Question 1

What type of therapy do you offer?

Accepted Answer

For trauma and PTSD, I primarily offer Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief, evidence-based trauma treatment. WET typically takes place over 7–9 sessions in my practice, including the initial intake and preparation for the writing sessions. You can learn more about WET here. For other concerns, I use an integrative approach that draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a modern behavioral therapy related to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), along with mindfulness-based approaches, compassion-focused work, and other evidence-based therapies. The specific approach depends on what you’re coming to therapy for and what seems most useful for you. You can explore each of the specialty areas I work with under Specialties on the menu.My work is generally focused, goal-oriented, and intensive. We usually identify a primary issue or theme you want help with and work on it in depth, while keeping a clear sense of what you want to be different as a result of therapy. That focus helps us make meaningful progress in a relatively concentrated period of time. Many people work with me for roughly 8–12 sessions, although there is flexibility depending on your needs and progress.

Question 2

Who would be a good fit for your practice?

Accepted Answer

I tend to work best with people who are ready to engage actively in therapy and are open to trying something different. You might be a good fit if you’re interested in learning practical tools for working with your thoughts, emotions, and patterns, and willing to experiment with new approaches both during and between sessions. I’ll listen carefully and work to understand what’s happening for you, but I’ll also be actively involved. I ask questions, share observations, offer feedback, teach tools and strategies when they may be useful, and suggest things you can try in your everyday life. This approach tends to work especially well for people who want therapy to be collaborative, practical, and focused on creating meaningful change, and who appreciate a therapist who is actively engaged in helping move the work forward.

Question 3

Who might not be a good fit for your practice?

Accepted Answer

Some concerns are outside the scope of my practice at this time, including active crisis or suicidality, bipolar disorder, OCD, psychosis, severe substance use disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, and behavioral addictions such as gambling or pornography addiction. You deserve to work with a therapist who can help you best, and these concerns are often best treated by clinicians who specialize in those areas.My approach may also be less well suited for someone who is looking primarily for a very passive or open-ended style of therapy. I work best with people who want to participate actively in the process, try new approaches, and work collaboratively toward specific changes.If you’re unsure whether what you’re dealing with falls within my scope, you’re welcome to schedule a consultation. I’ll be straightforward about whether I think I can help and, if not, I can point you toward a type of provider or service that may be a better fit.

Question 4

What types of issues or problems do you help people with?

Accepted Answer

I specialize in the following areas:Trauma and PTSD People-pleasing Perfectionism and over-achieving Self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and low self-esteem Each of these specialties has its own page, which you can explore under Specialties on the menu.Relationships are often affected by many of these issues, so I also help people navigate complex or difficult relationships with family members, parents, adult children, spouses or partners, and coworkers, including communication problems and boundary-setting. I’m also trained in working with Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents.These aren’t the only concerns I help people with. I also work with anxiety, worry and rumination, depression, grief, life transitions, work-life balance, career transitions, burnout, stress resilience, and executive or leadership challenges.

Question 5

How often will we meet for therapy and how long does therapy last?

Accepted Answer

For trauma: Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for trauma and PTSD is generally 7–9 weekly sessions. You can learn more about WET here.For other types of therapy, I usually recommend meeting weekly at first, or sometimes every other week, depending on your needs and circumstances. Meeting regularly helps us build momentum, develop a strong therapeutic relationship, and make steady progress toward your goals.My therapy work is focused, goal-oriented, and intensive, and many people work with me for roughly 8–12 sessions around a particular issue, struggle, or theme. There is flexibility, though. We’ll check in on your progress along the way and decide together what makes sense next based on how things are going and what you still want help with.

Question 6

How much does therapy cost?

Accepted Answer

My current fees, along with detailed information about payment and insurance, are listed on my Fees & Insurance page.I am an out-of-network provider, which means I don’t participate directly with insurance plans. However, many insurance policies include out-of-network mental health benefits that can significantly reduce the amount you ultimately pay for therapy.I’ve partnered with Thrizer to help clients access those benefits. Thrizer can check your estimated out-of-network coverage, submit eligible claims, track them, and help with the insurance billing process. Depending on your plan, you may also be eligible to pay only your estimated portion of the cost at the time of your session.I’m happy to talk with you about your options and likely costs during our initial consultation.

Question 7

Do you provide in-person or telehealth/online therapy?

Accepted Answer

I provide online therapy only, using secure video sessions for adults located in Maine.I’ve been providing telehealth for years, including before the pandemic, and I’ve found it to be an effective and convenient way to do meaningful therapy. Like in-person therapy, online therapy has its own benefits and considerations, and I’m happy to talk those through with you during our initial consultation.

Question 8

What is therapy like and what is your therapy style?

Accepted Answer

My style is active, collaborative, practical, and change-oriented. I’ll listen carefully and work to understand what’s happening for you, while also taking an active role in the process. I ask questions, share observations and feedback, teach practical tools and strategies, and often suggest things you can try between sessions so that what we’re working on begins to make a difference in your everyday life. My work is also focused, goal-oriented, and intensive. Early on, we’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, what you most want help with, and what you hope will be different as a result of our work together. We’ll keep those goals in mind from session to session so that our work has a clear direction and purpose. Life will still happen while you’re in therapy, of course. If something important comes up during the week, we can absolutely talk it through. I’ll also help us connect it back to the larger issue you’re working on whenever that makes sense, so we continue moving toward the changes that matter most to you.

Question 9

How do I know if therapy can help me, or you're the right therapist for me?

Accepted Answer

A good therapeutic fit matters. You can start by reading through the parts of my website that are most relevant to what you’re dealing with, including my specialty pages and the FAQs on this page, to get a feel for how I work and whether my approach resonates with you.You can also schedule a free consultation call so we can talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’re hoping to get out of it, and whether my approach seems like a good match. You’ll usually be able to get a good sense from that conversation of whether working together feels right.I’ll also be honest with you about whether I think I’m a good fit for what you need. If I don’t think I’m the right therapist for you, I’ll let you know and, when possible, point you toward another type of provider or service that may be more helpful.

Question 10

I've had trouble getting responses from therapists. Will you get back to me?

Accepted Answer

Yes! I know it takes a lot of courage to reach out to a therapist, so it’s very important to me to get back to you promptly. You’ll usually receive a reply from me within two business days. If you don’t hear from me by then, it usually means I didn’t receive your message or my reply didn’t reach you.If that happens, please try contacting me another way. For example, if you emailed first, you can text or leave a voicemail instead, or vice versa. It’s also worth checking your spam or junk folder, since replies sometimes end up there.All info for contacting me is on the Contact page.

Question 11

I've had therapy in the past and it didn't help. Will this be different?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. Therapy can feel very different depending on the therapist, the approach, the goals of treatment, and how actively the work is structured.My style is active, collaborative, practical, and focused on change. I ask questions, offer feedback, teach tools and strategies, and help keep the work connected to the reasons you came to therapy in the first place. If your previous therapy felt too passive, unfocused, or open-ended, this approach may feel quite different.A free consultation can help us figure that out together. We can talk about what was and wasn’t helpful in your past therapy, what you’re looking for now, and whether my approach seems like a good fit. If it doesn’t, I’ll be honest about that and, when possible, point you toward another type of therapist or treatment that may suit you better.

Question 12

What's the difference between therapy/counseling and coaching?

Accepted Answer

Therapy (or clinical counseling) is a healthcare service provided by a licensed mental health professional. It can include assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions and symptoms, as well as helping people improve their overall wellbeing, relationships, coping, and functioning. Coaching is not healthcare. Coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions. Instead, coaching focuses on personal or professional growth, helping people understand patterns, clarify goals, build skills, and make meaningful changes in their lives. There can be quite a bit of overlap in what therapy and coaching look like. Both may involve exploring patterns, learning new ways of responding, developing practical skills, and working toward future goals. The important distinction is the purpose and scope of the service: therapy can include mental health treatment; coaching does not. In my own practice, therapy is available to adults located in Maine, while my psychology-informed coaching services are available more broadly. You can learn more about coaching here.

Dawn Ascanio

FAQs:

Therapy in Maine &
Therapeutic Coaching Nationwide

Frequently asked questions

What type of therapy do you offer?

Who would be a good fit for your practice?

Who might not be a good fit for your practice?

What types of issues or problems do you help people with?

How often will we meet for therapy and how long does therapy last?

How much does therapy cost?

Do you provide in-person or telehealth/online therapy?

What is therapy like and what is your therapy style?

How do I know if therapy can help me, or you're the right therapist for me?

I've had trouble getting responses from therapists. Will you get back to me?

I've had therapy in the past and it didn't help. Will this be different?

What's the difference between therapy/counseling and coaching?

Dawn Ascanio

Dawn Ascanio

FAQs:

Therapy in Maine & Therapeutic Coaching Nationwide

Frequently asked questions

What type of therapy do you offer?

Who would be a good fit for your practice?

Who might not be a good fit for your practice?

What types of issues or problems do you help people with?

How often will we meet for therapy and how long does therapy last?

How much does therapy cost?

Do you provide in-person or telehealth/online therapy?

What is therapy like and what is your therapy style?

How do I know if therapy can help me, or you're the right therapist for me?

I've had trouble getting responses from therapists. Will you get back to me?

I've had therapy in the past and it didn't help. Will this be different?

What's the difference between therapy/counseling and coaching?

Dawn Ascanio

Therapy in Maine &
Therapeutic Coaching Nationwide