Cheryl McDonald-TuckwellBACP

Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell is a UK-based counsellor with 16 years of professional experience. She offers a welcoming, non-judgemental space for people who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck. Sessions are offered online, and Cheryl can work by video, telephone, or chat depending on what the client prefers.

Cheryl adapts her way of working to the person in front of her. She uses person-centred and cognitive behavioural ideas alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, motivational interviewing and narrative approaches. The focus is on practical steps, clearer thinking and finding values that matter to the client.

She has worked in GP practice settings, schools and women’s services. That background has included supporting people through depression, anxiety, grief, miscarriage, fertility issues and parental worries. She has also offered support after traumatic events and for those navigating complicated losses.

Cheryl has experience with neurodivergent adults and children and pays attention to sensory needs when working online. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community she says she provides a safe space to discuss sexuality and identity matters. Her style is warm, straightforward and led by what the client brings each week.

Practical details are discussed at first contact. Weekly sessions are the norm and she will work with each person to agree goals and the pace of the work.

How Cheryl's approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that reflect what matters most. It is often helpful for anxiety, stress and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking patterns and testing them with practical experiments or small actions to change mood and behaviour. It is commonly used for anxiety, low mood and sleep problems. Person-Centred Therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of the work, using listening and reflective dialogue to help someone feel heard and to clarify their own next steps.

Finding the right approach is part of the work and Cheryl treats this as a collaborative process. She will discuss options with each person and agree what to try based on individual goals, preferences and how the sessions are going. The plan can change as the client notices what helps.

Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into everyday life, for example by saving travel time and allowing a shorter check-in during a lunch break. Cheryl offers video, telephone and chat sessions as described in her profile, and clients should confirm the current session options before booking. The emphasis is on making therapy practical and manageable alongside day-to-day commitments.