Philip Bower
(he/him)
New to Grow
I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who provides warm, affirming, and practical telehealth therapy for adults navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, identity exploration, grief, life transitions, relationship stress, and the pressure of holding everything together while feeling disconnected inside. I work especially well with LGBTQIA+ adults, men, veterans, and people whose lives, identities, relationships, spirituality, or personal histories do not always fit neatly into conventional boxes. My style is grounded, collaborative, and human; I bring clinical skill, curiosity, steadiness, and respect for the full complexity of each person’s life. I draw from ACT, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, self-compassion, and trauma-informed approaches to help clients slow down, understand what they are carrying, build practical coping tools, and move toward a life that feels more honest, sustainable, and fully their own.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, we will take time to get oriented together at a pace that feels manageable. You do not need to come in with everything figured out or know exactly where to begin. We will talk about what brought you to therapy, what has been feeling difficult, and what kind of support you are hoping for right now. I may ask about your current stressors, mental health history, relationships, coping patterns, identity, supports, and goals so I can understand the fuller picture of your life. The first session is also a chance for you to get a feel for me and how I work: warm, grounded, affirming, practical, and collaborative. By the end, we will usually have a clearer sense of what you want from therapy and whether working together feels like a good fit.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
One of my greatest strengths is creating a therapy space that feels both clinically grounded and deeply human. I bring warmth, steadiness, curiosity, and practical structure to the work, helping clients feel understood without feeling judged or rushed. My approach blends evidence-informed methods like ACT, CBT, DBT, mindfulness, self-compassion, and trauma-informed care with careful attention to each client’s identity, nervous system, relationships, values, and lived experience. I work well with people who have spent a long time holding things together, masking parts of themselves, or trying to fit into roles that no longer feel honest. Clients can expect therapy that makes room for complexity while still helping them build insight, coping skills, emotional regulation, self-trust, and movement toward a life that feels more authentic and sustainable.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I am best positioned to serve adults who may look like they are holding everything together on the outside, but inside feel anxious, depressed, burned out, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward. Many of my ideal clients are thoughtful, capable people navigating LGBTQIA+ concerns, men’s mental health, trauma, grief, life transitions, identity exploration, relationship stress, self-worth, or the pressure of living in roles that no longer fit. I work especially well with clients who want therapy to feel affirming, practical, and human: a place to slow down, understand what they are carrying, build healthier coping skills, strengthen boundaries, reconnect with their values, and move toward a life that feels more honest, grounded, and fully their own.
Specialties
Top specialtiesAnxiety
Depression
LGBTQ
Bipolar Disorder
First Responders/Healthcare Workers
Grief
I identify as
LGBTQ
Man
White
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Licensed in
Maine
Accepts
Arlo
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT to help clients make room for difficult thoughts and feelings without losing sight of who they are and what matters to them. In my practice, I use this approach to support clients in building psychological flexibility, reconnecting with their values, and moving toward a life that feels more intentional and authentic. ACT is especially meaningful in work around anxiety, grief, trauma, identity, and major life transitions.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients understand how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors work together, especially when old patterns begin to keep them feeling stuck. In my practice, I use CBT to help people challenge unhelpful thinking, respond to themselves with more clarity and compassion, and build tools that support real change. It is especially helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem concerns because it gives clients practical strategies they can carry into daily life.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I use DBT-informed interventions to help clients build skills in emotional regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and communication. In my practice, I often use these tools with clients who feel emotionally overloaded, reactive, or exhausted by patterns that affect their relationships and inner sense of stability. I appreciate DBT because it offers grounded, actionable support while still honoring the deeper emotional work of therapy.
Trauma Informed Care
My practice is rooted in trauma-informed care, meaning I approach each client with care for safety, choice, collaboration, and pacing. I use this framework to understand how past wounds and ongoing stress can shape the way a person feels, copes, connects, and moves through the world. In practice, this means creating a space that feels respectful, steady, and empowering, so healing can happen without clients feeling rushed, dismissed, or overwhelmed.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I use mindfulness-based therapy to help clients reconnect with themselves in a more grounded, present, and compassionate way. In my practice, this means helping people notice what is happening internally, including thoughts, emotions, and body-based stress, without feeling consumed by it. I often weave mindfulness into therapy for anxiety, trauma, grief, and burnout because it can create space for reflection, regulation, and a deeper sense of connection to one’s own inner life.