Panic disorder treatment · Arlington, VA

Outpatient panic disorder treatment in Arlington, Virginia

CBT, interoceptive exposure, and psychiatric care for panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety, and agoraphobia — PHP, IOP, and outpatient programs for adults in Arlington, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia.

Call (571) 586-2883 Find my level of care

Most insurance accepted
Day & evening IOP tracks
Telehealth for Virginia residents only

Medically reviewed by the VABH Medical Team

What panic disorder looks like

Symptoms and patterns we treat

Panic disorder isn't only the attacks. It's the life you rearrange around them — and that part is highly treatable.

Panic attacks that come out of nowhere

A surge of terror peaking within minutes — pounding heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath, shaking, sweating, tingling hands. Often with no trigger you can name, which is what makes them so frightening.

Fear you're having a heart attack

Many people arrive here after one or more ER visits with a clean EKG and normal bloodwork. Being told 'it's just anxiety' rarely helps, because the symptoms are genuinely physical.

Anticipatory anxiety between attacks

The dread of the next attack becomes its own condition — scanning your body for early signs, and finding them, because scanning creates them.

Avoidance and agoraphobia

Skipping the Metro, the highway, the grocery store, the meeting, the flight. Life narrows to the places where an attack feels survivable, and the map keeps shrinking.

Derealization and depersonalization

Feeling detached from your body or like the room isn't real. Distressing but not dangerous — and it responds well to treatment once it's explained properly.

Alcohol, cannabis, or benzodiazepines to cope

Self-medicating works briefly and worsens panic over time, especially rebound anxiety between benzodiazepine doses. We treat both sides together rather than one at a time.

How we treat panic disorder

Teaching your body that the alarm is false

Reassurance doesn't end panic; repeated experience does. Our approach is built on exposure — done gradually, with clinical support, until the sensations lose their meaning.

CBT for panic disorder

The first-line treatment, with strong evidence behind it. We work on the catastrophic interpretations — 'I'm dying,' 'I'll lose control' — that turn a burst of adrenaline into a full attack.

Interoceptive exposure

Deliberate, graded practice with the physical sensations you fear — elevated heart rate, breathlessness, dizziness — until your nervous system stops reading them as an emergency. This is the part that most general therapy skips.

In-vivo exposure for agoraphobia

Structured re-entry into avoided places: the Blue Line, I-395, crowded stores, the office. We rebuild the map you lost, one step at a time, with support in place.

Psychiatric evaluation & medication management

SSRIs and SNRIs have the best long-term evidence for panic disorder. Our medical staff may prescribe and monitor treatment, with a deliberate plan to avoid long-term benzodiazepine dependence.

Breathing retraining & somatic skills

Chronic overbreathing keeps the body primed for panic. Capnometry-informed breathing work, grounding, and progressive relaxation lower the baseline you're panicking from.

Dual-diagnosis and co-occurring care

Panic disorder frequently travels with depression, PTSD, and substance use. Integrated treatment addresses all of it under one plan instead of sending you to three places.

Levels of care

Panic disorder programs, from PHP to aftercare

An assessment determines where you start, and you can step up or down as symptoms change.

015 days/week · ~6 hrs/day
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Our most structured outpatient level. Daily therapy and psychiatric oversight for panic severe enough that you've stopped working, driving, or leaving the house.
023–5 days/week · day or evening
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Several sessions a week of CBT, exposure work, and skills groups with morning and evening tracks, so treatment fits around a job in Arlington or DC.
03Weekly · ongoing
Outpatient therapy & medication management
Weekly therapy and ongoing psychiatric care to consolidate exposure gains and keep avoidance from creeping back in.
04When more support is needed
Higher level of care (vetted partners)
If inpatient stabilization or medically supervised withdrawal management from alcohol or benzodiazepines is the safer first step, we coordinate placement with trusted, vetted providers and take the guesswork out — then continue your outpatient care here.

Take the 2-minute care quiz See anxiety treatment All mental health treatment

Across the river from Maryland

Convenient for Maryland commuters

Our Arlington center is a short drive from Bethesda, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County. Maryland clients regularly attend in-person PHP and IOP here, and evening tracks make the commute workable. Telehealth is available for Virginia residents between in-person visits.

Common questions

Panic disorder questions, answered

How is panic disorder different from anxiety?

Generalized anxiety is persistent worry about real-life concerns. Panic disorder is defined by sudden, intense attacks that peak within minutes, plus ongoing fear of having another one. Many people have both, and the treatment approaches differ enough that the distinction matters.

Can a panic attack actually hurt me?

No. A panic attack is an adrenaline response — extremely unpleasant, not physically dangerous. That said, chest pain should always be medically evaluated at least once. Once cardiac causes are ruled out, treatment can focus on the panic itself.

How long does panic disorder treatment take?

CBT for panic disorder is unusually efficient — many people see meaningful improvement in 8 to 12 weeks of consistent work. If agoraphobic avoidance is extensive or another condition is present, it typically takes longer.

Do I have to take medication?

No. CBT with exposure works on its own for many people. Medication is worth discussing when attacks are frequent, avoidance is severe, or depression is also present. Our psychiatric team will walk through the options and you decide.

What about Xanax or Ativan for panic?

Benzodiazepines stop an attack quickly, which is exactly why they can make panic disorder harder to treat long term — tolerance builds, rebound anxiety sets in, and exposure work stops working. We favor SSRIs plus CBT, and we help people taper safely when they're already dependent.

Does insurance cover panic disorder treatment?

Most major commercial plans cover outpatient mental health treatment, including PHP and IOP. Our admissions team verifies your benefits and gives you an expected cost before you commit to anything.

Can I do panic disorder treatment by telehealth?

Yes for Virginia residents — our clinicians are licensed in Virginia, so telehealth sessions are available statewide. That can be an advantage early on when leaving the house is the hardest part. In-person care at our Arlington center is open to Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC residents.

In-person panic disorder treatment at 5400 Shawnee Road, Arlington, VA for VA, MD, and DC residents. Telehealth for Virginia residents only.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.

Get help today

Talk to someone who's done this before

Whether you're calling for yourself or for someone you love, the first conversation is free and completely confidential.

Admissions — 24/7(571) 586-2883
Location5400 Shawnee Road, Arlington, VA

Insurance accepted

Insurance coverage for panic disorder treatment

Outpatient panic disorder care is a covered behavioral health benefit under most commercial plans — Anthem, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Sentara Health Plans, UMR, and Johns Hopkins Health Plans. Send us your card and we'll confirm your PHP, IOP, therapy, and psychiatric benefits before you begin.