Cheryl Hanson

I don't just like people, I appreciate people. I truly appreciate those who have suffered traumatic events and/or critical incidents (or years of them) and keep going. Walking alongside those who are hurting is my life focus. Physical pain and emotional pain look the same in the brain!

I am a certified trauma therapist and certified child and adolescent trauma therapist. I also hold certifications in both somatic therapy and child and adolescent grief. I am a trained and experienced Brainspotter. If you like talk therapy we can do that. If you have tried talk therapy and feel the need to go deeper then "bottom-up processing" may be the answer for you; that is what trauma therapy is all about. You don't have to tell me your story unless you want to, we can work with silence.

I am a retired law enforcement officer and have extensive experience working with people in crisis and chaotic situations. Though I never served in the military myself, my family has a very deep military history and there are many parallels between the careers. It is very important for military and first responders, including dispatchers and emergency room personnel, to have a support system in place BEFORE the 'numbness' sets in. It would be my honor to be a part of your support system. I may not wear the same size, but I have probably taken some steps in your shoes.

I am an person centered-emotion focused trauma therapist. This is your therapy and you are the boss in our sessions. If you get stuck I can guide you. If you feel lost I can lead you. I want our sessions to be productive and safe for you. I will not take you where you don’t want to go until you are ready and I can help get you ready.

I work with many therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotion Focus individual Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma Therapy, Art Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Brainspotting, Mindfulness, Internal Family Systems Therapy, and of course, talk therapy.

Clients with suicidal ideation or those with prior suicide attempts are NOT a good fit for virtual therapy but will be better served with in-person therapy. Clients on psychotropic medications that are non-medication compliant are NOT a good fit for virtual therapy and are best served by in person therapy.

Our first session we will get to know each other, you get to decide if we are a fit, and we will discuss your concerns and goals. We will check the calendar and see if I can provide a consistent weekly or bi-weekly appointment for you either in person or virtually. We can use assessments to help decide where we go first or if you know exactly what you want to work on we can go with that.