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- Welcome to Flying Solo Counseling & Books! Hello, I'm Cheryl Klein. I offer telehealth counseling services by phone, video, or online as well as publishing books that explore counseling issues. Some of my books are "self-help" non-fiction with others using a literary fiction format to present issues and strategies for understanding relationship challenges and the process of making changes. At the start of my career, I worked for the 774-HELP suicide hotline (Portland) as well as other crisis social service agencies, which helped me to make a smooth transition to Telehealth at the start of the pandemic. When other mental health provicers closed their doors, I sought out training to allow me to continue serving my clients without interruption. In my practice, I offer heart-felt compassion for the challenges facing my clients in a "judgement-free" setting. No shame or blame! Why "flying solo?" While I work well with those who are coupled, I have a special sensitivity to those who are single by "choice" or by "chance," or who those may be feeling alone in a relationship. I offer hope, help and healing to those for whom there are other issues, difficulties or concerns. While I am a licensed pastoral counselor, my practice is open to those of great faith, little faith, lost faith, or no identifiable faith, with no "agenda" to convert or change anyone's belief system. You may be wondering, "Will telehealth counseling work for me?" So many of my counseling clients did begin by asking that very question. What we've learned, together, whether they choose video, online (Psychology Today) or audio-only (phone), is that we can make our sessions work during lunch hours, while they are out managing family or other responsibilities, while folding laundry, etc. It has been deeply gratifying for me to be able to move beyond the confines of an office setting to be able to help women and men within the parameters of their own lives and availability. Telehealth offers the opportunity to avoid leaving work early, come home late, drive in bad weather or find child care! My education, training and experience include effective strategies for resolving issues of anxiety, depression, losses, grief, challenges at work or at home, parenting, dealing with elderly parents, bullying (at home, at work or elsewhere), relationships and much more. Since establishing my private practice in Windham in 1999, I have helped hundreds of women and men with the difficulties in their individual lives, so they could move on to live their best lives. I'm ready to help you, too! I am a licensed in-network provider for the following insurance companies: -Aetna -Anthem -Blue Cross & Blue Shield (some policies, please call your member services contact to confirm) -Martin's Point (with the exception of Medicare policies) -Optum -United Health Care (UHC, Harvard Pilgrim) Unfortunately, as a pastoral counselor, due to "the separation of church and state," in the US Constitution, I am ineligible to provide services for government insurance, ie., MaineCare, MediCare, Tri-Care, etc. I'm so sorry about this; it is not my choice and I do regret being unable to serve those with these government insurances. I do accept private pay also (scroll down for details). Looking for my books? I have written both non-fiction (self-help) and literary fiction books. Please scroll down this site for more information or vsit:
- https://amazon.com/author/hopehelphealing How might I be most helpful to you? Please feel free to email, phone or text me. Cheryl Klein, M. Div., Licensed Pastoral Counselor Email: WeFlySolo@me.com Phone/text (207) 892-SOLO (7656) Search Amazon books for: "Cheryl Klein, M. Div." 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
Here are the books I have written and published. Many are available as eBOOKS while others are in Paperback format. All are available on Amazon.com
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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. Not many 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 have told me is the worst loneliness imaginable). Others, too, who are choosing to "fly solo" may find the answers to needs or issues they've been seeking within these pages.
In this book, I draw upon more than two decades of working with singles (never married, divorced, widowed, etc., of all ages) and others who feel alone. I present ideas for how to manage finances, home settings, social connections, and more, offering a step-by-step game plan for successfully managing life on your own until (and unless) the right person comes along.
ISBN 979-8-9871691-3-1 Published in 2024 - Available on Amazon.com
To locate, search for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div.
https://amazon.com/author/hopehelphealing
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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 results in feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression, which may often pose a significant challenge for 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. What does “guilt” really mean and when does it really apply to what’s going on? It may be helpful to differentiate feeling "guilty" from feeling sad, or angry, hurt, etc.
This book offers ideas and possibilities for saying "no" at work as well as in customer situations, medical providers, etc. It also offers strategies for saying NO to children of all ages, including grown adult children, and saying no to one’s elders. We also look at how women and men may learn to say “no” in social situations and even in committed partnerships. You deserve respect for your needs and wants. This book helps readers get from where they are now to being about to express a thoughtful and valid "NO" when it's needed.....without feeling guilty! ISBN 979-8-9871691-4-8 Published in 2025 -Available on Amazon.com To locate this book, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Holistic Self-Care: Body, Mind, SpiritA pastoral counselor’s 50 life lessons Your best life is waiting for you! Learn 50 tried-and-true self-care strategies for healing body, mind and spirit. This book presents self-care strategies regarding the body's challenges such as aging, emotional eating, exercise, sleep and more. Looking at the ways in which the mind is challenged, we also examine addiction, anger, anxiety, perfectionism, self-esteem and shame, among others. Considering the need for self-care of the spirit, we also address issues such as betrayal, boredom, bullying, fear, forgiveness, gratitude, oneliness 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, there are some frequently used in counseling sessions, such as strategies for setting healthy boundaries, finding a path to forgiveness, expressing gratitude, learning relaxation, practicing resilience and finding 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 other alternative fixes for what hurts. 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. 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 presented in easy-to-understand form. 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. ISBN 979-8-9999964-0-4 Published in 2025 - Available on Amazon.com To locate this book, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. --------------------------------------------------------------- And, just for fun (!) published in time for Galentine's/Valentine's Day, 2026, I've written a volume of fiction: Her 5 Husbands: A Wicked Good Maine Novel" What would it be like to receive, from an anonymous donor, a parcel of 55 acres in the beautiful countryside of central Maine, along with a generous check and the mandate to make it something "special?" Rachel Gould finds herself moving from her ordinary life, as a sociology professor at an alternative college in Maine, to creating a sleepaway camp for women. Realizing she'll need help to create what she's envisioning, she turns to the community, where she is a newcomer. One by one, five very different and unique men step forward to offer their time and talents, and the six of them spend a long, hot summer together. For Rachel, it feels a bit like having five husbands! There's love, romance, tension and challenging conversations between them, as Rachel works to educate them about what women really need. In a surprise twist, it is only when the project is completed that Rachel learns there was once another woman there, on that very land, many years before, who married and buried 5 husbands. Clearly, Camp 5H has been holding onto many secrets from the past. ISBN 979-8-9999964-1-1 Published on Valentine's Day, 2026 To locate this book, search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. "Two Visions, One Life" will be the first of the "Second-Act Second Chance Maine Romance" Series! The books in this series are designed to present the types of situations many of us find ourselves in, trying to make a relationship work. It is often a balancing act, trying to meet the needs of our romantic partner while standing up for ourselves and our own needs.....without feeling guilty! In the first book in this series, "Two Visions, One Life: How NOT to sell your soul for love" Rosie Meyers finds herself reconnecting with her high school sweetheart, after many decades apart. She's grown professionally, emotionally and spiritually but he's pretty much where they were at age 17. He criticizes her life, her choices, her profession while insisting he loves her. Rosie does her best to meet his needs, and "not make waves" but that can only last so long. They discuss codependence, interdependence and independence. Finally, she digs deep for the courage within, and stands up for herself, her choices and her needs, while demanding the truth about a secret he has been keeping. In the end, she puts him to the test, scoring him on her personal "list of 100" things and behaviors and attitudes that she's seeking, and the score shows Rosie, in black and while, where things stand. It is one woman's revolutionaly and faith-filled march to a new sense of independence! ISBN 979-8-9999964-2-8 {published on the 4th of July, 2026) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Two Roads, One Path," is the second book in the "Second-Act Second Chance Maine Romance" series, and finds Rosie Meyers encountering yet another love from her past. We begin by asking, What might a 1967 yellow Mustang, a visit to Key West and a “list of 100” (behaviors, attitudes, values, etc.) have in common? They’re part and parcel of 50-something Rose Meyer’s newest love, rekindled through an unexpected encounter with Jimmy Jacques, 10 years her senior. In this second volume of the “Second Act second-chance Maine romance series” the two meet again, unexpectedly at a Classic Car show. They’d been together and exclusive some 10 years ago, but it hadn’t worked out then. What are the possibilities now?Both have kids who are “grown and flown,” so this should be a no-brainer. They’re adults, in charge of their own lives, right? One of the challenges the couple faces, however, is that Jimmy’s kids still turn to him to help with the grandkids, and they do it unexpectedly, with no regard for whatever other plans Jimmy (and Rosie) might have. The crazy part is that when one of the grandkids misbehaves, the child is sent to Jimmy for discipline. But, as Rosie learns, Jimmy is not any type of disciplinarian, so what kids get from him is love, ice cream, and good times. How does that help? Rosie can’t help but see that Jimmy is either unwilling or unable (the jury’s still out!) to set healthy emotional boundaries with his grown daughters in any way, shape or form. Rosie and Jimmy first met, more than 10 years before, when he found himself transfixed, watching Rosie, through his wife’s hospital room window, lead worship services on the outdoor patio of the rehabilitation facility across the street. Jimmy was clearly grief-stricken as his wife lay dying, and one day after she had passed, he dared to cross the street and meet Rosie. It wasn’t long before they realized they hit it off, and began dating, spending a great deal of time at Jimmy’s secluded lakeside home, about an hour west of Portland. All might have gone well for the couple, this many years later, except for the interference by his grown daughters. It seems they had never forgiven Rosie for breaking Jimmy’s heart by ending the relationship previously. For her part at that time, Rosie had come to see that, although Jimmy had proposed and given her an engagement ring, he was still grieving the loss of Cindy, and was in no way ready to make a new commitment with his body, heart, soul. When word of their renewed acquaintance gets back to Sandra and Jenny, his grown daughters, Rosie becomes the object of their rage, time and again. They do not want Rosie back in Jimmy’s life, and when “push” comes to “shove,” Jimmy Jacques, a kind and gentle man who believes he might have saved their mom’s life if only he’d sought medical attention for her sooner----well, Jimmy does not “push” back. He does not stand up for Rosie or their relationship. As the two travel life’s bumpy road together, Jimmy thinks he has a solution to this issue with his grown daughters. Now approaching his 65th birthday, Jimmy decides to retire from his architectural career and move to a retirement community, some 30 miles away. (In Maine winters that can be quite a challenge!) He wants Rosie to give up the work she loves, retire with him and move into the same community. Rosie is clear that this won’t work for her. The two wonder when it might be their turn to start a new life together? There are many factors at play, and one big surprise yet to come, as they look at the two roads they have traveled together and the only possible path before them. ISBN 979-89999964-3-5 {published just in time for National Grandparents' Day, September 13, 2026) To locate these books, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div
In my counseling practice, I have observed how the consequences of being unable to say “no” often results in feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, and depression, which may often pose a significant challenge for 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. What does “guilt” really mean and when does it really apply to what’s going on? It may be helpful to differentiate feeling "guilty" from feeling sad, or angry, hurt, etc.
This book offers ideas and possibilities for saying "no" at work as well as in customer situations, medical providers, etc. It also offers strategies for saying NO to children of all ages, including grown adult children, and saying no to one’s elders. We also look at how women and men may learn to say “no” in social situations and even in committed partnerships. You deserve respect for your needs and wants. This book helps readers get from where they are now to being about to express a thoughtful and valid "NO" when it's needed.....without feeling guilty! ISBN 979-8-9871691-4-8 Published in 2025 -Available on Amazon.com To locate this book, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Holistic Self-Care: Body, Mind, SpiritA pastoral counselor’s 50 life lessons Your best life is waiting for you! Learn 50 tried-and-true self-care strategies for healing body, mind and spirit. This book presents self-care strategies regarding the body's challenges such as aging, emotional eating, exercise, sleep and more. Looking at the ways in which the mind is challenged, we also examine addiction, anger, anxiety, perfectionism, self-esteem and shame, among others. Considering the need for self-care of the spirit, we also address issues such as betrayal, boredom, bullying, fear, forgiveness, gratitude, oneliness 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, there are some frequently used in counseling sessions, such as strategies for setting healthy boundaries, finding a path to forgiveness, expressing gratitude, learning relaxation, practicing resilience and finding 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 other alternative fixes for what hurts. 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. 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 presented in easy-to-understand form. 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. ISBN 979-8-9999964-0-4 Published in 2025 - Available on Amazon.com To locate this book, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. --------------------------------------------------------------- And, just for fun (!) published in time for Galentine's/Valentine's Day, 2026, I've written a volume of fiction: Her 5 Husbands: A Wicked Good Maine Novel" What would it be like to receive, from an anonymous donor, a parcel of 55 acres in the beautiful countryside of central Maine, along with a generous check and the mandate to make it something "special?" Rachel Gould finds herself moving from her ordinary life, as a sociology professor at an alternative college in Maine, to creating a sleepaway camp for women. Realizing she'll need help to create what she's envisioning, she turns to the community, where she is a newcomer. One by one, five very different and unique men step forward to offer their time and talents, and the six of them spend a long, hot summer together. For Rachel, it feels a bit like having five husbands! There's love, romance, tension and challenging conversations between them, as Rachel works to educate them about what women really need. In a surprise twist, it is only when the project is completed that Rachel learns there was once another woman there, on that very land, many years before, who married and buried 5 husbands. Clearly, Camp 5H has been holding onto many secrets from the past. ISBN 979-8-9999964-1-1 Published on Valentine's Day, 2026 To locate this book, search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div. "Two Visions, One Life" will be the first of the "Second-Act Second Chance Maine Romance" Series! The books in this series are designed to present the types of situations many of us find ourselves in, trying to make a relationship work. It is often a balancing act, trying to meet the needs of our romantic partner while standing up for ourselves and our own needs.....without feeling guilty! In the first book in this series, "Two Visions, One Life: How NOT to sell your soul for love" Rosie Meyers finds herself reconnecting with her high school sweetheart, after many decades apart. She's grown professionally, emotionally and spiritually but he's pretty much where they were at age 17. He criticizes her life, her choices, her profession while insisting he loves her. Rosie does her best to meet his needs, and "not make waves" but that can only last so long. They discuss codependence, interdependence and independence. Finally, she digs deep for the courage within, and stands up for herself, her choices and her needs, while demanding the truth about a secret he has been keeping. In the end, she puts him to the test, scoring him on her personal "list of 100" things and behaviors and attitudes that she's seeking, and the score shows Rosie, in black and while, where things stand. It is one woman's revolutionaly and faith-filled march to a new sense of independence! ISBN 979-8-9999964-2-8 {published on the 4th of July, 2026) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Two Roads, One Path," is the second book in the "Second-Act Second Chance Maine Romance" series, and finds Rosie Meyers encountering yet another love from her past. We begin by asking, What might a 1967 yellow Mustang, a visit to Key West and a “list of 100” (behaviors, attitudes, values, etc.) have in common? They’re part and parcel of 50-something Rose Meyer’s newest love, rekindled through an unexpected encounter with Jimmy Jacques, 10 years her senior. In this second volume of the “Second Act second-chance Maine romance series” the two meet again, unexpectedly at a Classic Car show. They’d been together and exclusive some 10 years ago, but it hadn’t worked out then. What are the possibilities now?Both have kids who are “grown and flown,” so this should be a no-brainer. They’re adults, in charge of their own lives, right? One of the challenges the couple faces, however, is that Jimmy’s kids still turn to him to help with the grandkids, and they do it unexpectedly, with no regard for whatever other plans Jimmy (and Rosie) might have. The crazy part is that when one of the grandkids misbehaves, the child is sent to Jimmy for discipline. But, as Rosie learns, Jimmy is not any type of disciplinarian, so what kids get from him is love, ice cream, and good times. How does that help? Rosie can’t help but see that Jimmy is either unwilling or unable (the jury’s still out!) to set healthy emotional boundaries with his grown daughters in any way, shape or form. Rosie and Jimmy first met, more than 10 years before, when he found himself transfixed, watching Rosie, through his wife’s hospital room window, lead worship services on the outdoor patio of the rehabilitation facility across the street. Jimmy was clearly grief-stricken as his wife lay dying, and one day after she had passed, he dared to cross the street and meet Rosie. It wasn’t long before they realized they hit it off, and began dating, spending a great deal of time at Jimmy’s secluded lakeside home, about an hour west of Portland. All might have gone well for the couple, this many years later, except for the interference by his grown daughters. It seems they had never forgiven Rosie for breaking Jimmy’s heart by ending the relationship previously. For her part at that time, Rosie had come to see that, although Jimmy had proposed and given her an engagement ring, he was still grieving the loss of Cindy, and was in no way ready to make a new commitment with his body, heart, soul. When word of their renewed acquaintance gets back to Sandra and Jenny, his grown daughters, Rosie becomes the object of their rage, time and again. They do not want Rosie back in Jimmy’s life, and when “push” comes to “shove,” Jimmy Jacques, a kind and gentle man who believes he might have saved their mom’s life if only he’d sought medical attention for her sooner----well, Jimmy does not “push” back. He does not stand up for Rosie or their relationship. As the two travel life’s bumpy road together, Jimmy thinks he has a solution to this issue with his grown daughters. Now approaching his 65th birthday, Jimmy decides to retire from his architectural career and move to a retirement community, some 30 miles away. (In Maine winters that can be quite a challenge!) He wants Rosie to give up the work she loves, retire with him and move into the same community. Rosie is clear that this won’t work for her. The two wonder when it might be their turn to start a new life together? There are many factors at play, and one big surprise yet to come, as they look at the two roads they have traveled together and the only possible path before them. ISBN 979-89999964-3-5 {published just in time for National Grandparents' Day, September 13, 2026) To locate these books, please search Amazon for books by Cheryl Klein, M. Div
In all my endeavors, whether counseling or writing, "empowerment," especially for women, is my primary goal. I have learned that when we are able to see our life's journey as challenges we've survived rather than how we may have fallen short, we can begin to create a personal narrative that allows us to see ourselves as successful, and develop renewed confidence for moving forward. Cheryl Klein, M. Div.
Telehealth services, which may be audio (phone) or video are available Tuesdays through Fridays.
Minimum age for counseling services for individuals is 21. No telehealth services are offered for couples, families or children.
As a licensed pastoral counselor, I deeply regret that I am unable to accept Maine Medicaid, MaineCare or Medicare due to credentialing equirements that prohibit licensed pastoral counselors from serving as providers for government insurance, due to the constitutional "separation of church and state."
For those not using insurance, I also offer private pay fees, $90 (45-minute sessions) and $120 (60-minute sessions). Credit, debit and HSA cards are handled with care and safety.
To receive info on Cheryl's newest books, as they are published, please email her WeFlySolo@me.com and ask to be added to the NEW BOOKS list.
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 peace, and taking good care of yourself. Learning how to take time for yourself and how to set healthy emotional boundaries may also be part of our work.
If you are new to counseling....
If you are finding yourself alone, for the first time, or "yet again," your life might be at a standstill, or perhaps you are feeling stuck, I will do my best to help. I will draw upon my own lifetime of training, challenges and experiences to help. Together, we can move through and beyond whatever feelings you are having to create a pathway 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). I keep all documents as safe and confidential as possible, and will do all I can to protect your privacy.
If there are questions or information you're not comfortable with providing in these electronic documents, we can take care of this type of concern 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, so that our work is consistent.
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.