Cheryl Crusse, LCSW

Cheryl Crusse is a licensed clinical social worker with thirty years of experience helping people manage mood and stress-related concerns. She uses practical strategies to address anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and bipolar symptoms. Cheryl writes plainly and works to make sessions feel focused and accessible for worried parents and busy adults.

In sessions she emphasizes clear skills people can use between meetings. Cheryl draws on cognitive behavioral techniques to identify unhelpful thoughts and build healthier habits. She also uses acceptance and commitment ideas to help people live by their values even when feelings are hard.

Cheryl pays attention to relationships and communication. She helps people navigate intimacy-related problems, rebuild trust, and set boundaries. She also supports those coping with life changes, career strain, compassion fatigue, and complex grief.

Her background includes work with older adults and veterans, and she brings that experience into care for people facing aging or service-related concerns. Cheryl focuses on attachment issues, codependency, and mood disorders while keeping each session practical and grounded.

Sessions are structured to combine skill teaching, problem-solving, and time to process emotions. Cheryl aims to help clients discover small steps that lead to steady change. Her Florida practice emphasizes respectful listening and concrete tools that fit daily life.

How Cheryl’s approaches work in online therapy

Cheryl commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot and change unhelpful thought patterns and routines. CBT focuses on small, practical steps such as testing thoughts, changing behaviors, and building coping skills for anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

She also integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which teaches how to notice difficult feelings without getting stuck and to take actions that match a person’s values. That approach can be useful for grief, chronic stress, and persistent low mood. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are another element she brings in for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and improving communication when feelings run high.

Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist and client review goals, try strategies, and adjust the plan over time. Cheryl aims to match tools to each person’s needs and preferences rather than using a single method for everyone.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which add flexibility for different schedules. Video works well for full sessions and face-to-face conversation. Phone can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or a quicker check-in is needed. Messaging and live chat suit brief check-ins, homework feedback, or when writing feels easier than speaking.