Skip to content Q: What is Expand Psychology?
A: Expand Psychology is a private mental health practice that was founded in 2005 by Dr. Katie O’Meara. Formerly The Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment (CCTA), the practice has continued to expand its offerings, welcoming a multidisciplinary team of experienced, compassionate, collaborative and culturally-competent therapists dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health care to individuals of all ages.
Q: Why did the organization change its name?
A: We changed our name to better reflect who we are today, and where we are headed. Our original name was rooted in a specific therapeutic approach and a narrower age focus. As mental health needs in the community have grown, our practice has thoughtfully worked to expand our team to hire specialists that can meet mental health needs of individuals in our region. We now offer a wide range of evidence-based services for both children and adults across Northern Virginia and the DC Metro Region. Our new name captures the warmth, professionalism, and collaborative care we are known for, while also reflecting our expanded scope of services. Our commitment is to help people of all ages improve their quality of life: not just through therapy, but through a coordinated, compassionate, and goal-oriented approach to mental health care.
Q: Why change the name now?
A: We changed the name now because it was the right time to align our identity with the full scope of what our practice offers. Over the past few years, we have expanded our services beyond Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) to include a broader range of evidence-based treatments, and we have grown to serve children and adults across the entire DC Metro region, including virtually in 42 states via telehealth. The name change reflects this evolution. This moment marks a natural next step, honoring where we started, and stepping into who we have become in service of meeting the mental health needs of our community.
Q: Why “Expand”?
A: “Expand” means to broaden, diversify, and grow. We chose the name because it speaks to our dedication to continued evolution and learning as a practice, and to the growth we see in each individual we treat. Our team now offers more modalities and serves a broader population in a highly collaborative way. This name reflects our commitment to learning, service, and building a truly supportive community for both clients and clinicians.
Q: Has ownership or management changed?
A: Dr. Katie O’Meara, the founder and owner of our practice, is more committed than ever to the practice’s long-standing philosophy of community, service, and learning. Her 20+ years of experience, expertise, and community connections help our practice provide the highest quality care to you. The same trusted leadership will continue to guide the practice into this exciting new chapter.
Q: What is the difference between CCTA and Expand Psychology?
A: The Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment was our original name, which reflected our early focus on providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and testing to children and teens in Northern Virginia. Expand Psychology represents our growth. While we still offer high-quality CBT, we now provide a much wider range of evidence-based therapies and support for both children and adults across Northern Virginia and the larger DC metro area – from infancy through adulthood. We have also expanded our psychological testing capacity to include diagnostic testing for autism and full psychoeducational evaluations.
Q: Is the practice moving away from cognitive behavioral therapy?
A: Not at all. We continue to value and use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and feature staff with specialty training in CBT. We will continue to ensure that clients who may benefit most from CBT treatment are paired with a CBT trained clinician. What’s changed is that we have expanded our services to include other evidence-based approaches that allow us to better meet the unique needs of each individual. CBT remains an important option, especially for conditions like anxiety, OCD, depression, and behavior challenges.
Q: How will the practice’s commitment to child and adolescent services and core values be reflected at Expand Psychology?
A: Supporting children, teens, and families has always been at the heart of what we do, and will stay the same. Our dedication to serving young people and families is and always has been core to who we are. In fact, we have built on that commitment and expanded our services to care for even younger populations, beginning from infancy and moving through the lifespan to adulthood. Whether it is a child struggling with anxiety, a teen navigating school stress, or a parent looking for guidance, we remain deeply committed to the needs of young people and those who care for them. Our relationships with schools, pediatricians, and families remain a cornerstone of our practice. This expansion simply means we can now serve more people, more fully, across all stages of life.
Q: How will Expand Psychology support the growing need of adults seeking care in Northern Virginia?
A: Just as we have been dedicated to supporting children and families, we are equally committed to meeting the needs of adults at every stage of life. Many adults come to us for individual therapy for help with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges and life transitions. Others come to us for couples therapy, guidance through divorce and separation, or psychological assessment. Expand Psychology is able to meet these needs through evidence-based support with clinicians who are trained in specialized modalities. Expand Psychology reflects that mental health is a lifelong journey and we are proud to collaborate with adult clients as they navigate challenges and discover resilience.
Q: I’m an existing patient, will I see any changes to the cost of services with the shift to Expand Psychology?
A: No, the rebrand does not mean an increase in cost for our patients. Our commitment to providing high-quality care remains the same. Our focus during this transition has been on expanding services, improving access, and strengthening our care model, not raising costs. You will continue to receive the same thoughtful, personalized support from your clinician, now under a name that better reflects the full scope of what we offer.
Q: How is Expand Psychology different from other mental health centers in Northern Virginia?
A: What sets Expand Psychology apart is the way we combine personalized care with a truly collaborative model. Every client benefits from a multidisciplinary team approach, meaning their therapist is supported by experienced supervisors who help guide treatment planning and provide expert consultation as needed. This level of collaboration is rare in private practice settings and gives our clients the benefit of multiple highly trained clinicians providing deep attention and care. We also focus on sitting with you in difficult moments as we help patients expand their insights, reach meaningful goals, and build more fulfilling lives. Our work is confidential, evidence-based, results-oriented, and always tailored to the individual. Finally, we serve a broad and diverse population across the entire DC metro area – from infancy through adulthood – as clients navigate life transitions or mental health challenges. We are honored to be able to serve and grow with clients through every stage of life.
Who are we?
The Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment (CCTA) is a mental health clinic that was founded in 2005 by Dr. Katie O’Meara. The practice has continued to expand over the years, welcoming a team of experienced, compassionate, collaborative and culturally-competent therapists who offer comprehensive treatment for all types of mood and behavior disorders in children, adolescents, and adults.
How can I gather more information or schedule an appointment?
You can call us at (703) 618-0900 to leave a voicemail with your name, contact information, and question and our administrative coordinator will return your call as soon as possible. You can email contact@centerforcbtva.com with your name, contact information, and any information you would like to share with us. If you have found a clinician you are interested in connecting with on our website, you are welcome to mention their names in your initial contact note, or email them directly on the email provided on their website profile.
Please keep in mind that email is not a secure method of communication and be mindful of the information you choose to share.
Where are you located?
We have three different offices to serve the community in the Northern Virginia region, located in Old Town Alexandria, Falls Church, and McLean.
What are your hours of operation?
Our therapists have flexible hours to accommodate varying schedules. While we prioritize seeing people after school and work hours, it is important to note that these hours can be limited, and we encourage individuals and families to consider flexibility in scheduling.
Do you take insurance?
We are an out-of-network clinic and do not take insurance. Your therapist will provide you with a statement at the end of each month that will include all information typically required by insurance companies for reimbursement. We recommend checking with your specific insurance to determine your individual coverage. Please see the attached form Patient Insurance Worksheet as a guideline to gather further information from your insurance.
What are your fees?
Our fees vary depending on the type of service you are pursuing and the therapist you choose to work with. If you are interested in specific pricing information, please reach out to our administrative coordinator who could provide you with further information, or access our financial agreement here. Please be mindful that fees are subject to change and will not always reflect the original pricing.
What age population do you work with?
Our therapists work with a wide range of individuals including children, teens, and adults. If you are curious to learn about individual therapists and the populations with whom they work with you can click here. Additionally, you can reach out to our office for further guidance on which therapist may be the right fit for you.
Do you only provide Cognitive Therapy treatment?
No! Despite our name, we offer a wide range of therapeutic modalities and treatments to cater to individuals needs and goals. Our team of therapists specialize in various approaches and your therapist will work with you to determine the most suitable approach for your goals. Our services include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Play Therapy, Group Therapy, SPACE Program, Parent Coaching and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Co-Parenting Consultations. For more detailed information regarding specific services please click here
What testing services do you provide?
We offer various testing services: Admissions Testing for Independent Schools, Psychoeducational Testing, and Psychological Evaluations. See our Testing Services Page and our Testing FAQ for further information
Are you able to prescribe medication?
None of our clinicians are able to prescribe medication. However, we work closely with trusted psychiatrists in our communities and are happy to provide referrals to work collaboratively to ensure our clients’ needs are being met.
As the Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessment celebrates our 20th anniversary, we are also announcing that starting this fall, we will be changing the name of our practice to Expand Psychology. This change reflects our commitment to meet the ever evolving mental health needs of our clients and the community.
Since our founding, our clinical team has developed to include specialists who provide a wider range of evidence-based therapies, allowing us to serve additional client populations from infancy through adulthood, expanding our ability to work with the entire family system. Our new name captures the depth of our current services, including our ability to provide psychological testing and autism evaluation for all ages.
A new website will launch on October 3, 2025 – with a wider scope of mental health services to support you.
We continue to accept new clients during the transition and you can reach out to us via our online form at on current site, at contact@centerforcbtva.com, or phone at 703-618-0900.
