Base camp · FAQs
Now accepting new clients · evening and weekend hours available
Questions, answered.
Everything people usually want to know before the first appointment, in one place: rates, insurance, how telehealth works, and getting started. If yours isn’t here, call (571) 206-0096.
Getting started
Beginning.
How do I get started?
There are three ways in, and all of them start in the secure client portal. If you are not sure yet, book a free 15-minute consultation. For individual therapy, request an intake appointment; for a group, enroll directly. If you would rather ask a question first, send a message. The paperwork (consent forms, practice policies, and your Good Faith Estimate) is signed electronically and takes about ten minutes.
Is there a free consultation?
Yes. A 15-minute consultation with Dr. Thaxter, live over telehealth, is free. It is a short conversation about what is going on, what might help, and whether this is the right place, with no paperwork and no obligation. Book one on the live calendar.
Do I need to be in individual therapy to join a group?
No. Groups are enrolled in directly, whether or not you are working with Dr. Thaxter individually. The one exception is the trauma skills group, which begins with an intake so she can make sure it suits you.
How quickly can I get an appointment?
The practice is currently accepting new clients, with intakes typically available within one to two weeks. Appointments are offered during the day, on weekday evenings until 9 pm Eastern, and on Saturdays and Sundays.
What are Dr. Thaxter’s qualifications?
Lauren Thaxter, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia (license #0810009520). She completed doctoral training with an APA-accredited internship in the VA system, her doctoral research was in chronic pain, and she is a listed provider on the national Cognitive Processing Therapy roster.
Money
Rates, plainly stated.
What are the rates?
The intake appointment (60 to 90 minutes, required before individual therapy) is $300. Individual sessions (1 hour) are $275, and brief 30-minute sessions for focused check-ins are $150. Group sessions are $50 for a 1-hour group and $75 for a 90-minute group, billed per session. Full rates are on the Rates & booking page.
Do you take insurance?
The practice is private pay and does not bill insurance directly. A monthly superbill is provided, which you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. Dr. Thaxter will help you check your specific benefits before you commit, so you are working from a real number rather than a guess.
What is a superbill, and will my insurance reimburse me?
A superbill is a detailed receipt you submit to your insurer to request out-of-network reimbursement. Many plans reimburse a meaningful share once the out-of-network deductible is met. One thing worth knowing before you decide: submitting a superbill does put a diagnosis in front of your insurer.
How do I pay? Do you accept HSA or FSA?
Payment is due at the time of service. Credit card, HSA, and FSA are all accepted. You will receive a written Good Faith Estimate of the expected fees before your first appointment, as the No Surprises Act requires.
Telehealth
How telehealth sessions work.
How does telehealth work?
Sessions are live, one-on-one conversations with Dr. Thaxter over secure telehealth, not messaging and not recordings. You can join from home, from a parked car, or from a private office on a lunch break. The one rule is that you must be physically located in Virginia at the time of your appointment.
Where is your office?
There is no office. Beyond Mountains Psychology is a telehealth-only practice serving adults throughout Virginia. There is no in-person option and no waiting room to drive to.
Is telehealth therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
For most conditions treated here, yes. Research consistently finds telehealth outcomes comparable to in-person care for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and insomnia, among others. Every approach used in this practice is evidence-based, meaning it has been tested in clinical trials and shown to work.
What happens in the first appointment?
The intake is a 60 to 90 minute conversation: what brings you in, relevant history, and what you want to be different. Out of it comes a treatment plan built around evidence-based approaches, which you review together openly as you go.
About the practice
What’s treated here.
What issues do you treat?
Anxiety and depression, trauma and PTSD, postpartum anxiety and depression, insomnia, chronic pain, grief, and emotion regulation. Specialties include Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD, CBT for insomnia, pain psychology, and postpartum support. Who she works with →
What is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)?
CPT is a structured, evidence-based treatment for PTSD, typically 12 sessions. It works on the beliefs that formed during a traumatic experience and have not been looked at since. Dr. Thaxter is a listed provider on the national CPT roster and offers it both individually and in a group format. How therapy works here →
What if I’m in crisis?
This practice is not for emergencies. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Veterans can press 1). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
You don’t have to have it figured out to start.
Not sure where to start? Book a free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Thaxter: a short, live call over telehealth about what is going on and whether this is the right place, with no paperwork and no charge. When you are ready, the same button lets you book an intake for individual therapy or enroll in a group. Everything runs through the secure client portal, and the first step takes about two minutes. If you would rather talk first, call (571) 206-0096 or send a message.