Potomac Therapy Group in Baltimore: Individual and Group Counseling with Sliding Scale Fees

Potomac Therapy Group is a private counseling practice in Baltimore that provides individual therapy, group counseling, and psychiatric evaluation, operating on a sliding fee scale that starts at $45 per session. The practice is one of a limited number of therapy providers in the city explicitly advertising income-based fees without requiring Medicaid enrollment, addressing a practical gap for uninsured and underinsured residents.

What Potomac Therapy Group actually is

Potomac Therapy Group functions as a small, independent therapy practice rather than a large clinic system or hospital-affiliated behavioral health department. It specializes in individual counseling for adults and accepts new patients on a rolling basis. The practice includes licensed therapists and psychiatric staff capable of assessment and medication management; referrals for psychiatric care are managed internally rather than routed elsewhere. This structure means intake, therapy, and medication consultation can occur within the same practice, reducing the coordination burden that patients often face when seeing a therapist at one location and a psychiatrist at another.

Services and pricing

Individual therapy sessions run $45 to $80 depending on income, with the practice maintaining transparency about the sliding scale on initial contact rather than burying fee information. Group counseling is offered at a lower entry cost, typically $25 to $35 per session, making ongoing mental health support more accessible for budget-limited participants. Psychiatric evaluation and medication management are available, though the practice recommends confirming current fee structure and whether the psychiatrist maintains openings; this has changed year to year.

Most major insurance plans are accepted, and the practice will submit claims on the patient's behalf. Patients without insurance or with high-deductible plans benefit most from the sliding scale. The practice does not accept Medicaid, which excludes some low-income patients but allows it to maintain direct-pay relationships and avoid state billing delays.

How it compares to other Baltimore mental health options

Baltimore offers several tiers of counseling access. Community health centers like Bon Secours Baltimore and Chase Brexton Health Services (both federally qualified health centers) offer primary care, psychiatry, and therapy on Medicaid and income-based sliding scales; they are ideal for uninsured patients with limited income because they prioritize coverage of federally designated populations. However, waitlists at these centers often exceed six weeks, particularly for therapy.

Private practices in Baltimore, such as Harbor Psychiatry and others listed through the Maryland Board of Examiners in Social Work, typically charge $100 to $200 per session with insurance required; cash pay is often negotiable but not advertised as standard. Potomac Therapy Group's explicit sliding scale pricing ($45 base) and willingness to see uninsured patients without requiring a government program application make it a more frictionless entry point for patients without insurance.

Telehealth platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace extend therapy to Baltimore residents but charge flat monthly fees ($65-$90) that can be inflexible for very low-income users and lack psychiatry and medication services.

Who this suits and who it does not

Potomac Therapy Group is designed for uninsured adults seeking ongoing therapy and the possibility of psychiatric care within the same setting. It suits professionals with insurance who prefer a boutique practice over a large clinic and are willing to navigate out-of-network submission. It is well-suited for group participants looking for peer support at minimal cost.

The practice is not ideal for Medicaid patients, who will save money using federally qualified health centers. It does not serve children or adolescents. Patients requiring crisis intervention will be referred elsewhere rather than managed in-office; the practice is outpatient only.

What the first visit involves

New patients contact the practice to schedule an intake appointment. During intake, a clinician or intake coordinator gathers basic mental health history, presenting concerns, insurance information, and determines the appropriate sliding-scale fee. This appointment often lasts 50 to 60 minutes and may include psychiatric screening if medication is a consideration. Clients are typically assigned a therapist at or shortly after intake; at a small practice, assignment is based on therapist availability and specialization fit rather than client choice.

Confirmation of intake availability and current scheduling wait times is recommended by calling or emailing directly, as capacity varies seasonally.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Potomac Therapy Group operates Monday through Friday during standard business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is typical for Baltimore therapy practices, though exact hours should be verified). The practice is located in an office setting rather than a clinical building; parking is street parking or in a shared lot depending on the specific location. Public transit access varies by neighborhood.

The practice is small enough that sessions may fill up 4 to 8 weeks in advance during peak months. Confirm current availability and intake wait time before planning your first visit.

This practice fills a real need in Baltimore's fragmented mental health landscape: transparent, low-cost entry to ongoing therapy without the gatekeeping and delays of government-subsidized centers.