Therapists in Westbrook, ME

I work with individuals and families. My approach to therapy is family and systems based, but I also see teens and adults individually. I specialize in assisting parents experiencing severe family conflict following the adoption of children, with oppositional / defiant youth, and with youth who have engaged in problem sexual behaviors.

Welcome to my practice. With over 25 years of experience, I have assisted children, adolescents and adults with challenging life transitions, self-improvement, substance use, aging, grief and losses, coaching and consultation services, addictions/recovery, anxiety and depression. I have worked in settings including middle and high school, community outpatient mental health, private practice, The Department of Defense and Veterans Administration. I genuinely care about developing a partnership with you to help you gain momentum, oftentimes including humor along the way.

It sometimes takes a lot of courage to take the first step towards seeking support. I believe that therapy is a partnership and I feel privileged to support someone on their journey to healing through exploration and love of themself.

Where are you going? Do you feel stuck in your relationship, wondering what to do next, or mired in low self-esteem? I believe that starting therapy and examining your journey is a brave step in making your life the one you deserve. You are the only one who can enact change in your life - but a therapist to walk with you, support you, and guide you, can help. Life is too short to be ruled by emotional pain, fear, and limiting beliefs. You'll find that I'm approachable, down to earth, and welcome humor in our sessions.

I am currently taking new clients for bi-weekly or monthly appointments. Often times life can feel like a swamp, a bog of chaos where all your energy is focused on just trying to keep your head above water. If you are tired of treading the swamp and are ready to start swimming through it, I would be honored to partner with you in your therapeutic journey. If you are a therapist looking for a therapist, please know I have experience with this population.

I recognize there are times we can get focused on regrets of the past. Or we're consumed with the chaos of anticipating the future. We can be overwhelmed by anxiety, sadness, or experiences of loss and grief...sometimes leading to isolation, being "stuck", or unhealthy relationships with substances, behaviors, or people. What drives me as a therapist is when I see a client taking action that makes their mind an ally, rather than a detractor, in their life.

"The individual is like a garden to be tended, not a machine to be repaired". I practice Motivational Interviewing; this is a collaborative conversation to strengthen a person's own motivation for change. I hold a few principles that govern the work. First, I will focus on you being heard and believed, Second, be kind. Third, teach and demonstrate empathy and compassion and be helpful with your internal conflict... I practice being in the here and now with individual, couple and group work.

I have never met an addict or alcoholic with a drug or drinking problem. Does this sound strange? The fact is I've met hundreds of individuals with a solution that is no longer working. Drugs and alcohol have been the solution, not the problem. Addicts and Alcoholics have an above average intelligence and a highly sensitive nervous system. This combination is especially challenging in these unprecedented times when it is natural to reach for relief in the form of a substance or behavioral addiction. If your solution is no longer working, I am here to help. I have maintained sobriety for over nearly 40 years. It can be done.

I view Psychotherapy as collaborative effort where the client and therapist work together to find resolution to issues. It is an active process whether we're doing individual or couples' therapy. Although issues often feel quite daunting initially, they become manageable and ultimately resolved in a timely fashion. After over 35 years of experience, I believe that most, if not all presenting problems can be helped.

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.

The most important aspect of my work as a therapist is the relationship between therapist and client. This allows the therapuetic alliance to be formed. My focus is on teaching adults and seniors new coping skills and life skills to help alleviate their symptoms of depression, anxiety, fears or phobias. I also help people who are struggling with traumatic memories using EMDR as a treatment modality. I have been trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy, teaching one to change existing thought processes thus leading to positive thinking and coping skills. I use a holistic bio-psycho-social model which incorporates mindfulness therapy using relaxation techniques.

My practice in Maine is permanently closed as I have relocated to the Boston area where I will be doing short term counseling with newly diagnosed adults who are neurodivergent, having been formally diagnosed or self diagnosed. My many years of experience working with the neurodivergent community has provided me with the ways and means in helping to understand and manage an individual’s diagnosis, how it affects those around them and attain a sense of balance and control. I am also available for consultation with the medical community including mental health providers, law enforcement and school systems.

I am trained in Marriage and Family Therapy. My work is primarily with couples and the dance they create that is unique to them. Each couple is unique so I try to individualize the ongoing treatment. Families come in to clear up communication and better understand how each person fits into the family dance and how all the moving parts have to have a pattern that defines this family. Each family creates its own ballet!

Tired of having the same arguments over and over? Wondering why you seem to be stuck in cycles with your partner, friends, colleagues or yourself? How often do you find yourself wondering, "what happened to that sweet loving person I fell in love with? How did Godzilla end up in my bed? Or worse yet, is that Medusa staring back at me in the mirror"? OK then.....welcome. I'm Joni Altshuler and after 30yrs in practice, I continue to be inspired and often awe struck by the people who walk thru my door.

Hello, Hola, my name is Maite. Are you feeling stuck in life? Are you experiencing difficulties within your relationships? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the stress in your life? I would like to help by assisting you in learning skills to reach awareness and healing. Counseling is a safe place to share your concerns, dreams and to implement coping skills to deal with stress, anxiety, depression and/or trauma. I specialize in helping clients through challenging life transitions.

Practice full at this time, thank you -I offer compassionate, experiential psychotherapy for adults, specializing in mindfulness-based and Internal Family Systems therapy for depression, anxiety and trauma. Honoring the dynamic mind-body relationship, I incorporate awareness-building, body-based practices to facilitate emotional, behavioral & cognitive expression, healing & growth, such as guided meditation, visualization & yoga-inspired breathwork and movement. I believe that bringing our full attention to our inner experiences with curiosity awakens a natural spring of self-compassion and an innate capacity for deep healing.

My philosophy is to "keep it simple". Because those who are in need of counseling are often so overwhelmed, I feel it is important to keep the therapeutic process streamlined and noncomplicated. I have an eclectic approach to therapy and create a unique treatment plan to address each of your identified needs and goals in a simplified yet supportive and flexible manner that feels manageable.

Is your life turning out the way you planned? Are your personal relationships succeeding? Are you finding the right career for you? Do people know the real you? Too often we lose track of how we exist each day. Depression over past mistakes or anxiety about what might happen in the future prevent us from being who we really want to be in the present. The goal of counseling is to help you develop a better relationship with your 'self' in order to improve your relationships with others. Check out my video on YouTube to learn more about my approach.

Thank you for your interest in my therapy/counseling practice. It is often a very difficult decision to finally decide to go to therapy. What can be even more daunting is to find a therapist that is a good fit for you. My approach is easy going and interactive which I have found most clients appreciate. I specialize in working with adults, couples, families and teens. I am co founder of Greater Portland DBT which is a consortium of DBT therapists offering Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to adults and teens.