Marianne Kaukiainen-Russo , LMHC

Marianne Kaukiainen-Russo is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) based in New York who uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help people manage stress, anxiety, relationship strain, and life transitions. She brings five years of counseling experience to short- and longer-term work. Marianne writes in a direct, encouraging way and focuses on practical steps clients can use right away.

Before earning her license, she spent more than 15 years in college guidance helping students with academic and career decisions. That background informs her attention to practical planning and goal setting in counseling. She pairs that practical orientation with empathy to help people build confidence and direction.

Marianne helps people who struggle with depression, low self-esteem, motivation, and panic symptoms. She also supports those coping with parenting stress, family problems, fertility issues, and separation or divorce. Her interests include attachment and abandonment concerns, body image, social anxiety, and finding life purpose.

Sessions focus on understanding what matters to each person and finding small, doable changes that add up. Conversations are collaborative and concrete, with time spent on skills, problem solving, and clearer decision making. Clients leave with things they can practice between sessions.

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging so people can pick the format that fits their day. Sessions are conducted in English and follow New York LMHC guidelines.

Evidence-Based Techniques and Flexible Online Care

Marianne works with evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on clear goals and practical skills. One common approach she uses teaches coping skills for anxiety and panic, such as breathing strategies, grounding exercises, and step-by-step exposure to feared situations to reduce avoidance. Another approach centers on improving self-esteem and relationships by identifying negative thinking patterns and practicing new communication habits to rebuild connection and self-worth.

Choosing the right approach is part of therapy. She will talk with each person about their goals, preferences, and daily realities and together they will decide which techniques to try first. That collaborative process helps match methods to what feels useful and doable for the person in front of her.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make counseling easier to fit into life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and shared visual cues. Phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or when a client prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for brief check-ins, skill practice, and ongoing support between sessions. These options give flexibility for working on stress, relationships, parenting challenges, and other concerns without rearranging an entire day.