Therapists in Portland, ME

I specialize in helping young men and women struggling with alcohol and substance use. I use evidence-based practices while creating a safe, non-judgmental space, for people to be seen. Almost everyone has some degree of ambivalence. I help explore and resolve the ambivalence concerning a person's present behavior and their desired behavior.

I have extensive experience working with people experiencing substance use disorders and mental illness. I specialize in the collaborative treatment of anxiety and depression, the promotion of overall health, happiness and self-worth. I utilize motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic approaches.

As a therapist, I believe in autonomy and a client-centered approach. I am here to primarily remind you, or tell you for the first time, that you are not alone. There are tools to relieve those feelings of restlessness, irritability, anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. Finding that solution begins with making a personal decision to address what is holding you back and taking steps to evolve into the best version of yourself. If you were to wake up tomorrow and your current circumstances were no longer impacting your life, what would your world look like?

Is your life turning out the way you planned? Are your personal relationships fulfilling? Are you finding the right job for you? Do people get who you really are? Too often we lose track of the way we exist each day. Depression over past mistakes or anxiety about what might happen in the future prevent us from being who we want to be in the present. The goal of existential counseling is to help you develop a better relationship with your "self" first, and then to improve your relationships with others. To help you gain more confidence in the decisions you make daily and to worry less about how others will judge you in the future.

My clients often seek relief from anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance misuse, grief, or struggles adapting to major life changes. The therapeutic space we create together becomes a safe—if not always comfortable—place to explore what's worked before, what you'd like to change, and what that change can look like or mean for you. Through the Counseling and Trauma Therapy Associates agency, I am honored to work with you, and learn about your personal journey and goals. I have experience with a wide range of clients including military veterans and first responders, creative professionals, students, and the LGBTQ+ community.

We all experience challenges during our everyday lives. Sometimes these challenges can seem overwhelming and discouraging. I work with people who want to make changes in their lives to help themselves overcome these difficult experiences. These changes can often be difficult to contemplate, yet alone act on. I strive to create a supportive environment for my clients where they can explore their concerns and the emotions that arise.

February 16, 2024 - I currently have coaching and private pay openings. Most people I work with start sessions sharing some version of what's wrong with them: "I can't seem to get out of my own way." "I'm good at starting things but cant finish them." This includes a constant internal dialogue that includes, "I hate myself." "I don't understand why people don't like me." "I don't like people." "I just don't fit." "I can't do this any more." "I worry about myself." "I'm afraid." "People tell me I'm smart (or attractive, or funny, etc.) but I don't believe them."

A licensed social worker for over ten years, I work with adult men who feel stuck and crave change. Whether you're facing recovery, relationship problems, challenges with intimacy or habits you wish to break, I offer a free consultation to see if we might be a good fit.

I see individuals, couples, and families. My goal is to provide clients a safe, supportive therapeutic relationship to talk, feel, heal, and change. Life challenges present us with opportunities for new chapters, new growth. Helping you reach your therapy goals is of utmost importance to me. You do not need to be controlled by the past, yet do you often use old behaviors in situations wanting a new response? Are you suffering from depression, anxieties, relationship problems, fears, self-doubts, or "irrational" worries? Together we will explore ways to help you live with more awareness, more freely, and with more energy for your present.

I can see any client in Maine and NH via teletherapy but I am not credentialed with insurance companies in Maine, only NH. I help guide my clients to understand how their upbringing, worldview, culture, personality, and view of self affect how they are feeling, behaving, and thinking currently. One goal of mine is to help my clients maximize their wellbeing by better understanding themselves through the use of coping tools like mindfulness to slow and calm themselves enough to be able to assess their own thoughts and emotions in the moment so as to minimize regrets while reducing mood and behavioral symptoms.

Whether your needs seem small or overwhelming, if you are thinking about counseling, congratulations! Every step requires courage, and I respect yours. We all need quality counseling at times, and I would be honored to walk with you on your healing journey. My goals are to help you identify what human flourishing means for you, to help you gain insight into what keeps you from living that fully, to help you develop the tools you need to move into that flourishing, and to do so in a safe, supportive space. Also, I offer teletherapy with a generous sliding scale fee structure to make your flourishing as accessible as possible!

There are times when we all struggle to make sense of the world and our place in it. And there are times in life when we all need help, support and guidence to work our way through lifes challenges. It takes courage to reach out and ask for help. My commitment to you is to honor and respect who you are as a person and to support you to uncover and discover the strength that's already in you to face your challenges. I would love to have the opportunity to work with you.

If you are someone who is experiencing anxiety or stress in your life, I would love to help you work through those feelings. I have extensive experience working with LGBTQIA+ adolescents and young adults, so if you are experiencing difficulties associated with identity exploration, at any age, we may be a good fit for one another. If you have feelings that are impacting your daily life and goals for how you would like your life to be, we could collaborate to work toward those goals. I have experience working with teens/young adults, the LGBTQIA+ community, unhoused populations, and in both rural and urban settings.