About Chere Clark

Professional Focus

Chere Clark is a therapist with a difference. In her practice, Chere emphasizes helping clients to take control and effect change through greater self-awareness, knowledge of the problem, and an orientation toward "what is possible." She is especially prepared to address the diverse needs of men and women from all backgrounds, having over twenty years in teaching and community service work.

At Possibility Counseling, Chere's specialized focus is on providing help for clients who want to change unwanted habits, obsessions, and compulsive behaviors, especially food addiction (compulsive overeating), weight management, and other problems linked to overweight and obesity.

Therapy is offered for other difficult issues that also involve obsessions and compulsive behaviors (overspending, problem gambling, smoking, overworking, sex addiction, etc.).

In addition, at Possibility Counseling, the mission is to provide solutions for adults who are experiencing acute anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias; as well as emotional disturbance from the long-term effects of trauma from past abuse, domestic violence, crime victimization, and other experiences (post-traumatic stress disorder).

The focus of therapy extends further. As a mental health professional, Chere Clark is trained to identify and address the effects of depression and bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders, as well as personality disorders and other chronic and persistent mental illnesses.

Specialized treatment also includes help with relationship issues, especially when relationship counseling is not possible; difficult life transitions; and adjustment to major life disruptions (such as job loss, divorce, or illness). Anger management counseling is also offered.

Biographical Information

Chere feels a great affinity for the military community. She grew up the daughter of a Navy dentist, then served as a civilian in the Army and Air Force communities in Europe for over ten years, and has been an Army wife for over 21 years.

During much of this time, she worked as an adult educator, program administrator, and helping professional and, for over five years, in corporate training. Chere gained extensive experience in different counselor roles:

• Guidance Counselor, in adult education settings
• Career Counselor, in military environments
• Volunteer Program Counselor, in a community family support center

Later, continuing to follow her lifelong interest in helping people, Chere transitioned to a new career as a mental health counselor and completed her second master's degree in psychology, with a professional counseling specialty. In private practice in Lakewood, Washington, she continues to grow professionally through advanced training, most recently, for the treatment of PTSD and bipolar disorder.

She continues her work as an educator, often serving as an adjunct psychology instructor at Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood, Washington. She also offers mental health and personal growth workshops.

Chere Clark's practice is well-grounded in knowledge and experience with a wide spectrum of mental health issues facing individuals and families, ranging from anxiety, depression and related conditions; to the effects of abuse and recovery from trauma; to chronic mental illness. Her internship was completed in a large community mental health center. For another large mental health agency, she provided nearly 500 post-graduate hours of volunteer therapy services, and, since 2006, contributes her services as a volunteer therapist in the Fort Lewis community through the Red Cross.

Her experiences in mental health counseling, education, and related roles-helping adult men and women of diverse cultural backgrounds, educational levels, occupations, and ages-have forged Chere's enduring belief in peoples' opportunities for growth and capacity for change, despite even their most challenging circumstances.