Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell, BACP

Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell is a UK-based counsellor with 16 years of professional experience. She offers a steady, weekly approach to therapy and speaks English. Cheryl uses a blend of practical methods to help people manage difficult thoughts and feelings.

Her sessions are shaped around each person’s needs. She asks about thoughts, emotions, values and boundaries, then works with the individual to decide next steps. Cheryl aims to listen without judgement so people can say what they need to say.

Cheryl has worked across NHS and community settings including GP practices, schools and women’s services. Her background includes supporting people with depression, anxiety, grief, parenting skills and problems with eating and sleep. She has also supported people affected by trauma and crime-related bereavement.

Her training combines Person Centred counselling with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and she draws on other techniques and coaching when useful. She has experience helping neurodivergent adults and children develop social skills and emotional regulation, and she advises on sensory needs for online work.

Cheryl is part of the LGBTQIA+ community and offers a space sensitive to those experiences. She describes therapy as a collaborative process and adapts the pace and focus to what the person brings each week.

How Cheryl’s approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, low mood and life changes when someone wants clearer direction. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and acceptance so the person feels heard and understood; this can help with self-esteem, relationship concerns and emotional exploration. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and uses practical exercises to shift unhelpful patterns, which often helps with anxiety, depression and sleep or eating problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Cheryl will discuss goals, try methods that fit the person’s needs, and adapt the plan as progress is made. The process is collaborative and paced to what someone brings each week.

Her profile notes she offers weekly online sessions via video, telephone or chat, but it is sensible to confirm which formats are currently available before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy routines, shorten a check-in when needed, or remove travel time so people can use a break from work or other responsibilities to attend.