About Cheryl
Dr. Cheryl Mansfield is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and addiction. She works with relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting questions, anger, self-esteem, and compassion fatigue.
Her approach is practical and straightforward. She focuses on helping people feel steadier and more able to cope with life changes. Cheryl draws on two decades of experience in outpatient, hospital, and military settings.
She listens first to understand what matters most to each person.
Background and approach
Then she and the client choose techniques that fit daily life and short-term goals. Sessions are collaborative and aim to build skills people can use between visits. Her work often combines client-centered conversation with cognitive-behavioral tools and solution-focused steps.
Mindfulness exercises and motivational interviewing may also be used when helpful. The goal is clear: reduce distress, strengthen coping, and support healthier patterns of thinking and behaving. She emphasizes strengths and practical problem solving.
Discussions are paced to suit each person’s needs, and techniques are taught in simple, actionable ways. Many clients leave with concrete strategies for managing symptoms and handling difficult moments. Cheryl holds the LICSW and LCSW credentials and brings 20 years of clinical experience in Virginia.
She aims to create a warm, welcoming tone in sessions so people feel comfortable talking about painful or sensitive issues.
Practical approaches for online therapy
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person without judgment, and it helps people feel heard and clearer about what they want to change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches skills to notice and shift thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going, which is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress. Mindfulness Therapy adds short attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus during stressful moments.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods fit their goals, needs, and comfort level. That process can include trying techniques for a few sessions and adjusting what is used based on progress and preference.
Online formats available include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat or text messaging can work for brief check-ins, skill practice, or ongoing support between longer sessions. These options make scheduling more flexible and can help people fit therapy into busy lives.
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also works with
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Anger management
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Parenting issues
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self esteem
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- Virginia, District of Columbia
- Languages
- English