Cheryl Wharton , LMFT

Cheryl Wharton brings nearly 30 years of professional counseling experience to work with individuals, couples, and families. She holds a degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and she is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California - LMFT, a credential that indicates specialized training in relational and family systems work.

Cheryl is an experienced facilitator of healing who emphasizes authenticity, resilience, and practical growth. She creates a space where people can speak about their experiences, feel heard, and explore their strengths. Her approach is holistic - attending to psychological, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions - and she blends techniques to help clients move toward clearer purpose, improved relationships, and healthier daily functioning.

Over her career she has worked with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, intimacy challenges, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting and anger, self-esteem and bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes. Additional areas of focus include blended family dynamics, codependency, commitment and communication problems, divorce and separation, family of origin issues, fatherhood concerns, forgiveness, guilt and shame, infidelity, isolation and loneliness, life purpose, midlife transitions, and social anxiety. Cheryl aims to support people in becoming more than survivors - guiding them toward living more authentic, empowered lives.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support and Growth

Cheryl integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) into her online practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening with empathy and supporting the client's own goals and values - it helps people build self-awareness, self-esteem, and stronger relationships. CBT concentrates on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns - it is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with life changes. DBT teaches practical skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improved interpersonal effectiveness - it is useful for managing intense emotions, reducing impulsive reactions, and improving communication.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Cheryl works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as progress unfolds. This collaborative stance helps ensure therapy aligns with the client’s life and priorities.

Online sessions - including video calls, phone appointments, live chat, or text-based messaging - offer flexible ways to engage in therapy. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, maintain continuity during life transitions, and access licensed professionals and therapists from different locations, while preserving the therapeutic connection and ongoing support.