Marianne Kaukiainen-Russo

My approach uses CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to challenge and quiet the nonstop "what-if" thoughts, giving you control over your thinking. I use DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) to teach you immediate, practical skills to calm your body and handle intense panic when it hits. Finally, I use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to help you stop fighting the anxiety itself, so you can focus on moving forward with your life goals instead of letting worry hold you back.

I help people overcome depression by focusing on action and thought change. I use CBT to challenge and lighten the heavy, negative thoughts and self-criticism that cause low mood. I use DBT to help you manage intense, overwhelming emotions and feel more stable. Most importantly, I use ACT to help you commit to small, meaningful actions that align with what you value most, even when motivation is zero to brake the cycle of withdrawal.

I use CBT to help you identify and challenge the automatic, often negative thoughts, leading to calmer responses. I use DBT to teach you Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills—practical ways to ask for what you need, say no, and handle conflict while respecting yourself and others, which helps stop emotional explosions. Finally, I use ACT to clarify your relationship values (e.g., trust, respect) so your communication is consistent with the meaningful connection you want.

I use CBT to help you identify and challenge the automatic, often negative thoughts, leading to calmer responses. I use DBT to teach you Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills—practical ways to ask for what you need, say no, and handle conflict while respecting yourself and others, which helps stop emotional explosions. Finally, I use ACT to clarify your relationship values (e.g., trust, respect) so your communication is consistent with the meaningful connection you want.

My approach uses CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to challenge and quiet the nonstop "what-if" thoughts, giving you control over your thinking. I use DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) to teach you immediate, practical skills to calm your body and handle intense panic when it hits. Finally, I use ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) to help you stop fighting the anxiety itself, so you can focus on moving forward with your life goals instead of letting worry hold you back.

I use CBT to help you identify and challenge the automatic, negative thoughts, leading to calmer responses. I use DBT to teach you Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills—practical ways to ask for what you need, say no, and handle conflict while respecting yourself and others. Finally, I use ACT to clarify your relationship values (e.g., trust, respect)

I use CBT to help you identify and challenge the automatic, negative thoughts, leading to calmer responses. I use DBT to teach you Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills—practical ways to ask for what you need, say no, and handle conflict while respecting yourself and others. Finally, I use ACT to clarify your relationship values (e.g., trust, respect)

I use CBT to help you identify and challenge the automatic, negative thoughts, leading to calmer responses. I use DBT to teach you Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills—practical ways to ask for what you need, say no, and handle conflict while respecting yourself and others. Finally, I use ACT to clarify your relationship values (e.g., trust, respect) so your communication is consistent with the meaningful connection you want.

My expertise is grounded in formal training in TEAM-CBT, CBT as well as years of experience, specializing in its application to anxiety, depression, and relationship conflict. I utilize CBT for identifying and challenging the negative thought patterns and cognitive distortions (like black-and-white thinking or catastrophic prediction) that fuel emotional distress. This deep experience allows me to effectively guide clients through measurable shifts in thinking and mental processes.

Through focused training, my expertise in DBT addresses intense emotions in anxiety, depression, and conflict. I specialize in teaching all four core skill modules: Mindfulness (for grounding), Emotion Regulation (for stability), Distress Tolerance (for crisis), and Interpersonal Effectiveness (for relationships). This training allows me to strategically equip clients with immediate, practical skills to reduce emotional reactivity and achieve greater day-to-day stability.

My training in ACT focuses on creating meaningful life change. I specialize in using acceptance-based techniques to help clients reduce the struggle with difficult thoughts, and utilize Values Clarification and Committed Action to define their deepest priorities. This empowers clients to take deliberate, value-aligned steps forward, leveraging my extensive background in career/life counseling to ensure practical, lasting change.