Rebel Roots
My journey through the mental health field is deeply informed by personal challenges and triumphs, from surviving child trafficking to confronting systemic barriers associated with a late diagnosis of Autism and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and grappling with the harsh realities of incarceration as a multi-racial individual. These experiences have fueled my determination to dismantle oppressive structures and advocate for culturally competent, inclusive care.
Formally educated in social work and extensively trained in EMDR, I have cultivated tools to address trauma at its roots. This foundation, paired with decades of practical experience, allows me to provide transformative care that embraces the full spectrum of human experiences—from the deep wounds of historical and personal trauma to the everyday stresses of modern life.
Guided by the Lakota belief in reincarnation and the sacred journey of the soul through the "hole in the sky," I integrate the ancient teachings of my Indigenous ancestors with contemporary therapeutic practices. My work reflects a shared journey of healing, where every spirit carries its history, choices, and potential for renewal. In my practice, I create a space that nurtures those who wish to walk the path of anti-racism, drawing from their own lived experiences and the wisdom of their elders, recognizing that the seeds of prejudice have been sown in us all, carried like the wind across generations.
This understanding is deeply connected to the teachings of Louis Riel, another ancestral elder, who fought for the recognition and dignity of his people, the Métis, in the face of intense opposition from a system that devalued bi- and multi-racial identities. Alongside his wife, Marguerite Monet dit Bellehumeur, he resisted the forces that sought to erase their culture and identity. Although he was executed for his actions, his spirit of resistance and justice continues to inspire those who come after him.
Chericka's great-great-grandmother, Green Grass—a Stolen Sister—was the subject of a relentless search by Chericka's mother, Bunny, who sought to reclaim their tribal membership. Bunny raised Chericka within Lakota Sioux traditions, adapting these nature-based teachings to the realities of mainstream American culture in poor urban settings, navigating the ongoing legacy of forced assimilation.
Chericka's Great Great Uncle and brother to Green Grass, Chief Gall, Lakota Phizí, was an important military leader of the Hunkpapa Lakota in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Green Grass, held captive by the French Canadian fur trapper Jules Lamereaux, bore 17 children while enslaved, a lineage that also runs through Chericka’s veins. Chericka believes her mother, known to the family as Bunny, broke the pattern of abuse, and Chericka is dedicated to healing these ancestral wounds so that her children may be less vulnerable to their effects.
Article concerning GreenGrass Stolen Sister being trafficked after her wic'áxca, Washakie, was murdered.
Metis Elders: Louis Riel & Marguerite Monet dite Bellehumeur
As a child, my mother, Bunny, often shared stories of our ancestral elders, like Louis Riel and Marguerite, weaving their courage and resilience into my spirit. Their struggle was not just against colonial rule but against the deep prejudice that sought to diminish mixed-race identities—an injustice that still lingers today. These stories became more than lessons; they shaped my path, driving me to confront systemic barriers and navigate the world with the challenges of a late diagnosis.
Bunny also shared stories of her great-grandmother, Green Grass (Wíŋyaŋ Tȟóšaŋ), who was stolen and whitewashed, and of Bunny’s own journey marked by assault and the suppression of her many gifts. She searched tirelessly for Green Grass, seeking the truth of our lineage while fighting for her rightful enrollment—a right stolen from her through the oppression and suppression of records. These stories became my reality as well; I, too, have walked a similar path of struggle and survival.
As Green Grass before me, I too walked that difficult road and emerged, not unscathed but strengthened. This experience has become a guiding force in my work, a testament to the power of survival and the unbreakable spirit of our lineage. Even my rare Tȟóšaŋ ištá, serve as a symbol of our resilience and a sacred connection to the ancestors.
Inspired by the struggles of those who came before me, I am dedicated to dismantling oppressive structures and creating spaces for healing that honor and celebrate cultural identities. I am committed to challenging colonial narratives within mental health, advocating for care that truly embraces the complexities and richness of bi- and multi-racial people.
The stories my mother shared are central to my mission, guiding me to carry forward the work of healing and resistance, recognizing that this journey is one we walk together, across generations. It is not about labeling or division, but about understanding how history flows into the present and allowing each person to choose their path—guided by spirit and ancestral wisdom (Wóčhekiye). This approach challenges prevailing narratives in mental health and opens the way for care that fosters genuine recovery, growth, and reconnection to our true selves and communities.
Professional Background
and Qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Washington State Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) LW60169881
- WAC Approved Clinical Supervisor - State of Washington
- Bachelor of Arts - Chemical Dependency University of Central Oklahoma 1998
- Master of Social Work (MSW) University of Oklahoma, 2002
- Doctor of Social Work (DSW) University of Southern California - 2020
CERTIFICATIONS
- Mental Health Professional (MHP)
- Child Mental Health Specialist (CMHS)
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
- Member - National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- Member - EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
- Member - International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP)
Swell Session Mission
Committed to dismantling systemic barriers in mental health, our practice integrates anti-racist and decolonized methodologies to restore natural, ancestral practices as the standard of care.
Swell Session Vision
To reshape mental health services by identifying and addressing systemic failures, promoting a restorative approach that honors diverse, traditional wisdoms and ensures equitable access to healing for all communities.
Swell Sessions Approach
“Trauma is an injury, not an illness.”
Swell Sessions embraces the understanding that while trauma and its impacts are part of the natural order, profound strength and growth can arise through the healing process. Chericka views PTS as a virus of the nervous system, a pandemic that has been historically downplayed and its treatment gatekept. Swell Sessions focuses on dismantling systemic violence, guiding clients to externalize societal constructs that have disconnected them from their true selves and isolated them from natural communities of shared struggles, including people with disabilities, people of color, queer individuals, those living in poverty, and our vulnerable yet invaluable elders and children.
Swell Sessions facilitates quicker, sustainable recovery by integrating diverse healing modalities that honor the body, mind, and spirit. Our neurodivergent practitioners offer unique perspectives that resonate with clients who have felt marginalized by traditional therapeutic environments. The approach is solution-focused and results-oriented, ensuring that sessions are both productive and adaptable to each client’s pace, fostering consistent progress. The therapeutic techniques blend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and elements of Acceptance & Integrative therapies, along with relaxation and guided imagery, to prepare clients for EMDR. This intensive initial work elevates clients swiftly to a higher state of functioning and emotional stability, advancing them toward a maintenance phase for cost-effectiveness.
The practice incorporates somatic work, parts work, and family systems approaches to help clients connect with and integrate different aspects of themselves, enhancing their understanding and management of their internal dynamics. Additionally, Swell Sessions uses Family Constellations therapy to explore and resolve family dynamics and ancestral patterns, allowing clients to encounter, accept, and heal the past. Rituals and ceremonies provide powerful tools for ancestral healing, while meditation and visualization techniques foster deeper connections with one's ancestors. Energy and Ancestral lineage healing supports a non-dogmatic approach to healing that recognizes humans as part of a larger web of consciousness. This modality rests on the understanding that consciousness continues after death, the living and the dead can communicate, and both can profoundly affect one another.
By combining these diverse approaches, Swell Sessions creates a holistic practice that addresses the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Understanding epigenetics further enhances this work, revealing how trauma is transmitted across generations and allowing for meaningful healing of intergenerational wounds.