Roma Cheeré Mateo, M.Ed, Ed.S

Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern

Phone: 561-472-0397 ext. 702

romacheere@cornerstonecounselingpb.com

Hi, I’m Roma Cheeré! I am a license-eligible Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to South Florida with my family at the age of seven. My experience growing up in the United States within a Filipino community and going to school with what seemed like people from all over the world, increased my curiosities around culture, identity, both justice and injustice, cognitive flexibility and inflexibility, anxieties and dreams, and freedom.

In sharing a bit of my background, I present some of the values I bring into our work together: curiosity, freedom, and self-knowledge. At the same time, I believe that the meaningful work in knowing about ourselves is then to live it out in practice fully engaged in life. Something to be mindful of in our work is counseling involves a willingness to participate in the experience of looking at ourselves in all that we are, both the pained and celebrated parts. I invite a space where you feel safe to explore all of your identities, all the tools you have learned, as I walk alongside you, maybe sharing some tools when you need. Some tools may be noticing beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, breathing, grounding, acceptance and commitment to action.

I have worked with persons of diverse countries and identities. I have taught mindfulness in facilitated groups of various ages between K-12 (some oriented towards emotional regulation and literacy) and teachers, provided counseling for immigrants or new residents, worked with clients on recognizing spiritual meaning and connection, as well as crisis intervention and trauma-informed counseling across ages and roles. I work with veterans who are transitioning into civilian life, students transitioning into professional careers, families with adolescents, couples moving into married life, adolescents navigating identity and the world.

To place a theory, I utilize a Relational-Cultural Theory approach along with Focusing and Felt-sense language, as well as inviting emotional literacy (placing a feeling word to a present emotion). I take a systemic lens which in summation is noticing how current context, maybe patterned behaviors and processing, is impacting the person themselves and/or the group to then maybe invite something fresh and new. I also geek out about the Enneagram which I believe can be a useful map of self in relation to health and unhealth.

Outside of the office and zoom room, I like to spend my time reading (children’s fiction books are a recent favorite), creating my garden, watching movies and dramas, walking outside, ordering something off the menu that I do not know, and delighting with family and friends.