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CT Portrait of Cheryl Tan-Bell

Cheryl Tan-Bell

Compassionate, practical support for relationship and life change

PACFA Australia

Experience
15 years in practice
Focus areas
Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse
Approaches
Gottman Method, Attachment-Based Therapy
Languages
English

About Cheryl

Cheryl Tan-Bell offers calm, practical support for people facing relationship strain, family conflict, trauma, grief and major life changes. She writes with 15 years of professional experience and aims to help clients feel heard and understood.

Background and approach

Cheryl creates a space where thoughts and feelings can be spoken plainly and without judgement. She encourages small steps that build toward clearer choices and better day-to-day coping.

Cheryl draws on attachment-based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns. She also uses client-centred listening to follow what matters most to each person.

When helpful, she brings elements of the Gottman Method and cognitive-behavioural techniques to address communication problems, anxiety, low mood and intimacy concerns. Her work includes practical tools for managing stress, anger and caregiver burnout.

She supports people dealing with complicated family dynamics, blended family issues and separation. Cheryl is experienced helping those recovering from abuse, first responder stress and relationship ruptures.

Sessions often focus on improving communication, setting boundaries and rebuilding trust. Cheryl pays attention to shame, abandonment and attachment wounds that can make connection difficult.

She also addresses sexual diversity and kink matters with respect and non-judgemental language. Cheryl holds PACFA credentialing in Australia and has worked in community and clinical settings over her career.

She offers sessions in English and provides a mixture of video calls, phone, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first appointment.

How Cheryl adapts therapeutic approaches for online work

Cheryl commonly uses attachment-based therapy to explore how early bonds affect current relationships and emotional responses. This approach helps people understand patterns of closeness, abandonment fears and trust issues, and how those patterns show up in daily life. She also draws on the Gottman Method to focus on communication habits, conflict repair and practical steps people can try to improve interactions. Cognitive-behavioural ideas are used at times to identify unhelpful thinking and to practise alternative responses for anxiety and low mood.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Cheryl listens to each person's concerns, goals and preferences and then suggests ways of working together. Plans are reviewed and adjusted as therapy progresses so the focus stays relevant and useful.

Online therapy here is offered through a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls are suited to longer, in-depth work where seeing expressions helps the conversation. Phone sessions can fit into a busy day or need less bandwidth, while live chat or messaging work well for shorter check-ins, scene-setting between sessions or people who prefer typing. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and other commitments.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does Cheryl help with?
She supports people facing relationship strain, family conflict, trauma and abuse, grief, anxiety and stress. Additional focuses include parenting, intimacy issues, ADHD, career stress and compassion fatigue.
How would you describe Cheryl's therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and client-centred, with practical tools and clear listening. She blends attachment-informed work with cognitive and emotion-focused techniques when useful.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
Cheryl has 15 years of professional experience working in community and clinical settings. That background informs her approach to complex family and trauma-related work.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
Cheryl holds PACFA credentialing and practises in Australia.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with Cheryl?
International clients are not currently accepted; her practice is based in Australia.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How do I start a first appointment?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Relationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseGriefCoping with life changes

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyLGBTIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centred TherapyCognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Gottman MethodSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

15+ years

Registered with

PACFA

Languages

English