are looking for support with, your goals, therapist availability, and the type of relationship that may feel most helpful. The first few sessions can also help you get a sense of whether you feel comfortable, understood, and supported.

Yes. If therapy does not feel like the right fit after a few sessions, you can talk with your therapist or contact the practice administrators. Depending on availability and clinical fit, transferring within the practice may be an option. If another provider outside the practice seems more appropriate, the team can also discuss referral options.

North Star is a therapy practice in Dupont Circle that emphasizes thoughtful clinical matching, collaborative care, and strong therapist-client relationships. Our clinicians bring different areas of experience while sharing core values around growth, creativity, humor, and helping clients feel understood rather than reduced to a diagnosis.

Yes, many clients come to therapy after a previous experience that felt incomplete, unhelpful, or not quite right. At North Star, the early sessions are a chance to talk openly about what has or has not worked for you in the past so your therapist can better understand what you need now.

North Star supports clients with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, OCD, trauma and PTSD, depression, adult ADHD, eating disorders and body image concerns, bipolar disorder, psychosis, depersonalization and derealization, grief and loss, life transitions, women’s mental health, and men’s mental health. If you are not sure whether your concern counts or whether therapy is the right next step, you can reach out and ask. Our team can help you think through whether North Star may be a good fit.

Yes. North Star works with clients seeking support for anxiety, OCD, trauma and PTSD, depression, adult ADHD, eating disorders and body image concerns, and related challenges. Many clients come in with more than one concern, such as anxiety and ADHD, trauma and depression, or eating concerns and body image distress.

Yes. North Star offers trauma-informed therapy and EMDR therapy, along with therapy for a range of mental health concerns. EMDR may be helpful for some clients working through trauma, distressing memories, or experiences that continue to feel emotionally disruptive.

Yes. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Many clients are performing well at work, school, or home while privately struggling with anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, depression, relationship stress, grief, trauma, or a sense that something feels off.

North Star works with clients from teens to adults in their 70s and beyond. Clients come to therapy with different concerns, histories, identities, and goals.

Yes. North Star works with a wide range of clients in Washington, DC, including professionals, federal employees, students, parents, young adults, and older adults. Many clients come to therapy while managing demanding careers, academic pressure, caregiving responsibilities, relationship stress, or major life transitions.

Yes. North Star works with teens, young adults, and adults across the lifespan. For younger clients, therapy may focus on anxiety, depression, identity development, school stress, relationships, family dynamics, transitions, or emotional regulation.

Fees vary depending on the clinician you work with. Current rates are: doctorate-level clinicians, $280 intake and $230 per session; post-doctoral clinician, $220 intake and $185 per session; doctoral-level extern, $125 intake and $75 per session; master's-level clinician, $250 intake and $200 per session; and EMDR, $225 for a 60-minute session.

North Star is an out-of-network therapy practice and does not bill insurance directly. However, we can provide monthly invoices that clients may submit to their insurance company for possible reimbursement. It is a good idea to check with your insurer ahead of time about your out-of-network outpatient psychotherapy benefits.

Yes. North Star offers different fee levels depending on the clinician you work with. Lower-fee options may be available with doctoral-level externs or post-doctoral clinicians. Availability can vary, so the best next step is to contact the practice and ask about current lower-fee openings.

Yes. North Star accepts Health Savings cards for payment.

North Star asks for at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations. Except in situations such as emergencies, illness, or inclement weather, cancellations made with less notice are charged the full session fee.

Yes. Therapy is private and designed to give you space to speak openly. Your therapist can also answer questions about confidentiality, privacy, and any limits to confidentiality during the first session.

This can depend on the type of documentation requested, the purpose of the letter, and whether your therapist believes it is clinically appropriate. If you need paperwork, forms, or a letter, the best first step is to ask your therapist or contact the practice so you can discuss what may be possible.

A doctoral-level psychology extern is a clinician in advanced training who is working toward a doctorate in clinical psychology. Externs already have experience conducting therapy, assessments, and evaluations in a variety of settings. They also receive ongoing supervision from a licensed clinician, along with guidance from their academic program. Because externs typically remain with the practice for about a year, treatment may focus on short-term and intermediate goals that support lasting progress.