Hi! My name is Deanna, and welcome to Mind Trek Counseling! It takes courage to ask for help, and you do not have to navigate everything on your own. I work primarily with young adults navigating Anxiety, Depression, Childhood Trauma, ADHD, late-diagnosed or newly recognized Autism, LGBTQIA+ Identity Exploration, PMDD, Relationship Concerns, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Life Transitions - along with the everyday stressors that can make life feel overwhelming.
Many of the clients I work with simply want to understand themselves. Together, we explore the patterns, experiences, and relationships that have shaped who you are today. I help you begin to connect the puzzle pieces of your story so that your past experiences can make more sense in the context of your present. I value creating a space where you can slow down, reflect, and feel genuinely heard — a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can share your story, find your voice, and better understand yourself.
I also believe in working with neurodivergence rather than against it. Therapy is not about making a neurodivergent person conform to a neurotypical way of functioning — it's about understanding how your brain works and finding strategies that fit you. I often think of it as different operating systems: some brains run on Apple iOS, others on PC. Neither is inherently better; they simply work differently. Understanding your unique operating system can be the beginning of meaningful change.
My Background
I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, with experience in both community mental health and private practice. I am trained in ADHD executive functioning coaching and have a particular interest in helping neurodivergent clients better understand themselves, work with their strengths, and develop strategies that support the way their brains naturally function.
My approach to therapy is collaborative, compassionate, and individualized. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I work with you to understand what you need and what will be most helpful for where you are in your life.
My primary approaches include Executive Functioning Coaching,Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, Relational, Emotion-Focused, Strengths-Based, Solution-Focused, and Trauma-Informed therapy. I also incorporate practical skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness when they fit your needs.
At the heart of my work is authenticity and curiosity. I want to help you understand not only what you are experiencing, but why. Together, we can explore your patterns, emotions, relationships, strengths, and past experiences while building greater self-awareness and creating space for growth and healing.
How can I help?
Therapy with me is not about fixing you or changing who you are. It is about meeting you exactly where you are, with curiosity, compassion, and without judgment. You can come as you are - no need to have everything figured out before you begin. Whether you're untangling old patterns, learning how your neurodivergent brain works, exploring your identity, or building skills to manage overwhelming emotions, my role is to walk alongside you as a guide and support.
Get in Touch with Deanna
Deanna Manolio, LSW, MSW
(she/her)
My top specialties are: Neurodivergence(ADHD/Autism/AuDHD), LGBTQIA+ Therapy, Relationship Concerns, and Emotion Regulation.
Neurodivergence (ADHD & Autism) If you're navigating ADHD, or a late-diagnosed or newly recognized Autism identity, you may have spent years wondering why things that seem easy for others feel so much harder for you — and blaming yourself for it. Therapy with me is never about forcing your brain to work like a neurotypical one. It's about understanding your unique operating system and building a life that works with it. As a therapist trained in ADHD executive functioning coaching, I help clients develop practical, personalized strategies for challenges like focus, organization, follow-through, and emotional overwhelm — while also working through the shame, self-doubt, and harsh inner critic that often build up after years of feeling "behind." For clients exploring a new Autism identity, I offer a supportive space to process what this recognition means, unlearn masking that no longer serves you, and move toward self-understanding and self-acceptance.
LGBTQIA+ Concerns Exploring your identity, or living authentically in a world that doesn't always make that easy, deserves a therapist who offers genuine safety and affirmation, not just tolerance. I provide a supportive, affirming space for clients exploring gender identity, sexual orientation, relationships, finding communities they belong to, and the anxiety and depression that can accompany these experiences. Together, we can work on recognizing and unlearning internalized messages, building self-acceptance, strengthening your voice and self-advocacy, and navigating family, relationship, and community dynamics. Your identity is essential to who you are, and in our work together it will always be met with acceptance and support.
Relationship Concerns The way we connect with others — partners, family, friends, coworkers — is shaped by the relationships and experiences that came before. If you find yourself repeating the same patterns, struggling to set boundaries, feeling anxious about closeness or distance, or wondering why certain dynamics keep showing up in your life, therapy can help you understand where those patterns come from and how to change them. My approach is deeply relational: drawing on Psychodynamic, Relational, and Emotion-Focused therapy, we'll explore how your past relationships have shaped the way you connect today, practice communicating your needs clearly, and build boundaries that protect your wellbeing without cutting you off from connection. As you understand your own patterns more deeply, healthier and more secure relationships become possible — including the one you have with yourself.
Emotion Regulation When emotions feel too big, too fast, or too confusing, life can feel like a constant storm - and many people respond by trying to shut their feelings down entirely. My approach is different: I help you learn about your emotions and how to work with them, rather than fighting to control or suppress them. Drawing on Emotion-Focused therapy and practical skills from DBT and mindfulness, we'll work on understanding what your emotions are telling you, riding out intense moments without being swept away by them, and responding to difficult feelings with self-compassion instead of self-criticism. Over time, this builds genuine emotional resilience - not by feeling less, but by understanding more.
It takes courage to ask for help, and you do not have to navigate everything on your own. If you feel we may be a good fit, I invite you to reach out. I offer via secure telehealth to clients across the entire state of Ohio — so whether you're in Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, or a smaller community like Findlay, Marietta, Portsmouth, or Ashtabula where neurodivergent-affirming therapists are hard to find, support is within reach. Most major insurance plans are accepted. You can come as you are.
I am under the supervision of Shiyue Qin, LISW-S, I.2102709-SUPV.