Melanie Dumas

You may look like you are managing by going to school, working, and showing up for others, but inside you feel anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or weighed down in ways that are hard to explain. Anxiety, depression, chronic stress, life transitions, trauma, and even physical pain can quietly shape how you think and feel. If you have ever felt like you should be handling things better by now, you are not alone. It does not have to stay this way. Many of the people I work with are strong and capable. They have learned how to keep going, even when it has been hard. Therapy becomes a place of healing and rebuilding, where steadiness, clarity, and self trust begin to grow again. At Rise Again Counseling, my approach is warm, validating, and thoughtfully structured. Your reactions make sense in the context of what you have lived through. There is nothing wrong with you for responding the way you have. Your nervous system learned to adapt. Because of that, I do not start by trying to fix you. I start by slowing down. In our work together, you can expect to feel heard, not analyzed or judged. When you feel genuinely understood, healing begins. I create space for your nervous system to settle and for your story to receive the time it deserves. I guide the process, but you are the one doing the real work, and that work leads to meaningful, lasting change. At Rise Again Counseling, I work with teenagers and adults across Maine. I support individuals navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, self esteem challenges, trauma, and chronic pain. Some come because of long standing trauma, while others feel stuck, burned out, or ready for something to change. Whatever brings you here, you do not have to navigate it alone. My work draws from evidence based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), the Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems (MATCH), and Motivational Interviewing. Treatment is always tailored to fit you, not the other way around. My background in healthcare has shaped how I understand healing. Physical and emotional pain often overlap, and difficult experiences can live in the body long after they have happened. Therapy should honor the whole person. My practice is culturally responsive and welcoming. Your identity, values, and lived experiences matter. If faith or spirituality is meaningful to you, it can be thoughtfully integrated into your healing process. All services are provided through secure telehealth throughout Maine. For many people, virtual therapy makes it easier to show up consistently, especially if anxiety, chronic pain, mobility limitations, or a full schedule make in person appointments difficult. You have survived the fire. Therapy is where you begin to rise stronger, steadier, and more intentional than before. If you are ready to begin, I invite you to reach out.