Leah McManis
Hello! I'm Leah, a Licensed Professional Counselor with 22 years of experience providing compassionate, supportive mental health care to adults, teens, and families. I’m licensed in both Missouri and Pennsylvania, and throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of helping people navigate challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, family conflict, and personality disorders. My approach is warm, genuine, and collaborative. I believe that feeling heard and understood is an important part of the therapeutic process, and I strive to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients can be comfortable being themselves. Whether someone is working through a difficult transition, navigating relationships, healing from past experiences, or simply feeling stuck, I enjoy helping clients better understand themselves, build on their strengths, and develop practical tools to create meaningful and lasting change.
First session
My strongest hope would be for a client to leave their first session feeling seen, accepted, hopeful, and a little less alone without feeling pressured to have everything figured out.
Strengths
The heart of my approach is really this: “I will sit with you when you need someone to simply be there, and I will challenge you when I believe you are capable of something more - but I’ll do both with compassion.”
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are young adults who are navigating the challenges that come with finding their place in the world and figuring out who they are beyond the expectations of others. Early adulthood can bring significant transitions—leaving home, starting college or a career, navigating relationships, becoming more independent, making important life decisions, and learning how to manage responsibilities while still trying to understand yourself. These transitions can sometimes bring anxiety, depression, self-doubt, relationship difficulties, family conflict, or a feeling of being “stuck” or unsure of what comes next.
Treatment methods
Strength-Based
I use a strengths-based approach that helps clients recognize their existing resilience and personal strengths while exploring how relationships and life experiences have shaped the way they see themselves and interact with others.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a therapy approach that helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than constantly fighting or avoiding them, while learning to take meaningful action based on what matters most to them.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
White
Woman
Top specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
Attachment Issues
Bipolar Disorder
Childhood / Intergenerational Trauma
Family Conflict
Life Transitions
Parenting
Personality Disorders
Self-Harming
Serious Mental Illness / Crisis
Suicidal Ideation
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Children (6 to 12)
Family Therapy
Individual Therapy
Teenagers (13 to 17)
Doesn't specialize in
Addiction
Career Counseling
Couples Counseling
Couples Counseling
Eating Disorders
Fertility & Reproduction Issues
Gambling Addiction
Licensed in
MissouriLicense 2004032809
PennsylvaniaLicense PC017334