Affordable, Self-Pay Mental Health Services Accessible in Maryland & Washington DC
Skip the insurance hurdles and start your mental health healing on your terms with transparent pricing, flexible scheduling, and culturally affirming care. At Life Migration Therapy, self-pay isn’t a last resort—it’s a direct route to judgment-free support. You’ll know the exact cost up-front, avoid surprise bills, and keep your private information where it belongs: with you. Whether you’re in Maryland, Washington DC, or connecting online, Charika White, LICSW / LCSW-C, makes evidence-based therapy straightforward, secure, and centered on your goals.
Clear Rates & Easy Reimbursement—No Guesswork, No Surprises
Below you’ll find transparent session fees for Charika’s private-pay services, plus at-a-glance details on sliding-scale spots, out-of-network reimbursement, and how your superbill works with insurers in Maryland and Washington DC.
Use this guide to choose the plan that fits your budget—then book with confidence, knowing every cost is spelled out before therapy starts.
| Service | Standard Fee (55 min unless noted) |
Reduced Fee Availability |
Superbill & Reimbursement |
Notes / Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Psychotherapy Session | $230 | Limited spots | Superbill provided; most PPO plans reimburse 50 – 80 % |
Telehealth • 55–60 min |
| Follow-Up Psychotherapy | $200 | Yes | Same as above | Telehealth • 50–55 min |
| ADHD Evaluation (adult) | $600 | Not offered | Not offered | Includes testing, report + feedback session |
| Immigration Evaluation (Hardship, Asylum, VAWA, U/T Visa) |
$1,000 (Expedited + $500) |
Not offered | Not offered | Clinical evaluation + forensic report |
| Consulting / Speaking Engagements | Quote-based | N/A | N/A | Workshops, DEI training, keynotes |
Why Choosing Self-Pay Puts You in Control
Paying out-of-pocket isn’t just a workaround for “no insurance”—it’s a strategy for getting mental health care that actually fits your life.
Here’s how self-pay therapy with Charika White benefits you:
Immediate Access, No Red Tape
Skip months-long waitlists and insurer approvals. Secure an appointment this week, online or in-person for Maryland and/or Washington DC residents.
Total Privacy & Autonomy
Insurance companies require a diagnosis code; self-pay keeps sensitive information off claim databases, protecting jobs, immigration status, and future coverage options.
Transparent, Predictable Rates
One flat session fee. No hidden co-pays, deductibles, or surprise bills halfway through treatment.
Out-of-Network Reimbursement Made Simple
If you do have out-of-network benefits, Charika supplies a HIPAA-compliant superbill. Our partner Mentaya files the claim, follows up with insurers, and sends your refund, risk-free.
Flexible, Client-Centered Therapy Plans
Self-pay means goals drive the timeline, not yearly “session caps.” Together, you’ll decide frequency, focus, and when to taper.
Ethical, Culturally Responsive Care
From trauma-informed counseling to ADHD evaluations, sessions are crafted for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and first-gen clients without insurer mandated protocols that ignore lived experience.
Bottom line: Self-pay mental health services put the power—and the pace back in your hands while still offering routes to reimbursement when possible.
Your Self-Pay Therapy Roadmap (Maryland & Washington DC)
How It Works From First Click to First Breakthrough
Schedule a complimentary consultation
Maryland or District of Columbia residents book a 15-minute telehealth call to discuss goals, treatment plan, and exact therapy session fee.
Complete your intake
Secure portal, HIPAA forms, and screening tools for anxiety, depression, or trauma—no insurance paperwork required.
Pay out-of-pocket with flexibility
Credit card, HSA or FSA accepted. Payment plans available for private-pay counseling packages.
Begin weekly or bi-weekly telehealth
Work with a licensed mental health professional on CBT skills, emotional regulation, and culturally affirming support.
Track progress & adjust frequency
Every four sessions we review outcomes and fine-tune strategies to fit your lifestyle and budget.
Optional out-of-network benefits
If you carry a PPO, download your psychotherapy superbill and let Mentaya file claims on your behalf—reimbursement deposited straight to you.
FAQs - Paying for Therapy Without Insurance
Becoming an informed self-pay client means knowing exactly how costs, reimbursement, and financial planning work. The questions below address the most common concerns people raise when budgeting for mental-health care in Maryland and DC.
Why choose self-pay therapy instead of using in-network benefits?
Paying out-of-pocket keeps your mental-health record private, avoids diagnostic labels that can follow you, and gives us complete freedom to tailor session length, frequency, and interventions without an insurance company dictating “medical necessity.”
What’s the difference between self-pay and out-of-network reimbursement?
Self-pay simply means you pay the fee at time of service. If your plan offers out-of-network coverage, you can then submit our superbill to your insurer and recoup a percentage—often 50–80 percent—after deductible.
Can Mentaya really submit claims for me?
Yes. Mentaya verifies your out-of-network benefits, files each claim, and chases denials. They charge a transparent 5 % fee only when a claim is successfully processed.
How do superbills work?
A superbill is an itemized receipt for psychotherapy sessions only (not ADHD or immigration evaluations). After each session—or monthly, if you prefer—we upload the superbill to your portal. You forward it to your insurer (or let Mentaya file it) and any out-of-network reimbursement is paid directly to you.
Do you accept HSA / FSA cards?
Yes. Pre-tax Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts can be used for psychotherapy, ADHD evaluations, and immigration assessments. Keep your HSA/FSA receipts for tax records.
Are ADHD evaluations reimbursed at a different rate?
Often yes—testing codes (e.g., 96130) reimburse at a higher percentage than standard therapy CPT 90837. Check your policy’s psychological testing benefits or use Mentaya’s benefits checker.
Do you offer reduced-fee options?
Yes. Charika sets aside a limited number of reduced-fee slots for clients with demonstrated financial need. Rates are determined case-by-case and revisited when those reserved spots fill. Because the clinic is self-funded, availability changes each month—ask about openings during your complimentary consultation.
Are ADHD or immigration evaluations reimbursed differently?
Insurance rarely reimburses immigration or ADHD evaluations through superbills. Those services are therefore billed at the flat rates shown above, and no claim paperwork is supplied. If you need a cost letter for legal or HSA purposes, we can provide that upon request.
Do you offer package discounts?
For immigration evaluations, the fee includes the full clinical interview, testing, and legal report. For psychotherapy, we occasionally bundle four-session packages when paid in advance—ask during scheduling.
Why don’t I take insurance?
I don’t take insurance because it often creates barriers for vulnerable communities, including people of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ community. Insurance companies require diagnoses for coverage, which can be used against individuals in legal, employment, or immigration matters. Many people in these communities are also misdiagnosed or denied care due to systemic biases. By not accepting insurance, I ensure that therapy remains a safe, judgment-free space where healing isn’t dictated by rigid policies or profit-driven systems.
While I don’t accept insurance directly, many clients use their out-of-network benefits to get reimbursed for sessions. I provide a superbill (a detailed receipt) that you can submit to your insurance company. Depending on your plan, they may cover a portion of the cost.
We've partnered with Mentaya, a service that streamlines getting reimbursed for your therapy sessions through out-of-network benefits.
Mentaya is perfect if you:
• Have out-of-network benefits
• Feel overwhelmed by superbills and insurance
• Have submitted superbills but failed to get any reimbursement
• Simply want to skip the hassle of paperwork!
Here's how it works:
1. Sign up for Mentaya here
2. Our practice will enter your sessions into the platform.
3. Mentaya submits the claim and handles any insurance follow-up.
4. You get reimbursed by insurance!
Mentaya charges a 5% fee per claim, which includes handling any paperwork required, dealing with denials, and calling insurance companies.
It's risk-free: They guarantee claims are successfully submitted, or a full refund of their fees.
How We Work Together
Questions about working with self pay mental health services in Maryland and Washington DC?
This FAQ covers insurance, telehealth, trauma therapy, cultural fit, and everything else you need to know before starting counseling.
If you don’t see your concern addressed, contact me here, your path to culturally affirming mental-health support can start with one conversation.
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First we should schedule a complimentary call.
Whether i’m your fist therapist or you’ve attended sessions with a licensed therapists before, we’ll see if we’re a right fit via easy appointment scheduling.
We’ll discuss your mental-health goals, insurance questions, and whether in-person or virtual sessions work best. We’ll also see if we’re a good fit as that plays an important role in proper mental health treatment.
From there, you’ll receive a personalized talk therapy roadmap grounded in trauma-informed, culturally congruent care.
While this is similar to talkspace online therapy, they have longer processes with hundreds of psychiatric providers, since they are an online platform, here you get me, directly, every time.
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While some clients resolve a focused goal in 8–12 sessions, others choose ongoing weekly or bi-weekly psychotherapy to sustain mental wellness.
Progress is reviewed every 6–8 weeks with standardized measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7) and collaborative check-ins to ensure therapy services remain aligned with your changing needs.
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Life Migration Therapy is led by Charika White, LICSW, LCSW-C—an African-American, queer, first-generation Caribbean psychotherapist.
Sessions blend evidence-based modalities such as CBT, ACT, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems with cultural humility and racial-trauma awareness.
You receive licensed psychotherapist care that centers Black mental-health needs, immigrant stress, and intersectional identity work—something generic counseling offices in Maryland and Washington DC often overlook.
As a licensed psychotherapist serving Maryland and Washington, DC, I provide individual therapy that centers your story.
Whether you’re navigating depression, anxiety, identity questions, or emotional stress, I offer culturally-responsive support tailored to your needs.
You deserve care from a mental health professional who sees your full humanity.
Its less about solution focused therapy, and more about commitment therapy to your own current space.
I get to know you, address challenges with a person centered approach where I provide compassionate guidance that’ll bring positive change to your world.
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Yes. Charika provides trauma therapy that targets high-functioning anxiety, major depression, and PTSD stemming from race-based stress, intergenerational trauma, or immigration transitions.
Treatment plans combine somatic grounding, cognitive restructuring, and culturally sensitive psychoeducation, giving Maryland and Washington DC clients both immediate coping skills and long-term emotional resilience.
Being the first in your family to navigate life in a new country can feel isolating.
You may carry unspoken pressure, cultural conflict, or guilt.
I offer therapy for immigrants and children of immigrants that addresses intergenerational trauma, identity exploration, and code-switching exhaustion.
You don’t have to choose between honoring your heritage and building your future — together, we make space for both.
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Absolutely. Maryland and Washington DC law allows licensed psychotherapists to provide HIPAA-compliant telehealth statewide.
Whether you live in Maryland or Washington DC you can start virtual counseling and receive the same level of mental-health support you’d expect from in-office psychotherapy services.
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Sessions explore acculturation stress, language brokering, and family role strain that many first-gen and second-gen adults carry.
By integrating family-systems theory with culturally competent counseling, we unpack the pressure to succeed, code-switching fatigue, and guilt about “leaving home,” helping you honor both your heritage and your personal growth.
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Life Migration Therapy operates as an out-of-network provider so treatment remains 100 percent confidential and diagnosis decisions stay clinician-led—not insurance-company-led.
We supply superbills for reimbursement and maintain a limited sliding-scale for qualifying Maryland and Washington DC clients who need reduced-fee mental-health care.
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We combine somatic techniques, cognitive reframing, and empowerment strategies to process anger, numbness, or hyper-vigilance triggered by workplace racism.
You’ll learn boundary-setting scripts, self-regulation tools, and career-advocacy plans tailored to Black professionals and other BIPOC employees in Maryland and Washington DC’s corporate, academic, or healthcare sectors.
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Charika is trained in affirmative therapy and integrates queer-inclusive language, minority-stress frameworks, and identity exploration into every session.
Whether you’re a Black bisexual woman in Maryland or a queer first-gen man in Washington DC, therapy provides a safe space to navigate sexuality, gender, and cultural expectations without judgment.
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Yes. We address perfectionism, impostor syndrome, and over-responsibility—common among high-achieving Black professionals and immigrant entrepreneurs.
Treatment blends cognitive restructuring, values clarification, and lifestyle interventions so you can prevent relapse and maintain balanced mental health while advancing your career.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Self Harm Text Hotline: Text Connect 741741
Dial 988 for the crisis hotline
Self Harm Hotline: 1-800-366-8288
Trans Life Crisis Line: (877) 565-8860
DC Rape Crisis Center (24 hrs): 202-333-RAPE/202-333-7273
House of Ruth Domestic Violence Hotline (24 hrs): 202-667-7001
DC Mobile Crisis Team: 202-673-9300
Psychiatric Emergency Service (24 hrs): 202-561-7000
Crisis and Family Stress (24 hrs): 202-223-2255
La Clinica del Pueblo (Spanish): 202-462-4788