ChangeAtYourPace.org Need help now?

Therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp. We will earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you use our links to purchase.

Luanne Maniacek

Luanne Maniacek

LCSW

Illinois

Compassionate, practical support for life changes

Continue with Luanne

At a glance

Credentials
LCSW
License
LCSW, Illinois / 149001067
Experience
40 years
Languages
English
Location
Illinois

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

    • Motivation-focused approach
    • Strength-based care
    • Practical skill building

    About Luanne

    Luanne Maniacek is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who helps people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, and relationship or parenting strain. She speaks plainly and focuses on practical steps people can use right away. Her style is warm and direct, and she balances support with gentle challenge to help clients move forward.

    With four decades of experience in mental health, she draws on several therapy approaches to fit each person’s needs. She prioritizes understanding a person’s history, current struggles, and goals before suggesting a plan. Open communication about progress and adjustments is part of how she works.

    Her background includes supervising graduate-level therapists and leading crisis intervention teams in community mental health settings. That experience informs how she views caregiver stress, codependency, addiction concerns, and mood disorders from multiple perspectives. She practices from Illinois and holds the LCSW credential, which stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

    Luanne values building on a person’s strengths and creating new skills or supports. For people facing addictions she supports either a disease model or a harm reduction approach, depending on what suits the situation. She emphasizes ongoing, practical steps and collaboration throughout treatment.

    In session she listens carefully and pays attention to what is said and what is left unsaid. Motivational Interviewing and person-centered listening are part of how she helps people find motivation and make changes that stick.

  2. How approaches like Motivational Interviewing and ACT work online

    Motivational Interviewing is a conversational method that helps people find their own reasons to change. It focuses on listening, asking helpful questions, and strengthening inner motivation for shifts in behavior. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice painful thoughts without getting stuck in them and take action based on personal values. Both approaches can help with addictions, anxiety, low mood, and getting unstuck from old patterns.

    Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to decide which methods to try first based on goals, preferences, and how change feels most achievable. Over time those methods can be adjusted if something is not working or needs to be blended with other techniques.

    Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow check-ins during a lunch break, avoid travel time, or choose a shorter phone check-in when a video session feels like too much. Licensed professionals can tailor pacing, homework, and practical tools to make progress between meetings without promising any particular outcome.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    Stress, AnxietyAddictionsFamily conflictsGriefDepression

    Also works with

    Relationship issuesIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue

    Additional focus areas

    Aging and geriatric issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyDrug and alcohol addictionIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMood disorders

    Therapeutic approaches

    Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

    Experience

    40+ years

    Listed in

    Illinois

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What concerns does she commonly help with?

    She works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strain, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar mood issues, and coping with life changes.

    What is her therapeutic style and approach?

    Her style is empathic and supportive while offering gentle challenge. She uses Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Client-Centered work, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Psychodynamic ideas as fits each person.

    How much experience does she bring to sessions?

    She has 40 years of experience in mental health practice, including supervising trainee therapists and leading crisis intervention teams in community mental health settings.

    What credentials and location apply to her practice?

    She is an LCSW, which means Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and she practices in Illinois.

    Can people meet with her in languages other than English?

    Sessions are offered in English.

    Does she work with international clients?

    International clients are not currently accepted.

    How are fees and subscriptions handled?

    Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

    How do I begin working with her?

    Click the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.

  6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

Back to all therapists

Luanne Maniacek Continue with Luanne