Portland, Maine
Depression Treatment in Portland, Maine
By February in Portland, it can be hard to tell where winter ends and you begin. But if the heaviness started before the dark did, or it doesn't lift when the light returns, that's depression rather than season, and either way it's treatable. Maine's psychiatric waitlists run some of the longest in the nation, and depression makes every waiting week heavier. shrinkMD treats adults across greater Portland by secure video, with board certified clinicians, appointments as soon as availability allows, and care that takes this latitude seriously.
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
Depression care for the 43rd parallel
Treating depression in Maine without a seasonal plan is malpractice by neglect. We screen explicitly for seasonal patterns, build light strategy, sleep anchoring, and medication timing around the dark months, and we do it from your living room in Rosemont or your break room at Maine Med, because asking a depressed person to drive icy roads to care is how care doesn't happen.
Privacy is structural in a small state: no insurance billing, no databases, records that move only with your signature. Old Port service workers, clinicians, and teachers all cite that as the reason they finally booked.
What's included
What depression treatment includes at shrinkMD
Evaluation first, because hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, anemia, heavy winter drinking, and bipolar lows all impersonate depression, and each redirects treatment. Then the strongest evidence, combined: antidepressant medication selected against your full trial history, behavioral activation scaled to dark season energy, morning light strategy where the pattern is seasonal, and therapy coordinated when it multiplies the result.
We measure your PHQ-9 every visit, see you every two to four weeks while tuning, and space visits once you hold. Energy returns before mood, normally within four to six weeks. Before discharge to maintenance, you get a relapse prevention plan tuned to Maine reality: your warning signs, your October checklist, and exactly when to call.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Portland
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
How fast can I start depression treatment in Portland?
Within days, against regional waits that commonly run months. If it's fall, that speed matters double, the earlier we start, the easier the winter.
Is it seasonal affective disorder or regular depression?
The evaluation sorts it: seasonal patterns lift with the light and respond strongly to timed morning light therapy, while year round depression needs the full toolkit. Many Mainers have both threads.
Does light therapy actually work?
Yes, 10,000 lux in the morning has solid evidence for winter pattern depression, often within two weeks. We fold it into the plan properly, timing and dose, rather than leaving you to guess at a lamp.
I'm a clinician at Maine Med. Is this really confidential?
Structurally, yes: outside hospital systems, no insurance claims, records released only with your authorization. A meaningful share of our Portland patients are healthcare workers.
What if I'm having thoughts of suicide?
Call or text 988 now, that line exists for exactly this moment, and Maine's crisis services are real and responsive. Then let us get treatment started, because depression this severe is still treatable, and you should not carry it alone.
About Portland
Portland is home to about 70,000 residents, the largest city in Maine. It's the commercial and medical hub of the region. Our patients here range across longtime Mainers, port and service workers, college students, and a growing number of remote professionals.
Serving Portland
Care should reach every corner of Portland. As Maine's largest city, set on the shores of Casco Bay, Portland stretches from the Eastern Promenade, Congress Street, and the Old Port, and shrinkMD brings board-certified telepsychiatry to all of it by secure video, with the same psychiatrist over time.
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.
Learn more
More from a trusted source: Depression - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Depression 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 depression 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.
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