About CHER HAMILTON-TEKAUTZ , LCSW
A space for your unfiltered & unmasked self
Hi! I’m Cher (she/her). I’m a somatic therapist, energy healer, and fellow queer, neurodivergent trauma survivor. I support adults who’ve always felt different, misunderstood, or like they had to hide who they are just to get through the day.
THIS MIGHT BE SURPRISING TO HEAR, But:
Having complex & conflicting feelings is normal as a trauma survivor.
To survive as a queer, neurodivergent trauma survivor, you had to learn how to be at odds with yourself—torn between your own needs and the needs of your caregivers, between your sensory needs and what was considered “acceptable,” between what you knew was right and what you were told to believe.
Now, as an adult, the desire to heal feels both liberating and terrifying. (Surprise: that’s normal, too.)
I’m here to help you soothe the battle that happens inside of you—with somatic therapy, energy healing, and a non-judgmental space to unmask and exist unfiltered.
If you’re feeling hesitant, but quietly curious, you’re in the right place.
How I work
Healing from trauma is both a lifelong process and something that can shift within sessions.
The power of somatic therapy, parts work, and energy healing is that they reach the parts of you that traditional talk therapy (which is inherently neurotypical) might overlook: the trauma held in your body, your nervous system, and your unconscious patterns of protection.
In our work together, we’ll create space for those experiences to be seen and slowly integrated. Whether through movement, breath, imagery, or energy work, we’ll follow what your body is ready to share—always at your pace, always with consent.
Healing doesn’t have to mean rehashing the past. Sometimes it means being present with what’s here now—and learning how to respond to it with curiosity and compassion, instead of self-blame or shutdown.
I CAN SUPPORT YOU WITH
Trauma & Complex PTSD
Neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism)
Relationship Issues
Consensual Non-Monogamy
Anxiety & Depression
LGBTQ+ Identity
Burnout
Attachment Concerns
My philosophy.
MY PHILOSOPHY
Awkwardness is welcome, weirdness is wonderful, and unmasking is always encouraged.
Therapy with me is
-
Your body holds wisdom, even if it feels like an enemy at times. We’ll explore how emotions and past experiences live in your body, then gently move them through, using somatic tools that fit your unique brain and capacity.
Equally important, your sensory needs matter to me. Whether you need the lights to be turned off, to wear sunglasses, to pop strong mints, or to fidget the whole session, I support what you need to feel comfortable.
-
Whether you connect with astrology, tarot, reiki, or just a strong sense of intuition, I welcome your spiritual self into the room. Energy healing isn’t separate from therapy; it’s another pathway for exploration and healing.
-
I work from an anti-oppressive lens, which means I don’t separate your mental health from the systems that shape it. Being queer, neurodivergent, disabled, or otherwise marginalized in a world built for the dominant group is traumatic. I acknowledge that healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum—and I actively work to name and challenge the systems of power that impact us both.
I also recognize the areas where I hold privilege, and I’m committed to unlearning internalized biases, staying accountable, and doing better.
-
I’m a quirky, non-judgmental soul who is unfazed by stimming, fidgeting, kinks, polycule dynamics, trauma stories, family drama, astrology discussions, or whatever comes up during our sessions. This is a space where you get to unmask and be unfiltered in who you are.
-
I love working with queer and gender expansive folks and those whose relationship orientation doesn’t fit into compulsory monogamy. I’ve worked with folks in polyamorous relationships, the furry community, and those into water sports, and attended trainings on non-monogamy and kink. I understand the importance of working with someone that you don’t have to explain things to.
From Lived Experience to Lasting Change
My own healing path from childhood trauma began with yoga—an unexpected door that allowed me to access emotions and sensations that talk therapy alone couldn’t quite reach. From there, I joined a healing group that offered deeper support and an introduction to somatic therapy, read everything I could find about trauma and nervous system regulation (Complex PTSD by Pete Walker was a game-changer), and began weaving together a more energetically expansive understanding of what it means to heal.
With the support of somatic work, energy healing, and a wonderfully accepting neurodivergent community, I began to notice profound changes:
I learned to prioritize myself and tend to my needs without guilt.
I started considering my own sensory and emotional capacity—in work, in relationships, and in daily life.
My interoception improved, and I felt more connected to my body’s signals.
I developed a clearer understanding of boundaries and how to respond when they were crossed.
I learned to navigate conflict more skillfully with the help of couples therapy.
I began to understand my attachment patterns and how they shaped my relationships.
Childhood trauma isn’t something you ever feel “okay” about—and I’m not here to gloss over what you’ve been through. But what I can offer is a path toward feeling less consumed by it. A path toward reclaiming your wholeness, reconnecting with your body, and leaning into your full, vibrant, neurodivergent, queer self—unmasked, unfiltered, and free to be just as you are.
No healing journey is linear, and no one approach works for everyone. But the lived experience I bring into this work can offer a sense of hope, grounded understanding, and deep attunement—enough for your system to begin softening and trusting. And from that place of safety, we can begin accessing the hidden parts of you that have been waiting to be seen, felt, and supported.
Whenever you're ready to take YOUR next step towards TRAUMA recovery, I’m here.
My Training & Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker #149.018323 (2016)
Master’s in Social Work, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2009)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level 1 (2021) & Level 2 (2022)
Becoming a Neurodivergent-Affirming Clinician (2024)
What’s Adult ADHD, Anyways? (2024)
Intersections of Sexuality: Exploring Best Practices with LGBTQIA+/BIPOC Clients (2024)
A PLACE TO HEAL—UNMASKED, UNFILTERED, JUST AS YOU ARE