New to Grow
Cheryl Osler is a licensed Mental Health Counselor, board-certified Advanced Holistic Nurse Practitioner (AHN-BC), and a Registered Nurse with master's degrees as a clinical nurse specialist in community mental health, public health, and studies in law. Additionally, she has a doctorate in educational leadership. Cheryl has been a nurse since 1988, gaining extensive clinical experience across various healthcare specialties, including psychiatric, obstetrics, medical/surgical, oncology, and geriatric nursing. Cheryl has 25 years of experience in direct patient care and has served in leadership roles while teaching in nursing and psychology programs. She has owned a counseling practice for over 13 years and is a trained First Responder Treatment Provider (FRTP), specializing in mental health support for first responders and their families, including police officers, firefighters, and healthcare professionals. Cheryl's treatment areas include biofeedback, EMDR, critical incident stress management, disaster response, and cognitive behavioral therapy, serving children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families facing anxiety, trauma, PTSD, addiction, and depression. Cheryl has been a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant since 2005, specializing in the research and analysis of medical records. She recently earned a master's degree in public health from the University of Washington, with a focus on adolescent mental health, health practitioner stress and burnout, workplace violence, and incivility in nursing. Cheryl has served on multiple boards, including the Washington State Nurses Association's Legislative and Health Policy Council, the Washington State Board of Nursing's Program Approval Panel, and the National League of Nursing Planning Committee. Furthermore, she is a certified Disaster Mental Health Counselor who teaches disaster preparedness to youth for the American Red Cross.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients understand how their thoughts influence their emotions and experiences. I also utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to treat trauma and PTSD. This treatment helps clients process and integrate traumatic memories so they're no longer distressing. My treatment plans combine evidence-based holistic interventions with CBT and EMDR to create a synergistic effect that yields more significant and positive outcomes. These interventions include infrared sauna therapy, red light therapy, biofeedback, and herbal interventions. If you have any questions, please reach out to me.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I bring a deeply integrative and trauma-informed counseling approach grounded in both clinical expertise and real-world experience with high-stress professions. My work is informed by evidence-based modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), EMDR, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), and mindfulness-based practices, allowing me to tailor treatment to each client’s unique needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model. I specialize in working with first responders, healthcare professionals, and individuals navigating complex relational or occupational stress, and I am particularly skilled at helping clients regulate acute stress responses, process trauma, and regain a sense of control, safety, and clarity. What sets me apart as a counselor is my ability to create a calm, non-judgmental therapeutic space while also offering clear structure, insight, and practical tools. Clients often seek me out when they feel overwhelmed, scrutinized, or stuck in high-stakes situations, because I help them make sense of their experiences without minimizing their emotions or pathologizing normal stress responses. I am skilled at helping clients develop emotional insight, strengthen boundaries, and advocate for themselves effectively, while supporting long-term resilience, ethical decision-making, and alignment with personal values. My approach balances compassion with clarity, empowering clients to move forward with confidence rather than fear.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I am a certified cognitive-behavioral therapist, a certified biofeedback practitioner, a trained EMDR therapist, and a board-certified advanced holistic nurse practitioner. I specialize in therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. My practice offers individual, couples, family, and group therapy, focusing on various mental health issues, including trauma, anxiety, mood disorders, and postpartum depression. I hold master's degrees in nursing, clinical psychology, and public health, with a focus on the mind-body connection and the impact of stress on health. Additionally, I hold a doctorate in Educational Leadership, which enhances my ability to teach clients tools to improve their mental and physical well-being. In my treatment plans, I integrate evidence-based holistic interventions alongside EMDR and cognitive-behavioral therapy. These interventions may include infrared sauna therapy, red light therapy, biofeedback, and herbal interventions. I am also passionate about supporting adolescents and facilitating support groups for both adolescents and their parents.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress and problematic behaviors. Together, we examine the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and develop practical, skills-based strategies to support healthier coping and decision-making. I tailor CBT interventions to each client’s goals, often integrating trauma-informed approaches to ensure safety, empowerment, and real-world application. My focus is on helping clients build insight, resilience, and tools they can use both in and outside of therapy.
EMDR
I use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients process distressing memories and experiences that continue to impact their emotional well-being. Through a structured, evidence-based approach, I support clients in safely accessing and reprocessing traumatic material using bilateral stimulation, allowing the nervous system to move toward resolution. EMDR helps reduce the emotional intensity of past experiences while strengthening adaptive beliefs and self-understanding. This approach is especially effective for trauma, anxiety, and stress-related conditions, supporting healing without requiring clients to repeatedly relive their experiences in detail.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop psychological flexibility and a more compassionate relationship with their internal experiences. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or emotions, ACT supports clients in learning how to notice, accept, and respond to them in healthier ways. I guide clients in clarifying their personal values and committing to meaningful actions that align with those values, even in the presence of discomfort. This approach helps clients build resilience, reduce avoidance, and create a life that feels purposeful and authentic.
Compassion Focused
I use Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) to help clients cultivate self-compassion, emotional safety, and a more balanced inner dialogue. This approach focuses on understanding how the brain’s threat, drive, and soothing systems influence emotional responses, particularly in individuals who experience shame, self-criticism, or trauma. I guide clients in developing compassionate skills—such as soothing imagery, mindfulness, and compassionate self-talk—to support nervous system regulation. Compassion-Focused Therapy helps clients strengthen emotional resilience, reduce shame, and foster a kinder, more supportive relationship with themselves and others.
Mind-body approach
I use a mind–body approach to help clients understand how emotional experiences, stress, and trauma are held in the body as well as the mind. This approach integrates awareness of physical sensations, breathing, movement, and nervous system regulation to support emotional healing and resilience. I help clients build skills to recognize bodily cues, reduce stress responses, and restore a sense of safety and balance. By addressing both psychological and physiological patterns, this approach supports more holistic, sustainable healing.