Stephen Dexter, LCPC

Stephen Dexter is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) practicing in Maine. He brings 12 years of experience working with people facing addiction, mood concerns, and life changes. He writes plainly and meets people where they are, focusing on practical steps that can fit into busy days.

He has worked in homes and community settings, supporting individuals through substance use and co-occurring issues. He also has experience running group sessions and working one-on-one with people struggling with depression, anxiety, stress, sexual addiction, and loss of purpose. He speaks from personal experience in recovery and uses that perspective to offer encouragement.

In sessions he tends to be direct and hopeful. He helps people identify patterns in thinking and behavior, then tries simple, doable changes. He encourages spiritual resources when clients want that included in their care.

Stephen uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) alongside client-centered and mindfulness ideas to shape conversations. He also draws on dialectical behavior therapy and Jungian concepts when helpful. Sessions focus on clear goals, practical skills, and steady progress rather than long theory talks.

He works with a broad range of concerns including relationships, family problems, parenting strain, eating and body image issues, anger, self-esteem, career questions, and caregiver stress. He also helps people coping with trauma, attachment struggles, codependency, dissociation, and recovery from domestic violence or substance addiction.

Stephen aims to make therapy understandable and usable. He helps people break down big problems into small steps and supports them as they try new ways of living.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Stephen blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered methods in online sessions. CBT focuses on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes to reduce anxiety, depression, or problematic patterns like addictive thinking. Client-centered work emphasizes listening and building a trusting relationship so people feel heard and can choose their own goals.

He also uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills when needed to teach practical tools for managing intense emotions and improving communication. DBT skills help with stress, anger, relationship problems, and coping during recovery. Together these approaches give both strategy and support in a straightforward way.

Finding the best approach is collaborative. The therapist will work with each person to identify goals, try methods that suit their needs, and adjust the plan over time. Clients are encouraged to share what helps and what does not so sessions stay focused and useful.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for skills practice and deeper conversation. Phone sessions can fit into a short break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief check-ins, ongoing coaching, or when writing helps to clarify thoughts. These options make it easier to keep momentum and fit therapy into a busy life.