Cheryl Turner

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Cheryl Turner

Training Specialist II Ctr on Children Families & the Law University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Contact

Address
206 S 13th St Ste 1000
Lincoln, NE 68588-0227
Phone
402-472-3479 On-campus 2-3479
Email
cheryl.turner@unl.edu

Cheryl Turner, MA, LIMHP, LPC, is a Training Specialist II at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center on Children, Families, and the Law (CCFL) and a trauma and attachment therapist. From 2014 to 2024, Turner worked on CCFL's training team in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division of Children and Family Services. CCFL's training team delivered comprehensive New Worker Training to Child and Family Services Specialists, supervisors, and Tribal staff via classroom and distance learning. Creator of the Building Trauma-Capable Schools training and assessment initiative, and member of the CCFL Training Collaborative, Turner offers her expertise to public and private school systems as well as local, regional, and national audiences. Turner has extensive education in various areas of mental health and trauma and has focused her career on helping those most in need learn the necessary skills to succeed. She is a certified QPR, Motivational Interviewing, Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor. Turner is dedicated to supporting the mental well-being of children, adolescents, adults, and families and has over 26 years of experience as a training specialist and trauma therapist.

Education

  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln, BS (Criminal Justice)
  • Doane College-Lincoln, MA (Counseling)

Areas of Interest: 

  • Creating Trauma-Capable School systems
  • Children and Family systems
  • Mental Health and the impact it has on society
  • Attachment and Trauma
  • Understanding Behavioral Needs of Children
  • Maltreatment and its impacts across the lifespan
  • Impacts of trauma and stress on learning
  • Creating effective learning environments 
  • Providing clinical oversight and consultation for licensed mental health providers 
  • Clinical evaluation 

Professional Activities & Community Service: 

  • Keynote and presenter for multiple local, regional and national conferences 
  • Creator of Trauma-Capable Schools training and assessment program 
  • Mental Health First Aid Instructor (Adult, Youth, Higher Education, Public Safety, Veterans and Military)
  • QPR instructor 
  • Motivational Interviewing Instructor
  • Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner/Licensed Professional Counselor
  • Nationally recognized trauma consultant
  • “Pioneer in Trauma Informed Education” award winner 2017, Trauma Sensitive Schools national conference
  • Distinguished Service Award winner, Nebraska Court Improvement Project, 2025
  • Previous member of the Trauma-Informed Care Strategic Planning Group for the State of Nebraska (2014-2021)
  • Previous member of the Healthcare Oversight Committee for the State of Nebraska (2014-2024)