Compass Health Center – Silver Spring

I’ve had a positive experiences working with Compass Health Center. As an adolescent therapist at The Counseling Center Group DC, I’ve been impressed by the practical DBT skills younger clients are able to develop… throughout the program. I recommend!

We are VERY concerned and disappointed with this center for my teenage. On the second day of treatment and during the group session, some kids were restless and made noises and didn't cooperate. The educator asked them… several times to stop by they didn't listen. Then she got mad and tell them it was mindfulness time which had been more like timeout and punishment rather than mindfulness. The timer has been on ten minutes and she restarted it one or two more times until kids got really mad. Then my daughter spoke up and said they had rights and this was not fair. Other kids started crying and yelling and this chaotic situation brought the trauma memories back to her mind and she experienced the worst mental breakdown she ever had. I withdrew my child immediately since this re-traumatized her. I feel very bad for the rest of the kids who are still in that center. The only star that I gave to them was to the individual therapist and nurse who were very nice and helped her during mental breakdown. Think twice before sending your child there.

I arrived at Compass Health Center in the adult 18+ program Trauma Cohort last year during one of the most vulnerable years of my life and was immediately welcomed with open arms! The staff was beyond supportive,… caring, friendly, and kind; each and every one of them seemed to enjoy their roles, co-workers, and clients. The intake specialist, front desk staff, psychiatrists, individual therapists, group therapists, nurses, and family therapists were all beyond kind. Everyone has a LOT of understanding when it comes to psychology, social conflicts, gender and sexuality, and more. It's a 100% judgement free zone and I've always felt safe and understood! They take crisis and safety concerns VERY seriously, as when I had one, they listened to me and kept me at the facility after hours to ensure that I was SAFE and that I had proper support when I went home. Not once did they send me to a mental hospital, but instead, they conducted check-ins, gave me contact for support, let my family know of my situation, and suggested residential instead knowing that most mental hospitals do more harm than good. I also watched as they properly cared for others who were in crisis either mentally or medically - everyone was trained to handle almost every kind of crisis. The group therapy is probably my favorite, as you get to talk with other individuals who may or may not relate to you, but will always provide wise perspective. I learned a lot from the other clients, the group therapists, my individual therapist, my psychiatrist, and my family therapist. Once they were positive I was ready to graduate from the program and considered my input on what I needed from them in order to take that next step, they held a small graduation ceremony. They do this for ALL clients who are ready to take on the world with a binder of all of the notes and papers provided from every group therapy session lesson. I refer to the binder every so often and I feel as if I have grown a lot during AND after my time there. I've gotten better at grounding, radical acceptance, asking for help, and understanding myself. Once I left, I became victim to an abusive relationship, and although it was hard to navigate, due to my support system AND the tools I've gained from Compass, I was able to heal. I am still healing, but I'm now in a better place mentally with a new partner! At the age of 24, I now know what exactly I want to do with my life. This program - the people including the staff and the clients...my peers who have become my new friends - have genuinely changed my life and I wouldn't be where I am today (or even here in general despite my amazing support system) without them and their unwavering empathy. I can't thank them enough for everything they've done for not only me, but for anyone who enters the facility. To anyone who sees this, thank you SO SO SO much! Thank you for everything you've done and everything you are. I'm currently going into the criminal justice system to become a crime analyst and/or victim advocate and I have plans to possibly build a nonprofit that provides therapy, resources, support, and a safe place for children 3-12 who are victims of abuse; it's similar to PHP/IOP, but with a focus on childhood development and treatment. If you need a higher level of mental health care, give Compass Health Center a try! I and plenty others have made a lot of progress on the journeys we came to discover before, during, and after our time at this center. I hope all of you heal smoothly, although it's not linear, but I assure you, the people here will help you find your way. It's called Compass for a reason ;) Thank you for everything Compass; I will never forget those I've met here and I will always keep the Compass Binder close to me. In fact, I share what I've learned with others publicly and within my friend and family circles as well in hopes that it will help them too! Never stop changing people's lives...you definitely changed mine. - Mei

The virtual program was amazing, although I thought in-person would be better for me at first. This program helped me with coping skills and increasing my distress tolerance while also giving myself grace. I might not… be here if it weren't for the amazing people at Compass.

Doing an intensive outpatient program at Compass was the best thing I've done for myself. After years with debilitating PTSD symptoms, a few months at Compass surrounded by others who truly understood my experience and… therapists who were knowledgeable and caring made massive strides in my recovery and quality of life. I would highly recommend Compass to anyone who's struggling with their mental health and ready to take the next step in recovery and wellness.

Amazing place! You might not be cured, but everyone will care about your treatment and you getting better. I only wish I had found it sooner. :)

Compass is one of the best mental health programs I’ve been to. The modalities they use really helped me deconstruct my thought and behavior patterns. The skills and tools they provide are very useful to break these… patterns. The entire team including the group therapists, primary providers and prescribers are kind and compassionate. I’d highly recommend compass to anyone who wants to heal themselves.

This place is actually really clean and friendly feeling, however, you are spending (insurance covers it) $3000 to get nothing but baby talk and med management. They ask you to sit on these 1 1/2 hr discussions (3 a… day) that they do nothing but talk about very very shallow topics regarding mental health. It’s surface level and they baby talk you like your 4 years old. I actually couldn’t even complete the program I ended up just dropping out it was so boring. Yes there are therapists but mine was on a computer and she was in another state and while I’m okay with that I felt it a little annoying to not see someone in person. The overall place really doesn’t do much for someone going through a crisis. It could be a good place for someone to just check out of society for a few weeks but you really don’t talk about much other than “how do you feel” “what are some coping strategies” etc… very very toddler daycare for adults feeling.

Life saving. Compass provided a safe space and tools to move forward. The therapists, nursing, group leaders, were all so wonderful. Everyone was so patient and caring. This has been a life changing experience for me.… Thank you so much!

At first, I thought this would be a supportive place for someone exploring their artistic side. However, after spending more time reflecting on what the instructors said, I later became increasingly uneasy. Certain… comments were not only unsettling, but also surprisingly - made my sense of well-being and trust decline even more. One instructor said, “you’ve probably been masking all your life”. I’ve never masked. I’m just now learning what masking is. It felt unempathetic and dismissive, especially from someone in a teaching role. One class discussion focused on the idea of being “disliked”, which I felt was inappropriate- especially for people who may already struggle with feeling unlikeable while trying to develop creatively. (A few other instructors were supportive.) I was also concerned by the lack of honesty and clarity regarding additional psychiatric sessions and their extra cost. It gave the impression that the establishment takes advantage of individuals who may be slower to understand how things operate, benefiting the institution over the person seeking help. These experiences lingered with me, and weighed even more heavily once I later discovered that I am on the autism spectrum. It’s painful to see people who are supposed to teach and support others to be so dismissive, indifferent and self-focused - especially when mental health is at stake. Everyone makes mistakes and can use improvement.

Caring and compassionate team

Only care about money 💰 🤑

Compass is simply outstanding. Their therapists are simply the best: compassionate, caring, empathetic, kind, and so knowledgeable. They are all experts in their field. Their medical team is top notch. I wholeheartedly… and highly recommend their program. You will not be disappointed and extremely pleased. One of my best decisions ever! Thank you, Compass!

I'm so grateful for compass helping me heal. The staff are all incredibly compassionate and kind, making sure you feel comfortable. I would 100% recommend to anyone looking foe intensive outpatient services.