- relationships
- anxiety
- mindfulness
About Cheryl
Cheryl Wharton is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with 30 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, depression, addictions, trauma and grief, and issues around intimacy and parenting.
She takes a direct, person-focused approach in sessions. Cheryl invites clients to talk about what is happening and to name their goals. She listens for strengths and practical steps that can reduce overwhelm and improve day-to-day functioning. Conversations focus on what a person can try between sessions to test changes and gain momentum.
Her background includes a degree in psychology and a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. That training and decades of practice inform her use of talk therapy methods and skill-based tools. Cheryl draws on approaches that help people shift unhelpful thoughts, manage strong emotions, and improve communication in close relationships.
She describes working with people on codependency, communication problems, blended family issues, infidelity, and fatherhood concerns, among other life stresses. Cheryl also supports people dealing with addiction, bipolar mood concerns, and the fallout of trauma and abuse.
Sessions are practical and goal-oriented while allowing space for reflection. Cheryl aims to help clients identify patterns that get in the way, practice new skills, and move toward clearer decisions about work, relationships, and personal purpose.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions
Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and supporting a person as they identify goals and values; it is useful when someone needs space to sort out relationship choices or life direction. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical tools to change unhelpful thoughts and patterns and is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers specific skills for managing intense emotions and improving communication and can help with anger, relationship conflict, and coping with strong feelings.Picking the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to try first, based on their goals, problems, and what feels workable in everyday life. That discussion can include short-term skills practice and longer-term themes about meaning and relationships.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make scheduling easier around school, shifts, or commuting. It can allow for shorter check-ins, sessions that fit a lunch break, or using audio instead of video when bandwidth is limited. Therapists can adapt the methods above to the online setting to focus on skill practice, thought tracking, emotion regulation, and improving communication in relationships.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
30+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
Which concerns does she commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, parenting and related concerns such as codependency and communication problems.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She combines client-centered conversation with practical skill work drawn from CBT and DBT and includes mindfulness and existential perspectives as useful tools.
How much experience does she have?
She has 30 years of professional counseling experience, including work with individuals on relationship and life-change issues.
What credential does she hold and where does she practice?
She is a California LMFT and practices in California.
Can people who do not live in the US work with her?
She does not accept international clients; sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are offered?
Confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How does cost work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy through BetterHelp is for adults aged 18 and over and is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.