Space Between Counseling Services

Abigail “Abby” Smith, LCPC (they/sHE)

LC13901 - MARYLAND

TPMC4442 - FLORIDA

AASECT CERTIFIED SEX THERAPIST

accepting new clients

Abby is an individual and couples therapist who works primarily with adults (18+) living in Baltimore and Florida who are struggling with or can relate to:

• Gender Exploration/ Transition

• LGBTQIA+ concerns (marginalization, internalized homophobia, etc.)

• Trans+ Gender Affirmation Letters

• Exploring and Understanding Neurodivergence

• Relational Work with Couples, Throuples, and Polycules

• Pre-marital/Pre-commitment Work

• Neurodiverse/Mixed Neurotype Relationships

• Desire Discrepancy in Relationships

• Navigating Disability and Chronic Illness

• Exploring and Understanding Asexuality

• Sexual Health & Wellness

• Trauma / Post-Traumatic Growth

• Deconstructing Shame

• Boundaries with Sex Work

It can be daunting to make the decision to reach out and contact a therapist. Just by doing this, you are already taking the first step towards reaching your goals. I believe the counseling experience should be a place where all individuals feel safe in a nonjudgmental atmosphere.

As a counselor, I feel my role is to assist and support my clients in their own growth and self-identity exploration. I am not here to judge, criticize, tell you who you are, or fix you, but instead to help you better understand and hold compassion for yourself while we explore whatever is currently bringing you to therapy. This process is unique to each individual and may change during the course of our time together.

I favor an integrated approach combining aspects of Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory, and Somatic approaches while also taking into account each individual’s situation and preferences. I also bring in my own lived experience as a queer, non-binary, neurodiverse, and chronically ill individual to my therapy practice.

Relationships can be a source of great joy as well as intense emotional pain. A warm and fulfilling relationship with another human being can be the sustaining center of your life, offering deep connection, feelings of love, being loved, and fostering secure attachment. But often, conflicting viewpoints, past hurts, and the stresses of modern day-to-day living can get in the way of fully connecting with your partner(s). In relational therapy, I work to help you and your partner(s) set healthy boundaries, improve current patterns, and foster more meaningful, authentic bonds. This can include exploration of family history, attachment work, exploring regulation strategies, practicing communication methods, learning healthy conflict resolution, and planning for the future.

As a relational therapist, I take an eclectic approach that tailors our work to your relationship's specific needs. I utilize techniques from Internal Family Systems theory, Gottman Method, PACT, and Prepare-Enrich.  I am affirming of kink, consensual non-monogamy, neurodiverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ relationships.

SPECIALIZED ASSESSMENTS & THERAPY PROVIDED BY Abby

• Adult ADHD Evaluation services

• Adult Autism Evaluation services

***Abby No longer works with teen clients under the age of 18***

Currently Accepting new clients

Maryland

Sunday AM + PM // Monday AM + PM // Tuesday AM + PM // Wednesday AM +PM

Florida

Monday AM + PM // Tuesday AM + PM // Wednesday AM +PM

INDIVIDUAL FEE: $250 / 45-MINUTE SESSION / 60-MINUTE INTAKE

Couples intake FEE: $450 / 2-3 hours couples initial intake session

Couples Work FEE: $400 / 90-MINUTE SESSION

PREPARE + ENRICH PREMARITAL COUNSELING: $1115 FOR A TOTAL OF (4) 90 MINUTE SESSION/$1665 FOR A TOTAL OF (6) 90-MINUTE SESSION

AUTISM EVALUATION: $2500 SPREAD OVER FOUR INSTALLMENTS at $625, INCLUDES: UP TO 6 HOURS OF DIRECT TESTING TIME AND UP TO 4 HOURS FOR RECORDS REVIEW, INTERPRETATION, AND REPORT WRITING.

ADHD EVALUATION: $1250 SPREAD OVER THREE INSTALLMENTS at $416.66, INCLUDES UP TO 4 HOURS OF DIRECT TESTING TIME AND UP TO 3 HOURS FOR RECORDS REVIEW, INTERPRETATION, AND REPORT WRITING.

Space Between Counseling Services is an out-of-network provider with many insurance companies, which means that we do not bill insurance companies directly. Your counseling services may be eligible for reimbursement through out-of-network benefits, medical spending (FSA's) or health care savings accounts (HSA's). Health insurance plans and benefits vary. If you are interested in using your health insurance, please call your insurance provider to inquire about reimbursement for out-of-network counseling services.

To schedule with Abby - Please call her directly at 410-776-5101 or email Abby@Spacebetweencounselingservices.com for a complimentary phone consultation.

A Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) – developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin and trained by Dr. Stan Tatkin - Level 2 Trained, 2024

Transitioning Couples from Non-Penetrative Sexual Activity to Penetrative Intercourse – Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW-C, CST, C-PST, 2024

Treating the Unconsummated Marriage and Vaginismus – Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW-C, CST, C-PST, 2024

Non-Monogamy as Liberatory Praxis – Dr. Han Ren, 2024

Mental Compulsions in OCD Advanced Training – The Center for OCD and Anxiety, 2024

Treating Contamination OCD – Rich Gallagher, LMFT, 2024

How Attachment Styles Impact Sexual Desire – Rivka Sidorsky, LCSW-C, CST, C-PST, 2024

AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, 2024

Treating Clients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Improve Psychological Flexibility through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy & Exposure and Ritual Prevention – Daniel J. Moran, PhD, BCBA-D, 2024

SHCP Alumni Weekend 2024 – Laura Ramos Tomás and Dr. Yamonte Cooper, 2024

From Trauma to Trust: Treating Betrayal in Couples – Dr. Stan Tatkin, 2023

Clinical Supervision Training – Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors of Maryland (LCPCM), 2023

SHCP Alumni Weekend 2023 – Stefani Goerlich, PhD, MA and Luci Fielding, PhD, MA, 2023

University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program: Sex Therapy and Sexuality Education, 2023

Neuro-Affirmative Adult Autism Assessments – Thriving Autistic and The Adult Autism Practice, 2023

What Furries Wish You Knew (But are afraid to tell you): Demystifying the Anthropomorphic Subculture – Sarah Newcomer, IMFT, 2022

Autism Evaluations: Using the MIGDAS-2 Sensory Based Diagnostic Interview Process – Marilyn J. Monteiro, PhD, 2022

Effective Treatment of OCD: Cracking the Conundrum – The Ferentz Institute, 2021

A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy® (PACT), developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin and trained by Dr. Stan Tatkin - Level 1 Trained - 2021

Prepare/Enrich Certified Facilitator, 2021

What it Means to be a Kink-Aware Therapist, Lauren Moore, MA, MEd, 2021

Introduction to Transformative Justice - Mia Mingus - 2020

Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Trauma Survivors - Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C - 2020

Gottman Method Couples Training - Level 2 - The Gottman Institute - 2020

Mindfulness in Recovery - Ashley Addiction Treatment & Maryland Addiction Recovery Center - 2020 

Sex Summit: Becoming a Sexually Competent Therapist - Rachel Needle, Psy.D., Ricky Siegel, Ph.D., & Joe Kort, Ph.D. - 2020

Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma - Maryland Suicide Prevention - 2020

Gottman Method Couples Training - Level 1 - The Gottman Institute - 2020

Health at Every Size in Clinical Practice - Katie Cashin, LCPC & Samantha Lewandowski, RDN, LD, CEDRD - 2020

Assessment and Intervention with Suicidal Clients - John Sommers-Flanagan, Ph.D. - 2019

Art Therapy: Creative Interventions for Kids with Trauma, Anxiety, ADHD, and More - Pamela Malkoff Hayes, MFT, ATR-BC - 2019

Couples Work & Why It Matters in Modern Times - Heather Garner, LCSW-C & Susan Stork, LCPC, CST - 2019

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology - Towson University

Bachelor of Science in Psychology - Towson University

TELL ME ABOUT FEES AND INSURANCE?

Abby’s individual fee is $250 per 60-minute intake and 45-minute session; couple’s fee is $450 per 90-minute intake and $400 per 90-minute follow-up session. Abby also offers Prepare + Enrich premarital counseling at the rate of $1115 for a total of (4) 90-minute sessions or $1665 for a total of (6) 90-minute sessions. Abby also offers Autism evaluation at the rate of $2500 spread over FOUR installments at $625 and offers ADHD evaluation at the rate of $1250 spread over THREE installments at $416.66.

SBCS is not paneled with any insurance plans but can offer you what's called "out-of-network" (OON) benefits. Not everyone has this as part of their benefits package, so please call your healthcare plan and ask these questions:

Do I have out-of-network benefits?
What percentage of my therapist's fee does my plan pay for?

MOST OON BENEFIT PLANS PAY BETWEEN 50-90% OF MY FEE.

At times, insurance plans request upfront billing codes SBCS will be using. You can share this list of codes with them for approval:

• 90791  Psychiatric Diagnostic Assessment (from 1-4 sessions depending on the problem)

• 90834 Psychotherapy, 45 minutes

• 90847  Family Psychotherapy, conjoint psychotherapy with patient present

• 90846 Family Psychotherapy, without patient present

• 90887 Collateral visit

When using OON benefits, SBCS will provide you with a monthly document called a "superbill," which is like an invoice but contains the service codes, dates of treatment, and payments made during therapy. You would submit this to your plan directly, and your plan would reimburse you directly as well.

You can get in-network therapy if this is outside your budget. Your plan can identify providers who are in-network should you need to use your benefits.

HOW ARE MY RECORDS STORED?

Space Between Counseling Services utilizes a HIPAA compliant, encrypted, electronic medical record called SimplePractice that holds all of my client's mental health records safely in it. You will get a link to a client portal where you fill in demographic information and can access documents like invoices and superbills on your own.

SimplePractice has a credit card processing system named Stripe embedded in it. If you choose to work with SBCS, you would upload your credit card number, and SBCS would charge the card after each session or late cancellation for the fee. SBCS only has access to the last four digits of your card, and it is completely secure.

DO YOU HAVE A CANCELlATION POLICY?

At Space Between Counseling Services, we have a 24 business hour cancellation policy. You will be responsible for an entire session fee if the change is made in less than 24 business hours' notice. Exceptions may be made for emergencies such as sudden illness or accident, at my discretion. It should be noted that insurance does not reimburse for canceled sessions and HSA and FSA cards can't be used in these cases.