How to Find a Therapist in Maine: A Practical Guide
Finding a therapist can feel strangely similar to trying to find a good mechanic.
You know something isn't running quite right. You know you probably shouldn't ignore it or you have ignored it until the car won't go anymore. You may even know exactly what you'd like fixed.
But how do you find someone who is knowledgeable about your car, competent to fix the problem, trustworthy enough to give you a fair price, available enough to get you in soon, and won't complete break your bank account to afford their help?
Same considerations when looking for a therapist or counselor, and then you start looking online and suddenly there are 47 different options, approximately 900 acronyms, and you're wondering what on earth "person-centered, integrative, trauma-informed, strengths-based psychotherapy" actually means.
If you're looking for a therapist or a mental health counselor in Maine, you're not alone. Finding the right mental health provider can take some persistence, especially when you're already exhausted, anxious, overwhelmed, or burned out.
The good news? You don't have to find the "perfect" therapist. You just need to find someone who is qualified, available, affordable, and feels like someone you could actually talk to.
Not sure if therapy is right for you? Check out this blog post about when, why, and benefits of therapy.
Start With What You Want Help With
BTW, therapy, therapist and counseling, counselor are titles tied to the degree or license your provider has and used pretty much interchangeably. They might have slightly different focuses (not necessarily though!) but both can diagnose and provide care and support for your mental health.
Speaking of which, you don't need a diagnosis before contacting a therapist or counselor.
Maybe you've been feeling anxious all the time. Maybe you're burned out at work. Maybe you're a health care worker who is tired of taking care of everyone else. Maybe you're a college student who can't seem to shut your brain off. Maybe you can’t seem to figure out how to communicate in your relationship without a fight starting. Maybe you're functioning just fine on the outside while internally thinking, "I am absolutely over this."
Those are all reasonable reasons to consider therapy. Think about what has been bothering you lately:
Anxiety or constant worry, can’t shut your brain off
Depression or low motivation, “couch rot”
Work stress or burnout, can’t relax
Feeling overwhelmed, everything seems unmanageable
Relationship problems, troubles with communication or feeling understood
Difficulty adjusting to a major life change, don’t know what to do
Trouble sleeping, thoughts are going too much or bad dreams
Problems with confidence or self-esteem, you feel like you aren’t as good as everyone else
Feeling stuck, don’t know how to change or what to do
Stress related to school or college, forgetting things, irritable or emotional
Challenges early in your career, you feel like you aren’t good enough
The emotional impact of working in health care, education, public safety, or other high-stress professions, difficulty relaxing or being a home, trouble with work and life boundaries
You don't need to have everything figured out before you call. In fact, figuring that out together is part of what therapy is for.
Search for a Therapist in Your Area
If you want in-person therapy, start with therapists who actually practice near you. For example, if you live or work in the Bangor area, search for phrases such as:
"therapist Bangor Maine"
"counselor Bangor Maine"
"adult therapist Bangor Maine"
"anxiety therapist Bangor Maine"
If you're anywhere else in Maine, try your town, county, or region. If you live somewhere rural and/or there isn’t anyone available local, it’s worth considering telehealth (more on that later). It might seem a bit distant awkward at first, but in my experience, after a couple of sessions the awkwardness fades and the connection and support are strongly felt.
Back to the search, Psychology Today therapist directory (here's my page on Psychology Today) is one place to search for therapists in Maine. You can filter by location, specialties, insurance, and whether a provider offers online therapy.
You can also ask your primary care provider, college counseling center, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), or trusted friends for recommendations.
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) also recommends asking people you trust for referrals and looking for providers who accept your insurance, have availability, and offer the qualities that matter to you. They also offer a helpline to provide you with referral ideas.
Check Insurance Before You Fall in Love With a Therapist's Profile
This is the less exciting part. Maine has a significant shortage of mental health providers, which means many of them are full and wait lists are often long. Plus, not everyone takes every insurance.
Insurance is often where the rubber meets the road. Don't assume that because a therapist accepts "Blue Cross" or another company that they automatically accept your particular plan. Plans and coverage vary widely!
The best thing to do is to call your insurance company to learn about your plan (make sure they even cover therapy) and reach out to that counselor or therapist, chat or message with them to get a good feel, and ask some questions. You’ll need to provide them your insurance information so they can check things on their end.
Before scheduling, ask:
Do you accept my insurance?
Are you in-network with my specific plan?
What will my copay or coinsurance be?
Do I have a deductible?
Are telehealth appointments covered?
Is there anything I need to do before starting therapy?
If you're paying privately (meaning you pay the therapist directly), ask about the therapist's fee and payment policies before your first appointment. If finances are tight, ask about a sliding scale fee.
A final option, if a counselor doesn’t take your insurance, you can pay their fee yourself, have them give you a “superbill” for services (like a special receipt or invoice), and submit that superbill to your insurance to chase reimbursement (amount reimbursed and policies vary widely).
If insurance is confusing you, welcome to the club. It is okay to ask questions.
Consider Telehealth Therapy
If you're looking for therapy in Maine but don't live close to an available therapist's office, telehealth may be worth considering.
Online therapy can make counseling more accessible for people who live in rural communities, have demanding work schedules, travel frequently, or simply don't want to drive across Maine in February because their therapist is 45 minutes away. Plus, when we get those big storms, in person appointments might need to switch to telehealth anyway.
Telehealth can be particularly convenient for professionals, college students, teachers, health care workers, and people with unpredictable schedules.
SAMHSA recognizes telehealth as one option for outpatient mental health care, and most research in the field tells us it is as effective as in person counseling.
For Maine residents, it's worth asking whether the therapist is licensed and able to provide telehealth services where you are located. For example, my license only covers the state of Maine, so I can see you anywhere in Maine. But step a foot into New Hampshire during our session, and it’s a no go.
Read more about telehealth therapy in this telehealth blog post.
Look for Someone Who Works With People Like You
A counselor doesn't need to have lived your exact life to understand you. But experience with your concerns can be helpful.
For example, if you're a nurse, physician, paramedic, firefighter, teacher, college student, or early-career professional, you may want someone who understands the particular pressures that come with your environment.
You might also want a therapist who regularly works with anxiety, depression, chronic stress, burnout, relationships, or life transitions.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) recommends asking potential providers about their training, experience, specialties, treatment approach, and experience working with people with concerns similar to yours.
Don't Ignore the "Do I Like This Person?" Question
Therapy is highly personal, and this might be the most important part. How do you feel when you are talking with this potential counselor or therapist?
You are potentially going to tell this person things you don't tell your coworkers, friends, or family. Remember, you aren't going to become best friends with your therapist—but you should
generally feel respected, heard, safe, and reasonably comfortable being yourself.
The first therapist you contact might be wonderful. They might also not be the right person for you. That's okay, and they will understand if you want someone else.
NAMI notes that finding the right mental health professional can take some trial and error and that feeling heard and comfortable is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. This NAMI HelpLine might also be a resource for finding supports in your area.
Most therapists and counselors offer some kind of free consultation so you can get an initial sense for each other. I do a free 15 minute phone conversation. I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea (coffee, juice, protein shake, etc), and if that potential client doesn’t feel that I’m “right” for them, I respect that and provide them other possible names. Relationships are a two way street, and if I don’t feel that I’m “right” for them, I might provide them other names, do an in-person consultation, or a trial first couple of sessions.
The therapeutic relationship (relationship between the client and the counselor) is the single biggest factor connected to progress in therapy. Meaning, if you don’t feel heard, validated, respected, and safe with your therapist, you likely are not going to make as much progress as you could if you did feel those things.
That therapeutic relationship is so important, make sure you find a therapist or counselor who feels right one of you.
Questions You Can Ask a Potential Therapist
If you're nervous about making the first call or sending the first email, you can keep it simple. Here, use this:
"Hi, I'm looking for therapy because I've been struggling with anxiety and work stress (or depression or relationship conflict or whatever brief words generally describe what's going on for you). I was wondering if you're accepting new clients and whether you work with adults dealing with those concerns. I have [insert insurance]."
You can also ask:
What types of clients do you typically work with?
What issues do you specialize in?
Do you offer in-person therapy, telehealth, or both?
Do you accept my insurance?
How often do you typically meet with clients?
What can I expect from the first session?
How would you describe your approach to therapy?
Remember, you don't need to give your entire life story to the receptionist or leave it on their voicemail. Save some of that for the therapy session.
Finding a Therapist Is Worth the Effort
Starting therapy can feel like admitting that something is wrong or you aren't strong enough to handle yourself or your life. I prefer to think of it differently.
Sometimes therapy is simply deciding that you don't want to keep doing things the same way.
You can be successful, competent, independent, funny, responsible, and still need help.
You can be the person everyone else calls when they have a problem and still need somewhere to put your own stuff down.
If you're looking for an adult therapist in Bangor, Maine, or telehealth counseling anywhere in Maine, therapy can provide a place to slow things down, make sense of what's happening, and figure out what comes next. Learn more about finding the right therapist in this blog post.
You don't have to wait until everything falls apart. Sometimes it's enough to notice that you're tired of holding everything together.
And hey, if you are looking for a counselor in Maine, feel free to reach out to me today. If I'm not the right person, I can at least point you in that direction.
Helpful Resources
About the Author
I’m Amory Verroulx, LCPC-C (conditionally licensed professional counselor in Maine). I own a mental health counseling practice and provide individual and couples counseling to adults in person in Bangor, Maine and anywhere in Maine through telehealth. I have a special passion for helping those who help others or who others depend on—healthcare workers or medical professionals, first responders, teachers and educators. I also enjoy working with men and men’s issues and college students and early career professionals. You can find out more about me on my website: www.amorycounseling.com, more Between Sessions Blog posts, or email me questions at amorycounseling@gmail.com
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