Columbia Mental Health Psychiatrists and Therapists - Manassas

“I’m getting help from Ms Tammie Howard a very nice lady. I am very grateful for the care and knowledge she has shared with me. Her approach is thoughtful, attentive, and focused on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. Thank you”

“My child uses the service from home. It has done wonders for them. I have seen a big change. Very proud what they have accomplished since obtaining this therapist.”

“I am currently a therapy patient with Columbia Associates in Manassas, and while my therapist has been wonderful, my experience with the front desk staff and management was extremely disappointing. I recently called to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist within the practice because my current psychiatrist is outside of the organization and does not accept my insurance, forcing me to pay out of pocket for medication management. I explained this situation clearly to the representative on the phone. Instead of helping me schedule an appointment, I was told that I would first need to coordinate with my therapist and follow some type of treatment plan process before I could see a psychiatrist. As someone who is already established with a psychiatrist and currently taking medication, this made very little sense to me. When I asked for clarification, I was given vague explanations rather than clear answers. I then requested to speak with a manager. Instead of transferring me, the representative attempted to end the call by saying someone would call me back later. I had to insist multiple times that I wanted to speak with a manager immediately. When a manager finally came on the line, I was again told about this treatment plan requirement. I asked for the written policy outlining why I could not schedule directly with a psychiatrist, but the manager refused to provide any documentation or written policy supporting what she was telling me. What makes this even more frustrating is that after this experience, I called the Fairfax location. The staff there were professional, courteous, and able to schedule me with a psychiatrist immediately without any issues. There was no mention of needing to coordinate a treatment plan with my therapist first, and the process was straightforward and efficient. This raises a serious question: If Fairfax can schedule psychiatric appointments without these barriers, why was the Manassas office unable to do the same? Why was I given completely different information depending on which location I called? The inconsistency between offices is concerning and reflects poorly on the organization as a whole. Patients seeking mental health care deserve clear communication, consistency, and professionalism. Instead, I was met with resistance, vague explanations, and a refusal to provide written policies when requested. The front desk staff at the Manassas location were dismissive, unhelpful, and seemed more interested in ending the conversation than assisting a patient. The only positive aspect of my experience has been my therapist, who has been excellent. Unfortunately, the administrative staff and management at the Manassas office significantly overshadowed that positive experience. Columbia Associates should invest in better customer service training and ensure that staff are communicating policies accurately, consistently, and respectfully across all locations. Based on this experience, I would not recommend the Manassas location for psychiatric services. If I had only interacted with Fairfax, my impression of the organization would have been completely different.”

“I’ve been to a lot of doctors and finding Dr. Thompson was a huge relief. I used to get so stressed before appointments but she’s really chill and makes me feel like i can just talk. She’s super smart and knows her stuff but doesn't use confusing medical words. She actually asked about my life, my kids and my past... most people just rush you out the door but she took the time to get to know me. For the first time I actually trust my provider. If you've had bad experiences before you should seriously go see her shes awesome.”