Cheryl Youngblood, LCSW

Cheryl Youngblood is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California with 12 years of professional experience supporting children, adolescents, caregivers, and families. She began her career working directly with youth and families and later served as director of a foster and adoptive services agency, where she encountered a wide range of challenges including trauma, domestic violence, self-injurious behaviors, and post-traumatic stress. That experience motivated her to pursue licensure in social work to deepen her clinical skills and broaden her ability to help others.

Cheryl brings a gerontology-informed perspective and welcomes mature clients as well as those navigating caregiving responsibilities. She has experience addressing retirement adjustment, grief, transitions to assisted living, existential concerns, and cognitive changes, and she supports family members who balance caregiving with their own life demands. Her approach honors life experience and emphasizes strengths, resilience, and practical strategies to reduce caregiving stress and improve daily functioning.

Grounded in client-centered care, Cheryl integrates mindfulness and evidence-informed techniques to help clients live more fully in the present. She draws on guided imagery, breathing practices, sensory tools, tapping, and meditation alongside therapeutic frameworks to address stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, addictions, ADHD, and a broad range of life transitions. Her style is compassionate, nonjudgmental, and collaborative, aiming to create a nurturing space where clients feel heard and can build tools for healing and growth.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care with Cheryl

Cheryl integrates client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emotionally-focused therapy to meet each person's needs. Client-centered therapy emphasizes empathy and collaboration, helping clients explore their feelings and strengths so they can set personal goals and build self-awareness. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and shifting unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress while teaching practical coping skills. Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT) helps people understand and change patterns in close relationships by exploring emotions and improving connection and communication.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Cheryl works collaboratively with each client to determine what fits best. She considers the client’s goals, preferences, and life context and adapts techniques over time so therapy remains relevant and effective.

Online sessions offer flexible ways to engage in care through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule appointments around work, caregiving, or mobility concerns and allow clients to access therapy from home or other convenient locations. Cheryl uses these formats to provide consistent, accessible support while tailoring methods to each client’s situation.