Auburn, Maine
Anxiety Treatment in Auburn
Auburn shares Lewiston's river and its psychiatric shortage, with an extra layer of distance: the lake roads and rural Androscoggin towns where the nearest opening is a season away and an hour's drive behind it. Out here, people tend to wait until symptoms are loud, and anxiety and depression do their compounding quietly in the meantime. Anxiety that persistent isn't a personality trait, it's the most treatable condition in psychiatry. shrinkMD treats anxiety in Auburn by secure video, with board certified clinicians and first appointments as soon as availability allows.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Why shrinkMD
Made to fit life in Auburn
shrinkMD reaches every corner of Androscoggin County identically, by video that runs fine on a phone connection, with phone backup protocols when rural internet does rural internet things. Appointments within days, not seasons.
Scheduling respects commutes across the river and shift work alike, and privacy is structural: no insurance billing, no databases, records only with your authorization, useful in towns where everyone knows your truck.
What's included
From spiral to skills
The work begins by mapping your specific pattern, when the worry spikes, what it costs your sleep and your decisions, and whether panic, social fear, or constant background dread leads the picture. That map decides the plan: medication when it earns its place, typically helping within two to six weeks, and skills training matched to your pattern, exposure for avoidance, interoceptive work for panic, containment for rumination.
Every follow up measures your progress on validated scales, every two to four weeks while we tune, then monthly or quarterly as you stabilize. You learn tools that work in real time, in traffic, before meetings, at 3 a.m., and the plan keeps adjusting until the numbers and your life both say better. No controlled substances, stated before you book.
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Care and next steps in Auburn
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Is care this fast really the same quality?
Same board certified clinicians, same 45 to 60 minute evaluations, same measured follow up. Speed comes from removing geography, not corners.
My internet out by the lake is shaky. Will visits work?
Almost always, video runs on modest connections, and if it drops we finish by phone so the appointment still counts.
My anxiety is mostly physical symptoms. Is that normal?
Extremely. Racing heart, chest tightness, stomach trouble, and dizziness are anxiety's most common costumes, and we screen carefully in both directions before treating.
Why do you not prescribe Xanax or other benzodiazepines?
Because they relieve an hour and reinforce the disorder, with real dependence risk. The durable path, SSRIs or SNRIs plus skills, actually shrinks anxiety, and that's what we practice.
What if it's anxiety and depression together?
Common, and treatable together. The evaluation maps both, and first line treatments overlap enough that one coherent plan usually covers the pair.
About Auburn
Auburn is an Androscoggin River city that, with neighboring Lewiston, forms Maine's second-largest metro area. It's home to about 23,000 residents. The people we see here include working families across the twin-city area.
Serving Auburn
Auburn is Lewiston's twin city across the Androscoggin River, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Auburn by secure video, whether you're near the Great Falls, Lake Auburn, and the Auburn Commercial Historic District. You keep the same clinician each visit, with no commute and no waiting room.
What it costs
Transparent, published pricing
Our self-pay prices are the same in every state where we practice. No insurance billing, and no surprise statement later.
| Service | Self-pay price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evaluation | From $295 | A full 50 to 60 minute evaluation, diagnosis, and written plan. |
| Follow-up visits | $110 to $215 | Per visit, depending on length and complexity. Member rates are lower. |
| Membership (optional) | $49 per month | Priority scheduling, member rates, and the Unstuck and QuitScrolling apps. First month free. |
Your care team
Who you will see
Your care is delivered by shrinkMD clinicians, and you keep the same one over time. You meet by secure video with a clinician licensed in your state.
- Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, founder and board certified psychiatrist (ABPN), dual board certified in psychiatry and in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, dual board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than two decades of clinical experience.
Related reading
More from a trusted source: Anxiety Disorders - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Anxiety Treatment in nearby Maine cities
Your next step in The Shrink Network
You are here: shrinkMD, the clinical care layer of The Shrink Network.
Each site in the network has one job. No matter where you enter, we help you find the next step that makes sense.
Get clinical care with shrinkMD
Want to understand more first?
Start anxiety treatment in Auburn
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Auburn residents, by secure video from home.
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