Meet Cheryl Delaney: Level 3 TEAM Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl Delaney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl, what principle do you value most?
More than any of the values or principles that spring to mind when I think of those words — kindness, compassion, generosity, courage, creativity — I value practice. In my work with clients, I find that practice is invaluable. People who work with me inevitably find themselves in a role play at one point or another and, as corny and awkward as they can be, they’re also amazingly powerful. In the same ways that practicing improves your skills and performance in sports and music and cooking, practice improves the skills you need to actually be kind. Promoting kindness is easy until the rubber meets the road and someone is rude to you and you want to snap back. It’s natural to lose your courage when you’re confronted by something truly scary and you’re not ready for it. I wish I’d known earlier in my life that you can get better at being the type of person you most want to be (maybe kind and compassionate, maybe bold and decisive) by remembering moments when those traits have come up in the past and things haven’t gone the way you wanted to – then practicing a different approach. Finally, one of the huge reasons I love practice is that I work with perfectionists and there’s nothing like practice for getting used to falling short. Among my colleagues, we talk about “failing joyously.” Practice means doing a thing on purpose when you know you aren’t very good at it, and you’re probably going to notice lots of ways you could be doing it better. As unappealing as that process can be, the more you do it, the more fun it is and the better you get at the skill you want to improve. We say that “practice makes perfect” but really, practice gives you the chance to fail repeatedly, get used to feeling okay about that, and use that experience to improve. 

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am intensely proud of having overcome so many of my own hesitations to practice. I still have room to grow in this arena—there are times when I feel defensive about feedback or I get nervous and want to avoid embarrassing myself. But in the big picture, I’m billions of times more comfortable and more willing to make an ass of myself to get better at things. I’m also proud of the many, many hours of reading and training I’ve put in to my work. I love that I have access to a long list of other professionals who are willing to think through challenges with me and support my work with my clients and I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built with them. I’m proud of my commitment to both improving and to getting feedback to let me know when I’m falling short so that I can make adjustments. Building a business is its own huge hurdle and I’m proud that I’ve stuck with it even though it’s easily one of the most challenging, most anxiety-inducing things I’ve ever done! Kudos to all the other small business owners here on Voyage ATL! Whatever the business, building it yourself is demanding and takes a huge commitment and I’m impressed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Mmmm… I love thinking about food. Some of my favorite spots near me are Ponko Chicken (for chicken, of course – their fries are great too) and Sweet Hut for bubble tea. Henderson Park is great for getting my kids out of the house and taking my dog for long walks in the woods. Ponce City Market is my favorite spot for a date night that builds window shopping, people watching, and delicious food all in one bustling place.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I’d love to celebrate here but you’d never publish them all. My biggest gratitude goes to my husband, Jason Delaney, who is the absolute best fit for me and has made me a better person in countless ways for the past (almost) two decades. My parents and my siblings are also great and I’m lucky I got to spend my childhood with people who value love and silliness and wholeheartedness. My career and professional identity changed the day I discovered TEAM therapy, developed by Dr. David Burns (feelinggood.com) and practiced by some of the absolute best people you’ll ever meet. The Feeling Good Institute (feelinggoodinstitute.com) was built to provide community and training to therapists around the world who want to learn more and practice TEAM. And finally, as someone who grew up in church but no longer believes in the tenets of Christianity, my Unitarian Universalist congregation (uuca.org) is a frequent source of joy and hope.

Website: bitbybitcounseling.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bit_by_bit_counseling/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bitbybitcounseling
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPseWOHAs6DasZJc2kbMHYg

Image Credits
Kelly Raye