Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell

BACP

United Kingdom

Compassionate counsellor guiding practical change

Continue with Cheryl

At a glance

Credentials

BACP

Registration

BACP, United Kingdom / 393006

Experience

16 years

Languages

English

Location

United Kingdom

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp.

1. • Weekly online sessions
   • Non-judgemental space
   • LGBTQIA+ affirming

   About Cheryl

   Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell is a UK-based counsellor with 16 years of professional experience. She offers weekly sessions and uses video, telephone, or chat to meet people where they are. Cheryl aims to create a non-judgemental space where clients can speak openly and be listened to. She supports people through difficult feelings and life transitions with a gentle, respectful manner.

   Cheryl adapts each session to what the person brings that week. She asks questions, reflects back what she hears, and helps people clarify their thoughts and priorities. Conversations may include looking at boundaries, relationships, or patterns that cause distress. Practical ideas and gentle coaching are offered when useful.

   Her background includes work in GP practices, schools, women’s services, and bereavement support. She has supported people with depression, anxiety, stress, grief, parenting concerns, eating and sleeping issues, and trauma from crime. She also has experience with neurodivergent clients, helping with social skills and emotional regulation online.

   Cheryl lists approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Narrative Therapy, and draws on these to shape sessions. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP.

   Sessions are arranged weekly and use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. People who prefer telephone or chat sessions can request those formats when booking.

2. How Cheryl Uses Talk Approaches Online

   Motivational Interviewing is a conversational way to help people find their own reasons for change and build motivation. It suits situations where someone feels unsure about next steps, such as changing habits or addressing addictions.
   
   Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being led by them. It focuses on values and small committed actions, which can help with anxiety, depression, and coping with life changes.
   
   Client-Centred Therapy puts the person’s experience at the centre of sessions. The counsellor listens closely, reflects what they hear, and follows the client’s lead to build understanding and self-acceptance.
   
   Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels helpful, and then try methods that fit those needs. This is a collaborative process and approaches can be adjusted as therapy progresses.
   
   If you plan to meet online, check the available session options when you book. Cheryl offers weekly sessions by video, telephone, or chat, so confirm which of these formats will be used. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins if needed, and remove travel time so people can use a break between commitments.

4. Areas of expertise

   Primary focus

   Stress, AnxietyLGBTRelationship issuesSelf esteemCoping with life changes

   Also works with

   AddictionsFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

   Additional focus areas

   AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesNarcissismPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Self-harmSelf-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

   Therapeutic approaches

   Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

   Experience

   16+ years

   Listed in

   United Kingdom

   Languages

   English

5. Frequently asked questions

   What issues does Cheryl commonly help with?

   Cheryl works with a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, and parenting challenges.

   What is Cheryl's therapeutic style like?

   Her style is person-centred and collaborative, using reflective listening and practical suggestions. Sessions are tailored to each person's needs and what they bring week to week.

   How much experience does she have?

   She has 16 years of professional experience working in settings such as GP practices, schools, women’s services, and bereavement support.

   What professional credentials does she hold and where is she based?

   She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is based in the United Kingdom.

   Are sessions available in other languages or for international clients?

   Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.

   Which session formats does she offer?

   She provides weekly sessions via video, telephone, or chat; confirm the current session options before booking.

   How does pricing work for sessions?

   Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

   What are the steps to begin working with her?

   Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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