Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell, BACP

Cheryl McDonald-Tuckwell is a UK-based therapist with 16 years of professional experience who offers online support tailored to each person she works with. She currently has availability only on Thursday during the day and does not have evening or weekend appointments. She provides weekly sessions via video, telephone, or chat, and does not offer fortnightly or ad-hoc appointments - she works on a weekly session rhythm to provide consistent support.

Her way of working is person-focused and collaborative. She aims to help people explore thoughts, needs, emotions, aspirations, and personal boundaries while being led by what they bring to each session. She strives to create a judgment-free space where people can be heard and accepted and where honest self-exploration is welcomed.

Cheryl has experience with adults, teenagers, and children across a wide range of concerns. Her work has included supporting people with depression, low mood, anxiety, stress, lack of confidence, eating difficulties, life-direction questions, divorce, loss, and parenting skills; assisting school-aged children with everyday worries, exam pressure, and school avoidance while supporting parents; and working with families through miscarriage, stillbirth, fertility problems, and termination of pregnancy. She has also supported people facing bereavement after violent crime, helped those affected by cancer-related loss, and worked with adults to understand and move forward from childhood emotional neglect and attachment-related issues.

Trained primarily in Person-Centred counselling and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - often shortened to CBT - Cheryl draws on a range of counselling techniques and life coaching to shape sessions to individual needs. She has experience supporting neurodivergent clients, focusing on social skills and emotional regulation while being mindful of sensory needs in an online setting. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community herself, she offers an affirming space for people exploring issues related to sexuality and gender. She holds BACP credentialing - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and adapts her approach with respect, sensitivity, and compassion to meet each person’s specific needs.

Therapeutic approaches for flexible online support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice and accept difficult thoughts and feelings while clarifying personal values and committing to small steps that move life in a meaningful direction. It can be useful for anxiety, stress, and situations where avoidance has become a barrier to living the life someone values.

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on providing an empathic, non-directive space in which a person’s own perspective and pace guide the work. This approach supports self-exploration, self-acceptance, and strengthening personal resources for a wide range of emotional concerns.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and offers practical strategies to shift unhelpful patterns. It is often applied to anxiety, depression, and problems where changing thinking or behavior can reduce distress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and is handled collaboratively. Registered professionals, including therapists, will work with the individual to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and can blend approaches as required to create a personalised plan.

Online therapy with Cheryl is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to access regular weekly support, adapt sessions to sensory or neurodivergent needs, and maintain continuity of care even when in-person meetings are not possible.