Claire Manley, LCPC

About Claire Manley

Claire Manley, LCPC, is a compassionate and trauma-informed Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor serving individuals and families in Illinois. She works with children, adolescents, adults, and families who may be navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, family conflict, divorce, and major life transitions.

Claire views therapy as a collaborative journey of self-discovery, healing, and meaningful personal growth. Her approach emphasizes understanding the whole person rather than focusing solely on symptoms. She works to create a warm, supportive environment where clients can explore their experiences, recognize their strengths, develop practical coping skills, and move toward positive and lasting change.

Her clinical approach draws from several evidence-informed therapeutic frameworks, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Relational Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). She incorporates these approaches according to each client's individual needs, goals, developmental stage, relationships, and life circumstances.

Claire has particular professional interests in trauma and PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief and loss, divorce and family conflict, and relationship stress. Her trauma-informed perspective also emphasizes the importance of safe relationships, emotional wellbeing, personal strengths, and the broader social and relational systems affecting a person's life.

A distinctive aspect of Claire's professional background is her interest in the human-animal bond and equine-assisted mental health. Her professional training includes Equine Assisted Mental Health through the University of Denver, as well as certification as a Fear Free Professional. Her work and professional interests reflect an appreciation for the ways connection, animals, relationships, and experiential approaches can contribute to emotional wellbeing.

Claire's philosophy is grounded in empathy, curiosity, and respect for each person's individual journey. Rather than presenting herself as someone who has all the answers, she describes her role more as a guide who helps clients navigate difficult terrain, discover their own strengths, understand patterns that may be holding them back, and develop new ways of responding to life's challenges.

With more than seven years of professional experience, Claire brings experience working with diverse populations and a broad range of emotional and relational concerns. Her goal is to help clients feel understood and supported while developing the insight, resilience, and practical tools needed to create healthier relationships and a more fulfilling life.

Claire's work centers on the belief that people are capable of growth and change when they have a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship in which they can explore their experiences without judgment. She seeks to combine clinical knowledge with compassion, curiosity, and individualized treatment so that therapy becomes a collaborative process of healing and self-discovery.