Frequently Asked Questions
Finding the Right Care
Who do you provide therapy for? ATNC provides individual therapy for adults age 18 and older. We do not provide therapy for children or adolescents, couples therapy, marriage counseling, or family therapy.
Do you only work with Black clients? No. ATNC is a Black-owned practice created with Black clients and communities in mind, but we welcome adults of every race, ethnicity, culture, faith, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and background. We center culture and context without assuming that any one part of a person’s identity tells us their whole story.
Can I discuss my marriage or relationships if you do not provide couples therapy? Yes. Individual therapy can help you explore communication, boundaries, trust, betrayal, dating, marriage, separation, divorce, family dynamics, and decisions about what you want next. The work focuses on your experiences, patterns, needs, and choices. If you and your partner want to attend therapy together, we can refer you to a trusted couples-therapy colleague when appropriate.
Do you work with veterans and military spouses? Yes. We provide individual therapy for adult veterans, service members, and military spouses. Therapy may address stress, trauma, grief, reintegration, caregiving, major transitions, identity, relationship strain, or the adjustment to civilian life. Jamar K. Moore, LCPC, is a U.S. Navy veteran and clinician certified in EMDR. He has a particular commitment to working with veterans and Black men.
Can faith be included in therapy? Yes, when you want it included. Faith-sensitive or spiritually integrated therapy is guided by your preferences and treatment goals. It is never required, and clients are not expected to hold any particular religious belief.
Scheduling and Communication
How do I get started? The fastest and easiest way to request an appointment is through our secure online scheduling system. It displays our clinicians’ current availability so you can choose an available day and time that works for you. After you submit your request, our team reviews your location, clinician preference, clinical needs, availability, and insurance or self-pay information. An appointment request is not final until it has been reviewed and confirmed by the practice.
Do you offer free consultations? We offer an optional 15-minute consultation for $30. It may be used to ask focused questions about our services, a clinician’s approach, or possible fit. A consultation is not therapy and is not billed to insurance. If you are ready to begin therapy, you may skip the consultation and request a full initial therapy appointment.
What is the best way to contact ATNC? Prospective clients should use our online scheduling system to view current availability and request an appointment. Current clients should use the secure client portal for routine scheduling questions, appointment changes, billing concerns, and brief nonurgent messages. Because our clinicians are in scheduled sessions throughout the day, they generally cannot interrupt appointments to answer unscheduled telephone calls. Portal messages are reviewed during business hours, and we typically respond within one to two business days. Portal messages, ordinary email, voicemail, and the website contact form should not be used for emergencies or time-sensitive clinical concerns.
What happens during the first appointment? The first therapy appointment is a clinical assessment. Your therapist will ask about what brings you to therapy, relevant history, current concerns, safety, strengths, treatment goals, and what you would like to be different. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions, learn more about your therapist’s approach, and discuss whether the therapeutic relationship feels like an appropriate fit.
How often will we meet? Appointment frequency depends on your clinical needs, goals, availability, insurance or payment considerations, and the treatment plan you develop with your therapist. Many clients begin with weekly appointments, but no single schedule is appropriate for everyone. You and your therapist will discuss the recommended frequency and make adjustments when needed.
Telehealth and Client Location
Do you offer in-person therapy? No. ATNC is a telehealth-only practice. Our Laurel address is used for mail and administrative purposes and is not a therapy location.
Where can I be located during therapy? Most ATNC clinicians may provide therapy to clients who are physically located in Maryland. Dr. Demarest Crawl is licensed in Maryland and Washington, DC, and may provide therapy to eligible clients physically located in either jurisdiction. Your physical location at the time of the appointment—not only your home address—determines whether your clinician is legally authorized to provide the session.
What if I am traveling? Contact the office before your appointment if you will be traveling. Your clinician may not be authorized to practice in the state, district, territory, or country where you will be physically located. If the session cannot proceed because of your location and adequate cancellation notice was not provided, the cancellation policy may apply.
Can I attend therapy from my car? You may attend from a safely and legally parked vehicle when there is adequate privacy and your clinician determines that the setting is appropriate. You may not participate in therapy while driving or controlling a moving vehicle. If you are driving, the clinician will end or decline to begin the session, and the cancellation policy may apply.
Insurance, Fees, and Payment
Which insurance plans do you accept? Depending on the clinician and specific plan, ATNC may participate with: CareFirst and other Blue Cross Blue Shield plans Cigna and Evernorth Aetna Optum and UnitedHealthcare Maryland Medicaid through Carelon TRICARE Medicare Participation varies by clinician, plan, network, and service. ATNC does not accept Washington, DC Medicaid. Please contact your insurance company or review our Insurance page for additional information.
Will you verify my insurance benefits? We review the insurance information available to us and provide an estimate of your expected responsibility when possible. A benefit estimate is not a guarantee of coverage or payment. Your insurance company makes the final coverage decision after receiving and processing the claim. You remain responsible for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, noncovered services, and other amounts assigned to you by your plan.
Treatment, Privacy, and Technology
Is therapy confidential? Therapy is private and confidential, with certain legal and ethical limitations. Your informed-consent documents and Notice of Privacy Practices explain common limits and how information may be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, health care operations, and other purposes permitted or required by law.
Do you use AI-assisted tools in therapy? Some clinicians may use secure, practice-approved AI-assisted tools within SimplePractice to help prepare draft clinical documentation. The clinician reviews, edits, and approves the final record. Audio processing or transcription is used only after the required separate consent has been obtained. Declining consent for these tools does not prevent you from receiving therapy from ATNC.
Can you prescribe medication? No. ATNC does not provide psychiatric medication management or prescribe medication. When clinically appropriate and authorized by you, your therapist may coordinate with or refer you to a physician, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or another qualified medical professional.
Urgent and Emergency Needs
What if I need urgent or emergency help? ATNC is an outpatient therapy practice and is not an emergency or continuously monitored crisis-response service. Website forms, email, voicemail, and portal messages are not monitored continuously. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For mental-health crisis support, call or text 988. Veterans, service members, and their loved ones may call 988 and press 1 or text 838255 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
What are the self-pay fees? Our current standard self-pay fees are: 15-minute consultation: $30 Initial diagnostic assessment: $225 Individual therapy session: $180 The consultation is optional and is not submitted to insurance. Fees may change with advance notice. The current signed service agreement controls if there is any difference between the website and your agreement.
What is the cancellation policy? Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice and missed appointments are subject to a $120 fee. Insurance generally does not pay cancellation or missed-appointment fees. The signed service agreement contains the complete policy and any applicable exceptions.