McManus Counseling

We are thrilled that you have chosen to visit our website and learn more about our services. At McManus Counseling, we are dedicated to supporting your mental health journey. We are a community-based counseling office located in Charlton, Massachusetts, offering therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups across the lifespan. Our team of accomplished therapists, educators, and trainers has been working with adults, children, youth, and families in Central Massachusetts for over 20 years. We specialize in trauma, foster care and adoption issues, and LGBT issues and accept most insurance plans.

Our Team

Our team at McManus Counseling is a committed group of individuals who demonstrate our values of compassion, thoroughness, and results-orientation in everything we do. We are proud to have a diverse team of licensed therapists who are experienced in various areas of mental health. Our team includes:

• Michael McManus, LICSW, MSW - Michael is the President and Owner of McManus Counseling. He is a mental health therapist with a passion for helping adults, children, youth, and families. Over the last 20 years, Michael has served children and families in Massachusetts through various past positions in the Department of Children and Families (DCF), as the Director of Training and Technical Assistance in the Office of Foster Care and Adoption at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and in private practice. His background in social work and his experience as a foster and adoptive parent inform his work. Michael is also an Adjunct Professor of Sociology and Psychology at Becker College and frequent lecturer in the social work program at Wheelock College.
• John Dwyer, LICSW - John is a graduate of the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. He has extensive experience in social work, including nursing homes, hospice, and counseling children and adults. John is the father of four children and uses all of his life's experiences to shape his practice. He current accepts: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Beacon Health Options, and Medicare.
• Vanessa Muscente, LICSW - Ms. Muscente specializes in older children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. She has expertise in behavioral therapy, couples therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and treats a wide range of mental health conditions. She holds a MSW from Boston College and has over 5 years experience treating complex clients across multiple settings. Vanessa currently accepts: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Beacon Health Options, Tufts, Optum, and Medicare.

Services Offered

At McManus Counseling, we offer a range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients. Our services include:

• Individual Therapy - Our therapists work with individuals of all ages to address a range of mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, and more.
• Couples Therapy - We offer couples therapy to help strengthen relationships, improve communication, and address conflicts.
• Family Therapy - We work with families to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and address conflicts.
• Group Therapy - We offer group therapy for individuals facing similar challenges to provide support and promote healing.
• Trauma Treatment - Our therapists are trained in trauma-focused therapies and work with clients to heal from traumatic experiences.
• Foster Care and Adoption Support - We specialize in foster care and adoption issues and offer support to families and individuals throughout the adoption and foster care process.
• LGBTQ+ Support - We offer support to individuals and families in the LGBTQ+ community, addressing unique challenges and promoting healing.

Coping Skills Academy

Our team has heard from parents, educators, and other professionals that adolescents in our communities need more coping skills. Coping skills are the techniques, strategies, and behaviors that can support individuals to be resilient and able to thrive in their social and educational lives. McManus Counseling is building a Coping Skills Academy that will be an innovative approach to encouraging the development of coping skills. Our first course offering is the in-person Coping Skills Course 1, and in the future, we will offer additional in-person offerings as well as interactive online options.

Thank you for considering McManus Counseling for your mental health needs. We are committed to providing compassionate, thorough, and results-oriented care to support your mental health journey. We look forward to working with you.