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Hi, I'm Cheryl Klein.
Welcome to Flying Solo Counseling & Books.
I offer more than two decades of experience as a licensed, professional counselor
working with issues, problems and challenges facing women and men through telehealth counseling services, published articles and books.
While counseling sessions began with the publication of my "Flying Solo" newsletter in 1999, offering strategies to those who were managing life on their own (never married, divorced, separated or widowed), my counseling practice now includes individuals who are facing life on their own or who are in committed relationships, or even somewhere in-between!
My education, training and experience includes working with anxiety, depression, losses, grief, issues at work or at home, parenting, dealing with elderly parents, and much more. We are living in challenging times with so many feeling alone. I'm ready to help: to listen, support and validate feelings and look together at whatever fears may be present, with a goal of offering hope, help and healing.
I am a licensed in-network provider for the following insurance companies:
-Aetna
-Anthem
-Blue Cross & Blue Shield (some policies)
-Martin's Point (except Medicare policies)
-United Health Care (UHC, Harvard Pilgrim)
How may I be most helpful to you?
Cheryl Klein, M. Div.,
Licensed Pastoral Counselor
Email: WeFlySolo@me.com
Phone/text (207) 892-SOLO (7656)
amazon.com/author/hopehelphealing
Professional verification provided by Psychology Today
Please note: If you are in crisis or this is an emergency, please contact 911, your local hospital emergency room, the local Maine toll-free crisis hotline (888)568-1112
or the national toll-free crisis hotline, 988
I do my best to provide my counseling clients with a wide range of resources that offer hope, help and healing. Among them are books I have written, available to past and current counseling clients, as well as those who may (or may not) be seeking counseling for themselves, at this time, but are simply seeking new ideas and alternatives for resolving the types of issues so many of us are facing. I believe that we are living in challenging times and there need be no shame in seeking help. - Cheryl Klein, M. Div. , LPasC
BOOKS
Learning the Fine Art of Flying Solo: A counselor's step-by-step survival guide
I developed and designed this volume to offer support and guidance for those who are facing life on their own, or who feel alone, even in a committed relationship. None of us would ever choose to be alone, right? Still, there may be times in our lives when we find ourselves alone, managing life on our own or feeling alone in a relationship (which many say is the worst loneliness imaginable). And, in managing life alone, we may come upon challenges and situations we’ve not yet faced as individuals.
In this book, I draw upon more than two decades in working with singles (never married, divorced, etc., of all ages) and others who feel alone, offering a step-by-step game plan for successfully managing life on your own until (and unless) the right person comes along. Fresh perspectives, support and affirmations from the pages of the author of Flying Solo Newsletter provide even more food for thought. Here is a listing of some of the contents:
-Finding Sure Footing (understanding the process of grieving the loss of a partner)
-Developing Confidence (learning to stand in one's own truth, despite what others might believe is "best" for us)
-Creating Comfort (recreating a sense of comfort and learning a new "bedtime story" to help us sleep)
-Where and how to find Care (accessing medical services and community support)
-Assuring Security (safety online and at home)
-Drawing upon your best Energy (nourishing and providing for our bodies, especially in stressful times)
-Locating Necessities (being a first-time car buyer or home buyer)
-Securing additional $$$ (extra income opportunities such as home-sharing, starting a business, etc.)
-Making Friends (expanding a community of friends and acquaintances for life's journey)
-Creating a path to Happiness (learning the secret to reaching a happy and peaceful space)
-Where to look for Help (community resources that may make all the difference in our lives)
-Embarking upon a journey of Faith (whether in a church or temple community, or simply on our own)
Nope, most of wouldn’t choose to be alone and it’s okay to remain ready for the next love in your life. But why not make the most of this time to learn and grown and become your own best self? Hope, help and healing are yours for the taking!
ISBN 979-8-9871691-3-1 Published in 2024 - Available on Amazon.com
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When is it MY turn? How to say NO without feeling guilty (really!)
If you’ve spent way too much of your life saying “YES” when you really wanted to say NO, this book offers a 3-stage plan to help you move from where you are to where you’d rather be: assertive, confident, and able to be clear about what you want and need.
In my counseling practice, I have observed how the consequences of being unable to say “no” often result in feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression, which may often pose a barrier to living one’s life in a peaceful and joyful way. Not being able to say “no” also sets up expectations for others about who we are, and what they might expect from us. In my work, I have found that even when folks are clear that it is depression, anger, anxiety or other feelings that bring them to seek help, a large percentage of them have difficulty setting healthy emotional boundaries. That’s what “saying NO” is all about! What does “guilt” really mean and when does it really apply to what’s going on?
I begin by examining how experiences and behavior shape our lives and our responses to others. We look at “birth order” theory, with a focus on how oldest, middle-born and youngest children may seek to avoid conflict, etc., and therefore be reluctant to say “no”. Other cultural trappings that may come into play, for boys and girls as they grow into men and women, include personality types, gender and generational challenges, and the issues of codependency and people-pleasing. Does “no” mean being selfish or self-nurturing?
Then, I look at how self-esteem and self-worth become the building blocks for being able to say both “yes” and “no” in genuine, authentic ways, and how to remedy deficits in these areas of an individual’s life. A 3-stage plan is offered for learning to say “no” without feeling guilt: peacemaking, informational and direct ways of responding to the questions, concerns and needs of others. I offer “words” to remember, validating the wants and needs of each of us, regardless of age, gender, being “typically-abled” or “differently-abled.
In vignettes which are client case composites, we explore how to say “no” in a variety of scenarios and situations. We begin with challenges that may face a customer needing to say no (asserting one’s rights, etc.) to a business; patients needing to say no in a medical setting, how to say no to friends at work as well as to a boss or supervisor whose needs may seem too great to manage in the time we’ve been allotted. There are ideas and possibilities for saying no to children of all ages, including grown children, and saying no to one’s elders, when individuals are themselves grown. We also look at how women and men may learn to say “no” in social situations and even in committed partnerships.
Included is a bibliography of sources I consulted, and also thoughtful words from artists, writers and other cultural icons, about the importance of being able to say “no.” ISBN 979-8-9871691-4-8 Published in 2025 -Available on Amazon.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holistic Self-Care: Body, Mind, SpiritA pastoral counselor’s 50 life lessons Your best life is waiting for you! What are you waiting for? Learn 50 tried-and-true self-care strategies for healing body, mind and spirit, that go well beyond “eat healthy and exercise.” This book presents self-care issues involving the body which include aging, emotional eating, exercise, sleep and more. Looking at the ways in which the mind is challenged, we will examine addiction, anger, anxiety, perfectionism, self-esteem and shame, among others. Considering the need for self-care of the spirit, we also address betrayal, boredom, bullying, fear, loneliness and stress, as well as others. In my own 50 life lessons, which I have passed along to counseling clients for more than two decades, are some frequently used in counseling sessions, such as setting healthy boundaries, forgiveness, gratitude, relaxation, resilience and serenity. In addition, I share my own tried-and-true remedies, such as the “bedtime story,” change-the-(brain)channel, “Don’t should on yourself,” the Happiness Scale, Laughter & Tears, the Molehill Journal and many others. In my role as a licensed pastoral counselor, I am both humbled and honored to work with believers and non-believers alike, with no agenda to suggest or “convert” anyone to any specific faith system, but encourage all to understand their own beliefs. This is in keeping with my own Unitarian Universalist beliefs which promote individual faith journeys. In a chapter describing how to move from living life out of fear, to living from a place of faith, I offer an exercise designed to help each reader better understand their own belief system, and then perhaps match it with an existing faith community. Many faith communities are offered for exploration. To be sure, what we’ve all been told, that self-care is about “eat healthy and exercise” is a good starting point, but in this book, we learn there is so much more that we can do for ourselves to lead a life of peace and joy. Ready? Set? Jump in! Your best life is waiting for you, here. ISBN 979-8-9999964-0-4 Published in 2025 - Available on Amazon.com All books are in paperback format
In my counseling practice, I have observed how the consequences of being unable to say “no” often result in feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression, which may often pose a barrier to living one’s life in a peaceful and joyful way. Not being able to say “no” also sets up expectations for others about who we are, and what they might expect from us. In my work, I have found that even when folks are clear that it is depression, anger, anxiety or other feelings that bring them to seek help, a large percentage of them have difficulty setting healthy emotional boundaries. That’s what “saying NO” is all about! What does “guilt” really mean and when does it really apply to what’s going on?
I begin by examining how experiences and behavior shape our lives and our responses to others. We look at “birth order” theory, with a focus on how oldest, middle-born and youngest children may seek to avoid conflict, etc., and therefore be reluctant to say “no”. Other cultural trappings that may come into play, for boys and girls as they grow into men and women, include personality types, gender and generational challenges, and the issues of codependency and people-pleasing. Does “no” mean being selfish or self-nurturing?
Then, I look at how self-esteem and self-worth become the building blocks for being able to say both “yes” and “no” in genuine, authentic ways, and how to remedy deficits in these areas of an individual’s life. A 3-stage plan is offered for learning to say “no” without feeling guilt: peacemaking, informational and direct ways of responding to the questions, concerns and needs of others. I offer “words” to remember, validating the wants and needs of each of us, regardless of age, gender, being “typically-abled” or “differently-abled.
In vignettes which are client case composites, we explore how to say “no” in a variety of scenarios and situations. We begin with challenges that may face a customer needing to say no (asserting one’s rights, etc.) to a business; patients needing to say no in a medical setting, how to say no to friends at work as well as to a boss or supervisor whose needs may seem too great to manage in the time we’ve been allotted. There are ideas and possibilities for saying no to children of all ages, including grown children, and saying no to one’s elders, when individuals are themselves grown. We also look at how women and men may learn to say “no” in social situations and even in committed partnerships.
Included is a bibliography of sources I consulted, and also thoughtful words from artists, writers and other cultural icons, about the importance of being able to say “no.” ISBN 979-8-9871691-4-8 Published in 2025 -Available on Amazon.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holistic Self-Care: Body, Mind, SpiritA pastoral counselor’s 50 life lessons Your best life is waiting for you! What are you waiting for? Learn 50 tried-and-true self-care strategies for healing body, mind and spirit, that go well beyond “eat healthy and exercise.” This book presents self-care issues involving the body which include aging, emotional eating, exercise, sleep and more. Looking at the ways in which the mind is challenged, we will examine addiction, anger, anxiety, perfectionism, self-esteem and shame, among others. Considering the need for self-care of the spirit, we also address betrayal, boredom, bullying, fear, loneliness and stress, as well as others. In my own 50 life lessons, which I have passed along to counseling clients for more than two decades, are some frequently used in counseling sessions, such as setting healthy boundaries, forgiveness, gratitude, relaxation, resilience and serenity. In addition, I share my own tried-and-true remedies, such as the “bedtime story,” change-the-(brain)channel, “Don’t should on yourself,” the Happiness Scale, Laughter & Tears, the Molehill Journal and many others. In my role as a licensed pastoral counselor, I am both humbled and honored to work with believers and non-believers alike, with no agenda to suggest or “convert” anyone to any specific faith system, but encourage all to understand their own beliefs. This is in keeping with my own Unitarian Universalist beliefs which promote individual faith journeys. In a chapter describing how to move from living life out of fear, to living from a place of faith, I offer an exercise designed to help each reader better understand their own belief system, and then perhaps match it with an existing faith community. Many faith communities are offered for exploration. To be sure, what we’ve all been told, that self-care is about “eat healthy and exercise” is a good starting point, but in this book, we learn there is so much more that we can do for ourselves to lead a life of peace and joy. Ready? Set? Jump in! Your best life is waiting for you, here. ISBN 979-8-9999964-0-4 Published in 2025 - Available on Amazon.com All books are in paperback format
What I love about my work: "It is deeply rewarding to serve as a coach, guide, mentor for those who are looking to make changes in their lives, in order to chart a new path to individual happiness. I know that making changes (even small ones) in our lives, can be challenging and I offer patience, confidentiality and compassion to all, as they move forward in their own time and in their own way." Cheryl Klein, M. Div.
Telehealth services are available Tuesdays through Fridays.
Minimum age for counseling services for individuals is 21. No services are available for couples, families or children.
As a licensed pastoral counselor, I am unable to accept Maine Medicaid, MaineCare or Medicare due to government requirements that prohibit licensed pastoral counselors from serving as providers for government insurance, due to the constitutional "separation of church and state." In addition to accepting the insurance listed above, I also offer private pay fees, $90-120 per session.
We're living in challenging times and sometimes life can feel overwhelming, for the best of us. Let's look together at whatever challenges you're facing, and find options for decreasing stress, increasing energy, and taking good care of yourself. Understanding self-care, and learning to say "no" without feeling guilty may often be part of our work.
If you are new to counseling....
If you are finding yourself alone, for the first time, or "yet again," you life might be at a standstill, or perhaps you are feeling stuck. I will draw upon my own lifetime of training, challenges and experiences to help. Together, we can move through and beyond whatever grieving might remain, to consider options for creating a richer, fuller life.......wherever you are, whoever you are!
When you're ready, here's how to get started.....
When you contact me (by text, voice mail or email), my first questions to you if you are seeking to begin couneling, will be regarding what insurance you're planning to use (if any) and what your availability for sessions might be. I am covered by most insurance but not all (see above). Together, we will look at what appointment times might be available, and when we find one that looks like it will work (or an every week or every-other-week basis), I will then email you the Informed Consent and New Client Registration forms to complete and return (by email or text message).
If there are questions or information you're not comfortable with providing in these electronic documents, we can take care of this together during the first session. When the time for your session comes, you'll be contacting me at my phone (207) 892-7656, whether phone or video. Most clients seem to prefer audio, but the choice is yours.
I'll want to hear what's most important for you, at each session, and listen carefully, so I can provide you with support, strategies, tools to help. We'll work together on a one-session-at-a-time basis, at the same day and time each week, which seems to work best for most counseling clients.
I'm always ready, too, to answer your questions and concerns about my training, background or any other aspect of our work. I am both humbled and grateful to be invited on the life journeys of my clients. Having worked on three hotlines before establishing my own private practice, I am well-versed in providing comfortable, effective telehealth sessions.