Sessions are conducted primarily online through secure telehealth for clients across Oregon, Washington, and Maine. If you are located in the Portland area and interested in meeting with a provider in person, please contact our office at (207) 316-2609 to discuss current availability.
Crystal Hughes, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
A Grounding Place Through Life’s Ups and Downs
Sometimes, life brings seasons that simply feel heavier than we’re used to.
You may have noticed some anxious thoughts taking up more space than they used to, waves of grief coming in when you least expected, or stress that’s making it hard to feel like yourself. Maybe you’re making your way through a major life change, reflecting on past experiences, or feeling emotionally exhausted as you try to hold everything together.
Whatever brings you here, I want you to know you don’t need to have all the answers to feel some relief. I hope to be the place you come to slow down, talk openly about what’s been weighing on you, and lean on as we find ways to move forward in ways that are both manageable and meaningful to you.
What Our Time Together Can Feel Like
Starting therapy doesn’t come with a requirement to have everything sorted out and know exactly what you need to work through. Sometimes, it’s actually coming in exactly as you are that helps us explore the best place to begin. Life can come with enough pressure and expectations, so think of this as your time to simply start with whatever feels most present for you.
I’m here to understand your experience before we decide where to go next. We’ll spend time making sense of what’s been happening, exploring how it has shaped your thoughts and emotions, and finding practical ways to help you move forward with greater confidence.
For me, the most meaningful therapy happens when you feel supported, encouraged, and confident enough to begin trying something new outside of our sessions.
Over time, many people begin to notice:
- Feeling less overwhelmed by situations that once felt impossible to manage.
- Responding to stress with greater confidence and self-compassion.
- Having practical coping strategies to rely on outside of therapy.
- Experiencing more moments of peace throughout everyday life.
- Feeling more like yourself again.
Some sessions may focus on processing difficult experiences, while others can center around learning new ways to handle certain emotions or moments of overwhelm. I’m here to guide you, but always follow your lead on what’s most important each time we meet. There’s space here for everything from preparing for a challenging conversation to celebrating life’s most precious moments. I truly believe that every part of that process has value.
Some of the Reasons Teens & Adults Reach Out
Many of the people I work with reach out because life doesn’t feel as manageable as it once did. Anxiety may have become harder to quiet, a new transition might have you feeling new emotions, or maybe nothing dramatic has happened at all, but you don’t quite feel like yourself anymore.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to support people during many different chapters of life. My experience spans inpatient psychiatric care, outpatient behavioral health, hospice care, long-term care, and community-based social work. Those experiences helped me see new lenses and perspectives through real, human moments spanning crisis, change, loss, healing, and growth.
Here are a few areas I can support you with:
- Anxiety
- Family/relationship stressors
- Depression
- Trauma and PTSD
- Grief and loss
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Mood disorders
- Life transitions
- Stress management
- Building healthy coping skills/emotional regulation
- LGBTQIA+
- Personal growth and resilience
Whether you’re actively working through something or carrying experiences that have stayed with you for years, I’d like to offer you an opportunity to better understand yourself and the world around you, while strengthening your awareness and building a toolkit to move through whatever comes next.
My Approach to Our Time Together in Therapy
No two people experience life in exactly the same way, so I don’t believe therapy should look the same for everyone. At the same time, I understand the way that having information about what to expect can feel incredibly grounding.
You may come to therapy hoping for practical tools you can begin using right away. You may also need space to process experiences you’ve been carrying for a long time. Most people find they need a little of both. Together, we’ll find an approach that feels supportive and practical for exactly where you’re at right now.
As we work together, I’ll pull from different therapeutic approaches depending on what’s most helpful for you. I may draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, and strengths-based therapy.
These approaches simply give us different ways to better understand what’s contributing to your challenges, strengthen coping skills, and support meaningful growth. As we continue working together, we’ll pay attention to what’s helping, make adjustments when needed, and continue building on the progress you make along the way.
More About Where My Passion Comes From
If you had asked me as a child what I wanted to do, my answer would have always been the same. I knew I wanted to help people, but it wasn’t until I took a psychology class in high school that I discovered social work and realized there was a profession built around supporting people through life’s challenges.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from the University of Maine at Machias in 2003 and spent many years providing support and case management services throughout central and northern Maine. After more than 15 years as a licensed social worker, I returned to the University of Maine to earn my Master of Social Work in 2019.
Going back to graduate school rekindled my passion for this work in ways I didn’t know were possible. As I deepened my understanding of therapy and social work, I realized just how important it is to me to help people through some of life’s most difficult moments.
Over the years, I’ve worked throughout many settings that reinforced something I continue to believe today: everyone deserves compassionate support, someone who will truly listen, and the opportunity to discover they’re more capable than they may feel right now.
That continues to shape the way I approach therapy today. My mission is to help guide you, provide a listening ear, and strengthen your skills so you feel more prepared to navigate whatever life is throwing your way. With empathy and thoughtful guidance, I hope to help you overcome obstacles, build resilience, and continue growing into the life you want for yourself.
If You’re Thinking About Reaching Out
Reaching out for therapy can feel like a big and important step, whether it’s your first experience with counseling or you’re returning after some time away.
All you need to begin is a willingness to start the conversation. You don’t have to know exactly where to focus or have everything figured out before your first session. We’ll take it one step at a time, together.
If you’re looking to better understand yourself, strengthen the ways you cope, and find a greater sense of peace and confidence moving forward, I’d be honored to get to know you.
You can easily self-schedule an intake assessment using the calendar below, give us a call at (207) 316-2609 or complete a quick contact form to reach out with any questions.
Accepted Forms of Payment
- Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine / Anthem
- Mainecare
- Medicare
- Self-pay
- While I accept the insurances listed above, there are instances where your specific plan is not covered. We look to you to confirm that our organization is in-network and that services are covered.
A quick scheduling note: The calendar below shows appointment times in Pacific Standard Time (PST). If you’re in Maine, your appointment will occur three hours later in Eastern Time.
Schedule Your Intake Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Practice
- I accept Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine (Anthem), Medicare, and Mainecare. However, I may not accept your specific insurance plan. It is your responsibility to verify that our organization is in-network with your plan and that services are covered.
- If at any time we discover that we are not in-network with your insurance plan, you will be responsible for the full costs of all sessions (past and future).
- Please note, I do not work with EAPs.
- Services are available to self-pay clients and those with out-of-network benefits (with the exception of Mainecare and Medicare).
- Please call our office at (207) 316-2609 or complete our contact form if you have any questions.
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For individuals using insurance to cover appointments, the cost of appointments is determined by each insurance’s contracted rates with our organization. Thus, the cost of appointments may be notably different than the cost of appointments for individuals who are self-pay. Furthermore, the cost of appointments may vary from session to session depending on several factors to include the length of the appointment and the complexity of the appointment. If you plan to use insurance, our office can provide a better estimate of costs once you provide your insurance information. Please contact us at (207) 316-2609 if you require further assistance.
- For individuals who are self-pay:
- Rates vary depending on type of service (therapy vs. medication management) and length of session. Please contact our office for additional information.
Payments are completed through our patient portal. Payments can be made using major credit/debit cards (American Express, Visa, Mastercard, etc.) as well as FSAs and HSAs.
Our policy is to collect payments before rendering services. However, we cannot always predict the cost of sessions in advance because services and length of sessions may vary from appointment to appointment. For clients using insurance, you will likely be responsible for either a co-pay or for paying the full costs of sessions until your deductible is met. Please ensure you fully understand your insurance benefits to prevent future billing concerns.
Regardless of your insurance status and payment method, we will always be as up-front with you as possible about the cost of treatment.
- The online scheduler above shows my availability over the next 20 days. If no appointments are available, please check back in a few days.
- For appointments beyond this 20-day window, you can return closer to your preferred appointment date. Alternatively, you can view availability for our other therapists here.
Clients must cancel or reschedule appointments at least 48 hours before their appointment. If appointments are not canceled or rescheduled with at least 48 hours’ notice, or if clients do not show to their appointment, they will be charged a late cancellation fee of $150. To ensure we treat all clients consistently and ethically and to be respectful of our providers’ time, we must enforce our late cancellation and no-show policy. Fees incurred for late cancellations and no shows are out-of-pockets expenses. They cannot be billed to insurance.