AHEC-SSW Training Partnership
Consultant Information Sheet
Name:
Position/Title:
Work Address:
Cherie Spehar, LCSW, CTC-S, RPT-S
Founder, Director, Lead Clinician
207 South Salem St, Apex NC 27502
Work Phone : (919) 606-2547
E-mail Address: smilingspiritpathways@gmail.com
Fax Number: (877) 673-1888
Education/Degrees:

Associate of Arts – Human Services

Bachelor of Science – Counseling Psychology

Master of Social Work – Children and Families
Professional Certifications:

Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S)

Certified Trauma Specialist (CTS)

Certified Trauma Consultant (CTC)

Certified Trauma Consultant- Supervisor (CTC-S)

Certificate of Advanced Study in Journal Therapy (CAS)
Brief Summary of Work Experience:
Cherie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Facilitator, Registered Play Therapist-
Supervisor, and Certified Trauma Consultant-Supervisor in Apex, NC. A clinician since
1994, she has dedicated her life to the well-being and healing of children, women and families. With her extensive clinical background, her professional path has found her in healing environments such as residential care, inpatient mental health, and in-home services. She has also held longstanding roles such as Executive Director of The Child
Abuse Prevention Center in Raleigh, NC and Training Coordinator and Developer with the North Carolina State University Social Work Department. Now, she can be found at her private practice center, Smiling Spirit Pathways LLC, where she has developed a haven for consultation, training, child and family therapy, and trauma services. There, she also develops children’s groups and facilitates workshops related to resiliency, “trauma parenting”, and women’s wellness. Cherie is a Certified Trauma Consultant- Supervisor with The National Center for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) and has served hundreds of children and adults with TLC Programs. Additionally, she has pioneered efforts in her local and statewide school system to bring Trauma-Informed approaches into the educational setting and provides regular consultation to community agencies on

Trauma-Informed Care. Cherie also provides presentations, Keynotes, and trainings locally and nationally on working with traumatized children and adults. She further specializes in Therapeutic Writing interventions and holds a Certificate of Advanced
Study in this expressive therapy field. Cherie has recently developed a Trauma
Mentorship Program in which she accepts beginner and advanced candidates for intensive study in the use of trauma-informed interventions and approaches.
Specialization/Research Areas:

Trauma and Loss

Evidence Based Expressive Therapies
Available for presentations on the following:

Trauma and Traumatic Stress

Trauma-Informed Mindfulness

Not Another Buzzword – Trauma Informed Ethics

Secondary Wounding – Wounding Others, Wounding Self – How to Help

Play Therapy

Journal Therapy

Sandtray Therapy

Resilience in the Healing Process

Group Therapy

Play-Based Assessment

Expressive Therapies

Trauma-Informed Ethics

Relational Trauma

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy

Clinical Supervision