Cheryl Velasquez

I'm a bilingual (English/Spanish) Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over five years of experience across acute psychiatric, school-based, outpatient, and community mental health settings. I'm dedicated to helping individuals find their inner strength and build meaningful, lasting change.

I work with individuals ages 5 and up (virtually) as well as couples, addressing concerns like anxiety, depression, stress, grief, trauma, anger, and life transitions. I believe self-care isn't a luxury — it's a foundation for wellbeing — and that philosophy runs through how I work with every client.

My approach is strength-based at its core, drawing on CBT, mindfulness, DBT-informed, and ACT techniques to help clients identify their own resilience, reframe unhelpful patterns, and build practical tools for everyday life. I work with clients of all genders, and I have a particular interest in women's issues, LGBTQ+ affirming care, and trauma-informed support, shaped by my background in gender studies. I don't talk over my clients — I talk beside them, as a collaborative partner in your process.

I'm fluent in Spanish and welcome clients who prefer to be seen and heard in their primary language.

I believe therapy works best as a partnership, not a one-way conversation. My role isn't to hand you answers — it's to sit beside you as we figure out what's really going on and build tools that actually fit your life. That collaborative spirit is at the center of everything I do.

My work is strength-based at its core. Rather than focusing only on what's wrong, I help clients recognize the resilience and resources they already have, and build from there. I draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help reframe unhelpful thought patterns, mindfulness practices to build present-moment awareness, and trauma-informed principles to create a space where you feel safe, seen, and never rushed. I also incorporate DBT-informed skills and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques when they're a good fit for what a client needs.

I meet each person as an individual — no two clients get the same approach, because no two people carry the same story. Whether we're working through anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, or life transitions, I tailor our work together based on what actually helps you, not a one-size-fits-all method.

My background in LGBTQ+ and women's and gender studies also shapes how I understand identity, relationships, and the systems that affect mental health — and it informs the affirming, judgment-free space I aim to create for every client, regardless of gender or background.

Walking into therapy for the first time takes courage, and I want you to know you’ll be met with warmth and zero judgment. Your first session is simply a chance for us to get to know each other — there’s no pressure to share more than you’re comfortable with.

I’ll gather some background information about your history, current concerns, and personal goals. We’ll talk about what brought you in, what you’re hoping to get out of therapy, and what your life looks like right now. You’ll also have plenty of opportunity to ask questions and get a feel for how we work together.

By the end of our first visit, we’ll have a clearer picture of where you are and where you’d like to be — and we’ll begin building a roadmap to get there. Think of it as the first step in a partnership, one where your voice always leads the way.