Cornerstone Montgomery in Montgomery County: Therapy and Medication Management for Adults and Teens
Cornerstone Montgomery is a private therapy practice in Silver Spring offering individual and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management for adolescents and adults, with a focus on depression, anxiety, trauma, and life transitions. It operates in an underserved gap between high-volume community mental health centers and specialized psychiatric hospitals, serving people who need ongoing therapeutic support but not inpatient care.
What Cornerstone Montgomery actually is
Cornerstone Montgomery functions as an outpatient mental health practice, not a crisis service. The practice employs licensed therapists and psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners under one roof, meaning patients can receive both talk therapy and medication adjustment in a coordinated way without juggling separate providers. It operates in a private-pay and insurance-accepting model, which shapes who uses it. Sessions happen in individual offices at a dedicated suite; there is no open waiting area or walk-in crisis intake. The practice takes on ongoing clients rather than one-time consultants.
Services and pricing
Therapy costs $120 to $180 per session depending on the therapist; most insurance plans will cover a portion after the patient meets their deductible. Psychiatric evaluation and medication management appointments run $150 to $220 for the initial visit, then $100 to $150 for follow-ups, again dependent on insurance coverage. Cornerstone does not publish a fee-for-service sliding scale; uninsured patients pay full rates. Many insurance plans accepted include Cigna, Aetna, United, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Maryland plans; confirm coverage before scheduling.
No-show and late-cancellation policies typically charge a full session fee if not cancelled 24 hours in advance. This aligns with standard practice across Maryland but is worth knowing when committing to regular appointments.
How Cornerstone Montgomery compares to other Montgomery County options
Montgomery County offers three distinct therapy pathways. Community mental health centers like the Community Health Center of Frederick or the Maryland Department of Health's mobile crisis teams handle urgent and low-cost care, but wait times often exceed one month and continuity of care is limited. Private practices like Cornerstone Montgomery provide faster access to ongoing therapists and psychiatrists, with shorter appointment lead times (often 1 to 3 weeks) but no crisis infrastructure. University-based clinics like those at the University of Maryland Medical Center offer sliding-scale fees and teaching expertise but typically serve more complex psychiatric presentations. For someone with stable insurance who values ongoing therapy with the same provider and wants appointments within two to three weeks, Cornerstone Montgomery fits. For someone without insurance or in crisis, a community center is more appropriate; for someone with complex medication-resistant conditions, a university clinic or hospital system may be better matched.
Who it suits and who it does not
Cornerstone Montgomery works well for teenagers and adults with diagnosed or suspected anxiety, depression, OCD, or trauma histories who have insurance or can pay out-of-pocket. It suits people seeking long-term therapy (6 months or longer) who want both a therapist and access to psychiatric medication support without referrals elsewhere. It does not serve patients without insurance on a sliding scale. It is not a crisis line or emergency service. It is not designed for acute psychosis, active substance-use disorders requiring detoxification, or homelessness; those conditions need hospital or intensive outpatient programs.
What the first visit involves
Initial appointments typically run 50 to 60 minutes. If meeting with a therapist first, expect questions about symptom history, family background, current stressors, and previous mental health care. If scheduled for psychiatric evaluation, the provider will ask similar questions plus take a detailed medication history (past medications, side effects, doses) and may order lab work to rule out medical causes of mood or anxiety symptoms. Bring insurance cards, a photo ID, and any past mental health records if available. No diagnosis is rendered in one visit; instead, the provider outlines a preliminary impression and proposes a treatment plan, usually involving weekly or biweekly sessions and a medication review in 4 to 6 weeks if medication is used.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Cornerstone Montgomery is located in Silver Spring and operates Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with limited Saturday hours; confirm current hours on their website as they may adjust seasonally. Parking is available in the building lot at no extra cost. The office is not wheelchair-accessible on all levels; call ahead if you need specific accommodations. Appointments are booked by phone or through a patient portal once enrolled; no walk-in scheduling is available.
Cornerstone Montgomery earns its place in Montgomery County's mental health landscape by collapsing the usual friction of coordinating therapy and psychiatric care across separate offices, a practical advantage for people juggling work and family while managing depression or anxiety.
