Licensed to practice in 4 states and accepts 50 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders and 5 more.
Tara Tolbert Townsend
Clients say this provider is
About me
(CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING NEW COUPLES.)I am a licensed clinical social worker with over 20+ years of experience in my field and 13 years of experience as an independent practitioner. I provide holistic counseling to individuals, couples, & families. I subscribe to both traditional and new age approaches to help you on your path to transformation and healing. I take pride in offering services that help clients from a strength perspective. I create a safe space in which clients are able to express themselves without judgment. The focus is not diagnoses for the purpose of billing, but to help the client discover a higher sense of self awareness and to formulate a plan that enables them to tap into their true potential, embarking on a journey to live life to the fullest. I love working with individuals with a diverse background. While I address a host of concerns as it pertains to mental health, my specialties include mood disorders, anxiety, relational issues, life transitions, and high conflict parenting. Also, I am LGBT friendly. If you value confidentiality, flexibility, empathy, non-judgment and dependability as part of your mental health wellness, you've found the right therapist. For your convenience, I am currently offering evening and Sunday sessions. ***If you choose to schedule a session on a holiday, please note that there is no courtesy waiver for no-shows, late cancellations, or late reschedules.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
While I am comfortable with providing mental health services to address most mental health diagnoses, my areas of strength include working with adults (ages 20-80) who are experiencing depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relational issues, life transitional concerns, and identity issues.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I love working with adults who are experiencing transitional issues. My clients are eager to improve, but don't yet have the tools needed to make this goal a reality. They often feel stuck, overwhelmed and anxious about their lives.
Specialties
Top specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Mood Disorders
Other specialties
Coping Skills
Grief
LGBTQ
Parenting
Women's Issues
Identifies as
Black / African American
Woman
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Licensed in
Florida
Georgia
Nevada
Texas
Accepts
Aetna
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - Lucent Health
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Ambetter Health
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Anthem
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Independence Blue Cross
Independence Administrators
Arlo
AvMed
Cash - $175 per session
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Golden Rule
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Humana - Medicare
Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente - Medicare
Medicare
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare
UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)
UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
WellCare
WellCare of Georgia
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
As a therapist experienced with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), I’ve seen firsthand how effective it can be in helping clients identify and modify unhelpful thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses. CBT is a structured, time-limited form of therapy that is goal-oriented and focuses on the present.
40 ratings with written reviews
August 25, 2026
Dr. Tara creates an inviting environment and gives me space to be my full self. I always leave our sessions with a new resource or practical ways to address an issue.
Verified client, age 35-44
August 23, 2026
I like the way that she listens and reflects back to me, she's open minded, not judgmental but challenging in a kind way. I feel good about working with her. I enjoy my sessions, and the help me divest of feelings that I may not share elsewhere. She provides a safe space, that feels open and safe to share in.
Verified client, age 65+
August 11, 2026
Tara is authentic, open-minded and challenges you to think about what's going on with you.