Space Between Counseling Services

Brittany Spencer, LcPC (She/Her)

LC10970 MARYLAND, TPMC4438 FLORIDA

accepting new clients

Brittany is a therapist who offers individual and couples therapy sessions (ages 18+) for those living in Baltimore City and Florida who are struggling with or can relate to:

• COUPLES WORK (PACT & GOTTMAN)

• FAMILY OF ORIGIN TRAUMA

• HIGH-DEMAND JOB STRESS

• STRESS MANAGEMENT

• ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION 

• EXPERIENCING LOSS + GRIEF

• QUARTER-LIFE DECISIONS/TRANSITIONS 

• MANAGING LOW SELF-ESTEEM

• PTSD / POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH 

• NON TRADITIONAL NON MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT

• AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCES & WORLDVIEW

• BIPOC STRUGGLES 

• LGBTQIA+ CONCERNS

“MAYBE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN A THERAPIST BEFORE AND FEEL THAT YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES ARE YOURS TO HANDLE – I GET IT, I’VE BEEN THERE BEFORE. SEEKING THERAPY CAN IMPROVE OR ALLEVIATE STRESSORS PREVENTING YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO LEVEL UP.”

Therapy: we all have been given different messages (good and bad) about what it means to utilize it. In case no one has told you lately, seeking therapy does not mean something is wrong with you. In fact, with the current uncertainties we’re navigating globally, a little additional support can be the stabilizing factor you’re searching for. Whether you are new to therapy and wondering what to discuss in session or have intermittently done therapy, I work to ensure my clients’ therapeutic journey is catered to meet their wants and needs. Yes, even you who have searched for an unbiased place to process the societal stigmas of nontraditional non-monogamous relationships, explore the impact of trauma from your family of origin, LGBTQIA+ support, or find a safe place to process racial injustices without having to overly educate someone about your oppression.

As a therapist in Baltimore, I recognize the strength it takes for someone to seek additional support. It is with that strength in mind, that I do my best to offer you a safe environment to embrace the journey you’re on without judgment or bias. I view the therapeutic relationship as supportive and collaborative in nature. I am NOT showing up assuming I know your walk of life. You can anticipate transparency and authenticity during our work together, along with a mixture of realism and accountability. If you’re looking for a quick fix to adjust years of repeated habits without doing your part, then I may not be the therapist in Baltimore you’re looking for. For those ready to do the work, I’m here to support along the way.

“Self-care does not have to be grandiose trips and bubble baths. It can be as simple as choosing yourself first.”

We all have obstacles in life and we manage the best way we’re equipped to do so. For some, seeking help isn’t always an easy step. Perhaps the thought of depending on another person can bring on feelings of uncertainty due to past let downs, and that’s ok. You are not here by accident! Recognizing a need for change is the biggest step you can make, and one not a lot of people take. Give recognition for showing up for yourself and beginning the turning point you’ve been waiting for.

Therapy does not have to be a loaded concept. There aren’t any prerequisites to best prepare you for sessions. A benefit of therapy is that you receive the support you need, not a cookie cutter interaction. My clinical style is catered to best meet you where you currently are and where you project yourself to be. Whether it’s processing in sessions, homework assignments, or coping skills for you to practice outside of our time together. I support you as best I can during your journey of growth.

The honeymoon stage does not have to be a distant memory between you and your partner(s). The cliche idea of “keeping it how it was in the beginning” not only sounds stagnant but also unobtainable. We evolve daily and we rarely show up in relationships unimpacted in some way. Growth can be fun, exciting, and sexy when you and your partner are able to express wants and needs collectively to build ideal principles and foundations for your relationship(s). I work with couples to obtain secure-functioning and functional communication skills to meet their collective needs. As with anything, change is inevitable but it does not have to be a scary shift. Today, countless couples are working to restore connections after one of the most unconnected periods ever (COVID-19). Whether you’re actively dating or stepping back into the dating scene, many are redefining what it means to reconnect with another person.

COVID-19 aside, the fast paced modern world we live in can often cause couples to steer from their collective paths. Coupled with work stressors, children, or any other factors that prevent the unit from being the sole focus, these can stir conflict in any relationship. I aim to bring my couples back to the basics to foster shared meaning, values, and secure attachment.

Not all partnerships are the same, I work with all sexual orientations and relationship styles while affirming the differences that exist within them. I affirm those within traditional relationships, nontraditional non-monogamous relationships, LGBTQIA+ relationships, and all consensual relationships. I am a level 1 PACT clinician. PACT stands for Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy and it has been developed by Stan Tatkin, PsyD. Its goal is to integrate mind-body functioning and give couples the tools to create a safe, secure-functioning relationships. PACT has been developed thanks to exciting, cutting-edge research in three areas:

1.) Neuroscience: the study of the human brain,
2.) Attachment theory: the biological need to bond with others, and
3.) Human arousal: the moment-to-moment ability to manage our energy, alertness, and readiness to engage.

As relationships evolve, it’s important to me to remain current and knowledgeable to address the many stages couples may find themselves experiencing. My role is not “do whatever it takes to keep you together.” However, I provide support that allows the unit to make a healthy decision of how to navigate and show up within their relationship, if they choose. As with anything, the work put into your therapeutic growth is what you get out of it.

** Starting 11/30/24 through 01/04/25 **

Brittany’s sessions will be teleheatlh ONLY

Maryland Availability:

Monday 9 am - 8 pm (in-person & Telehealth)

Thursday 10 am - 7 pm (in-person & Telehealth)

Saturday 9 am - 2 pm (in-person & Telehealth)

Sunday 10 am - 1 pm (in-person & Telehealth)  

Florida Availability:

Monday 11 am - 3 pm (telehealth)

Thursday 1 pm - 7 pm (telehealth)

Fees:

Individual Fee: $225/ 45-minute  sessions

Couples Fee: $450 initial intake session (2-3 hours) / $400 follow-up / 90-minute sessions

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.

Interested in working with Brittany? Call Brittany directly at 410-776-4915 or email Brittany@SpaceBetweenCounselingServices.com to schedule your complimentary 15-minute phone consultation.   

Brittany’s clinical focus pertains to helping clients manage relationship stressors and transitions (premarital couples & nontraditional relationships), LGBTQIA+ concerns, marginalized individuals/groups (ill treatment, trauma & systemic racism), and related struggles in a supportive environment while simultaneously increasing self-efficacy, self-awareness, and self-confidence for her clients, couples, & groups.

Completion of the University of Michigan - Sexual Health Certificate Program 2023-2024 Cohort

Systemic Trauma in Couples Therapy - Building Relational Privilege - 2023  

Expanding Gender Affirming Health Care 2023 Symposium - The Center For LGBTQ Health Equity - 2023

Deconstructing Infidelity - Dr. Talal Alsaleem - 2022

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor of Maryland (LCPCM) 2-Day Supervision Training - Marsha Riggio, PhD - 2022

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

Decolonizing Therapy for Black Folk – Shawna Murry-Browne, LCSW-C – 2020 

Microtraumas and the African American Client – Candice Richardson Dickens, LCPC – 2020 

The Attachment Dance with Traumatized Clients: One Step Forward and Two Steps Back – Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA – 2020 

Assessment and Intervention with Suicidal Clients – John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD - 2020 

The Efficacy of Interventions Aimed at Reducing Procrastination: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Groups – Abigail H. Conley, PhD - 2020

Establishing Personal and Professional Boundaries – Julius Austin, PhD – 2020

Expanding Perspectives: Systemic Approaches to College Students Experiencing Depression – Daniel Gutierrez, PhD – 2020

Ten Ways to Intentionally Use Group Work to Transform Hate and Enhance Community – Hopeton Bailey – 2020

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

Developing competence in working with LGBTQIA+ Communities: awareness, knowledge, skills and action -2020

Complicated Grief: An Evolving Theoretical Landscape -2020

Self-stigma, Mental Health Literacy, and Health Outcomes in Integrated Care -2020

Meta-analysis of Counseling outcomes for youth with conduct disorders -2020

Healing Humiliation: From Reaction to Creative Action -2020

A Constructive Approach to Help Counselors Work with Clients who Express Discriminatory views -2020

Creative Counseling for Couples: Using the Integrative Model Part I -2019

Training of Trainers Intensive - The Transgender Trainer Institute - Dr. Eli Green - 2019

Psychodrama and Parts Work: Providing a “Stage” for Practice and Healing - The Ferentz Institute - 2018

Couples Therapy & Why it Matters in Modern Times - Susan Stork & Heather Garner - 2018

Trauma & Attachment - Lisa Ferentz - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors of Maryland Conference -2018

Bachelor of Science in Human Services - Waynesburg University

Master of Mental Health Counseling - McDaniel College

American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists - MEMBER ONLY 1404064

TELL ME ABOUT FEES AND INSURANCE?

Brittany’s individual fee is $250 per 60-minute intake and 45-minute session; couple’s fee is $450 per 2-hour intake and $400 per 90-minute follow-up session.

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 choosing to work with SBCS you would upload your credit card number and SBCS would tap the card after each session or late cancellation for the fee. SBCS only have access to the last 4 digits of your card and it is completely secured.

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.