Cheryl Patterson, LMFT
Practical, story-based therapy for life changes
Details
| Name | Cheryl Patterson |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMFT |
| Based in | Minnesota |
| Licensed in | Minnesota |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 4 |
About Cheryl
Cheryl Patterson is a licensed marriage and family therapist who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship strain, and parenting challenges. She brings a direct, practical style that aims to make everyday problems feel more manageable. Cheryl speaks plainly and focuses on small, helpful steps during sessions.
Cheryl began her career as a registered nurse working in labor, delivery, postpartum, and nursery care. She later worked in adult psychiatric nursing for two years and provided therapy at Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge for three years.
Background and approach
That mix of medical and recovery experience shapes how she notices practical needs and safety in people's lives. She has run a recovery house for men and supervised a peer-directed living program. Cheryl says her own pathway into therapy grew from personal experience, and that perspective informs how she listens and responds.
She uses a spiritually attentive stance when clients want that included in counseling. Cheryl draws on Narrative Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy to guide sessions. She helps people tell their stories differently, clarify goals, and find small changes that add up.
Sessions can address things like sleep, anger, career decisions, fertility concerns, postpartum struggles, and midlife shifts. Cheryl holds an LMFT and is based in Minnesota. She works with individuals and couples on life changes and recovery-related issues.
Her approach centers on practical conversation, respectful curiosity, and helping clients name the steps they can try next.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship issues among the things Cheryl works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Parenting issues
- Coping with life changes
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Coaching
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Cheryl among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Cheryl among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Cheryl among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Cheryl directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Cheryl directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and goal-focused work translates online
Cheryl uses Narrative Therapy to help people retell difficult parts of their life story. This approach looks for unhelpful problem patterns and opens up new ways to make sense of events, which can ease anxiety, isolation, and identity concerns.She also relies on Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space. That means therapists listen closely, reflect what they hear, and support people to find their own answers rather than directing them. Motivational Interviewing is used when someone is wrestling with change or addiction; it focuses on clarifying motivations and building confidence for next steps.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, and then try approaches that fit those needs. Adjustments are made together as the work progresses.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit into busy lives. Video offers face-to-face connection, phone can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat works for shorter check-ins, and messaging supports ongoing reflection between meetings. These options help clients access care flexibly from different schedules and locations.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of concerns can Cheryl help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and parenting issues, sleep trouble, anger, low self-esteem, career questions, and life transitions.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is plainspoken and practical. She listens for people’s stories, helps reframe them, and focuses on small steps clients can take between sessions.
What is her background and experience?
She has four years of therapy experience plus prior work as an RN in labor and postpartum care, two years in adult psychiatric nursing, and several years at Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge.
Where is she licensed and based?
She holds a Minnesota LMFT and practices from Minnesota.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and preferences.
How are fees and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How does someone begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Cheryl are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Cheryl where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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