Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Maine covered by Cigna

I am a dedicated and compassionate licensed independent clinical social worker with a Master's in Social Work from Boston University.

Hello, I’m Cara, a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree in social work. My approach is warm, down‐to‐earth, and collaborative. I believe therapy works best when it feels genuine and human. Together, we’ll explore your experiences, build on your strengths, and use practical, evidence‐based tools like coping strategies, mindset shifts, and boundary work. I make space for humor and real connection, combining these skills with deeper exploration of patterns, self‐compassion, and emotional insight to support lasting, meaningful change.

I have always had a passion for helping others, and know from experience what a difference it makes finding the right counselor. Through my career I have worked with a diverse group of adults and adolescents across the US. I bring 8 years of knowledge, compassion, and experience to our sessions. I can't wait to get started with you!

My clinical degree is a Master of Science in Social Administration (MSSA, MSW equivalent) from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio (2016). I completed my Master of Education in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) from University of Cincinnati (2016), and have experience as a provider of ABA services. I have a Doctorate in Behavioral Health from Arizona State University(2020).

I am an RN with over 18 years of experience in nursing, specializing in mental health care. I am also a PMHNP-BC, and I obtained my first degree from Grand Canyon University and my Masters from Walden University. I manage clients across the lifespan and use a holistic and patient-centered approach.

I’m an LCSW, and my practice name, Life Shift Happens, comes from a truth I see every single day: people don’t come to therapy because they’re broken. They come because life stopped unfolding the way they expected, and they feel entirely stuck. A lot of the humans I work with are incredibly thoughtful and trying so hard. They usually don't lack insight; they’ve read the coping skills and talked things through with friends. Yet, they still find themselves procrastinating, shutting down, or feeling completely frozen by past stuff. When that happens, change isn’t a matter of forcing more willpower. It requires slowing down to look at the patterns and defense mechanisms we build to protect ourselves when life gets heavy.

My style is collaborative, deeply conversational, and entirely human. I’m not here to judge, lecture, or pretend I have all the answers. Instead, I’m active in our sessions through asking questions, noticing patterns, and gently pushing back when I see you getting in your own way. We will work on the practical things like boundaries, follow-through, and managing emotions, while sitting with the messy overthinking, panic, burnout, or feeling checked out underneath it all. Therapy with me is a relationship where we make sense of the sudden crises and quiet paralyses that come with life shifts. The goal isn’t a perfect, flawless life, but rather a therapeutic space where you can figure out what changed, sprinkle in compassion, and learn how to move forward in a way that feels genuinely your own.

The opportunity to serve clients seeking mental and behavioral health treatment is one of my life's greatest gifts. I believe in the strengths of each client, and I believe their pain, challenges, and story. Through relationship-building and a mutual exchange of information as we define and refine goals of treatment, and the use of our agreed-upon tool kit (evidence-based intervention modalities), we will engage with curiosity in a mutual exchange of information, exploring, discovering, learning, and skill building to meet treatment goals. If you know why you are here, I am here for you. If you don’t know exactly why you are here- perhaps a thought, a feeling, or experience lead you here- I am here for you. People are unique, complex, multifaceted, and deserving of care.

Hello, Im C.J. and I have over 25 years of psychiatric experience. I am well versed in various conditions such as depression, bipolar, anxiety, major loss, ADHD, PTSD, trans needs, and psychotic syndromes. I am also experienced in alternative treatments for whole health. I look forward to working with you.

*please note, for in person appts on Monday (inside Matterhorn Apothecary) , do not schedule before 10AM as my office is not available until after that time. Thanks.