LPC, 11 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi, I’m Cheryl — a trauma therapist with over 11 years of experience helping people navigate life’s challenges. I understand how the daily stressors of work, relationships, family, school, and financial pressures can sometimes feel overwhelming. As a therapist, I work with my client to meet them where they are in their current situation. My role is to help you reach the goals you aspire to in life providing a safe, trusting, and empathetic therapeutic environment. My approach is compassionate and collaborative. Together, we’ll work toward the goals you aspire to, creating a safe, supportive, and empathetic space for healing & growth. With a background spanning inpatient psychiatry, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, and community mental health, I bring a deep understanding of crisis stabilization and the complexities of human resilience. I have experience working with the Center for Health Care Services, Bexar County’s local mental health authority, where I supported individuals navigating acute mental health challenges and recovery. I specialize in crisis management, addiction, trauma, anxiety, narcissistic abuse recovery, depression, and neurodivergence. My approach is eclectic and integrative, blending evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, and somatic techniques. I also draw from culturally sensitive, client-centered, motivational interviewing, solution-focused, and narrative therapy frameworks to meet each client where they are. My goal is to create a compassionate, collaborative, and empowering therapeutic space where clients can explore their experiences, reconnect with their inner strengths, and move toward meaningful healing and growth.
Before we schedule our first full session, I offer a free 15-minute consultation. This brief meeting gives us both a chance to see if we’re a good fit to work together. During that time, I’ll learn a little bit about what brought you to counseling, and I’ll share more about who I am, my background, and what you can expect from my approach to therapy. If we decide to move forward, our first full meeting will be an intake session. During this session, we’ll focus on completing what’s called a biopsychosocial assessment. This simply means I’ll ask some questions to get a well-rounded picture of you and your experiences — including your mental health history, family background, and current concerns. We’ll also spend time talking about your goals for therapy and what you hope to get out of the counseling process. My aim is to create a comfortable, collaborative space where you feel supported and understood from the very beginning.
What makes my approach to therapy unique is my strong belief that real change begins with the relationship we build together. Research shows that about 40% of what contributes to positive change in therapy isn’t about the specific modality or technique—it’s about the quality of the connection between therapist and client. That relationship is the foundation of our work, and it’s something I intentionally focus on during our first few sessions. I don’t consider myself a “typical” therapist. While I draw from evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and others, I also bring creativity and flexibility into the process. Depending on your interests and comfort level, I may incorporate music, movies, or art as tools for exploration and expression. Above all, I strive to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment—a space where you can be yourself, explore what’s happening in your life, and begin to move toward healing and growth. My goal is for therapy to feel not only effective, but also meaningful, personal, and even at times, enjoyable
I work with adults & adolescents, focusing on trauma, depression, & anxiety. My approach is person-centered & humanistic, integrating CBT, DBT, mindfulness, humanistic, psychodynamic, somatic work, to support deep healing. While I draw from these modalities, the therapeutic relationship always comes first—because everything else flows from the strength of our connection.
In my practice, I take an eclectic approach to counseling, drawing from a variety of evidence-based methods to best meet the unique needs of each client. Rather than relying on a single theoretical orientation, I integrate techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients identify and change unhelpful thought patterns while developing emotional regulation and coping skills. I also incorporate somatic therapy principles to help clients build awareness of the mind–body connection and process emotions through physical experiences. My work is grounded in person-centered and humanistic values, ensuring that clients feel deeply heard, respected, and empowered in their healing process. Additionally, I use solution-focused and narrative therapy strategies to help clients identify strengths, reframe their stories, and move toward meaningful goals. I strive to maintain a culturally sensitive lens, honoring each individual’s background, identity, and worldview. Compassion-focused and motivational interviewing approaches further support clients in building self-compassion, reducing shame, and enhancing motivation for change. Finally, I draw on psychodynamic concepts to explore underlying patterns and gain insight into how past experiences influence current behaviors and relationships. Overall, my eclectic style allows me to tailor treatment to each client’s needs, values, and goals, creating a flexible, collaborative, and holistic counseling experience.