Portland, Maine
Anxiety Treatment in Portland, Maine
Anxiety in Portland often wears a fleece and keeps functioning: the restaurant manager rechecking numbers at midnight, the Maine Med nurse whose mind won't clock out, the parent in Deering bracing for a winter that makes everything heavier. When worry runs most days, wrecks sleep, and starts shrinking what you're willing to take on, that's a treatable condition, not a temperament. shrinkMD treats anxiety across greater Portland by secure video, with board certified clinicians and appointments as soon as availability allows, not after the multi month waits Maine has normalized.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
Already know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.
Why shrinkMD
Anxiety care for Maine, honestly
Care here has to survive February. Video treatment does: no canceled appointments for weather, no drive from Gorham on bad roads, and scheduling that fits Old Port service hours and hospital rotations. The islands and the suburbs get the identical appointment.
Maine is small, and privacy matters more for it. We bill no insurance, so your diagnosis never enters an insurer database, your employer plan sees nothing, and your records move only with your written authorization. Several of our Portland patients are clinicians themselves for exactly this reason.
What's included
What anxiety treatment includes at shrinkMD
We start by getting the diagnosis right, generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, or anxiety entangled with a seasonal mood pattern, which at this latitude is a real and common combination. Treatment then runs on the strongest evidence: SSRI or SNRI medication when indicated, usually effective within two to six weeks, plus cognitive behavioral skills that interrupt avoidance and retrain the alarm.
Follow ups every two to four weeks track validated scores until the trend is unmistakable, then visits space out, with a plan for the dark months built in advance rather than improvised in January. Practical tools come standard from session one. We don't prescribe benzodiazepines, and we'll walk you through why the slower tools win.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Portland
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
How fast can I start anxiety treatment in Portland?
Within days, against regional waits that often run months. At this latitude especially, starting before the dark season matters.
Does winter genuinely make anxiety worse?
For many people, yes, shorter light and more confinement amplify both anxiety and low mood. We plan for the season explicitly instead of being surprised by it.
I work in restaurants and my schedule is chaos. Can this work?
Yes. Evening, morning, and split shift scheduling is normal for us, and sessions happen wherever you've ten private minutes.
Can you treat my anxiety while I keep my current therapist?
Absolutely, and we prefer it. We handle evaluation and medication, coordinate with your therapist with your permission, and the combination outperforms either alone.
What about the physical side, the chest tightness and stomach issues?
Classic anxiety physiology, and it responds to the same treatment. We also make sure medical causes are screened rather than assumed away.
About Portland
With about 70,000 residents, the largest city in Maine, Portland is a community we're glad to serve. It's the commercial and medical hub of the region. We care for longtime Mainers, port and service workers, college students, and a growing number of remote professionals.
Serving Portland
Across Portland, from East Bayside, Deering Center, and the Eastern Promenade, residents can meet a board-certified psychiatrist by secure video with shrinkMD. Portland is Maine's largest city, set on the shores of Casco Bay, so virtual care means no drive and no waiting room, just steady follow-up with one clinician.
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.
Helpful guides to read next
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 Portland
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Portland residents, by secure video from home.
Get StartedAlready know your state is active? Skip to the waitlist.