Cheryl Burke Responds to Critics Accusing Her of Oversharing on Social Media (Exclusive)

Cheryl Burke doesn't let the haters get her down. ET's Deidre Behar spoke with the 38-year-old Dancing With the Stars alum at the Gold Meets Golden event in Beverly Hills, and Burke revealed how she feels about critics who think she shares too much on social media.

"With everyone that has been responsive and [saying,] 'Thank you so much for talking about your sobriety or your personal life'... a lot of people also say, 'You're oversharing,'" Burke told ET. "I actually have compassion for that person, 'cause I think that person is also suffering in silence maybe or may not wanna hear it, but then [I] just move on. It's OK regardless. It's not fun sometimes to talk about... [but] it is actually what frees me. It's freedom."

Among the topics Burke chooses not to shy away from are sobriety, domestic abuse and relationship woes.

"I think it's important not to suffer in silence," Burke said as to why she speaks out. "... I think it's important to get it out, whether it is to help somebody -- 'cause I know I am, even if it's just one person [who relates] to my story. I wish when I was younger that I had someone to look up to that was actually a little bit more vulnerable and open. I think once you actually call it out, you don't live in shame anymore."

Following her divorce from Matthew Lawrence, Burke is hopeful about the future ahead.

"It is amazing," she said. "It's so uncertain, but, like, why not face the uncertainty instead of it being something that scares me? It is scary, [but] it's exciting."

While Lawrence has moved on with Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Burke told ET that she's busy "dating me right now."

"I think this is the first time I can actually feel really comfortable in my own skin and I don't feel like I have anything to prove to anybody," she said. "I think that that has taken a lot of me work and me time. I always use to put everybody in front of me and their happiness before mine, and it's time that I owe that to myself."

As for when a new flame might enter the picture, Burke said she'll be ready "when it comes."

"I can't control the future. All I can do is stay right now in the present," she said.

Burke's present also includes giving back, as, over the weekend, she stepped out for the Gold Meets Golden event, which supports Angel City Sports, an adaptive sports organization that provides access to needed equipment, coaching and training for aspiring young Paralympic hopefuls.

"I support all athletes. I think this is such an important event," she said. "It's something that is near and dear to my heart. I have a similar mentality to all athletes... To have that opportunity for everybody, I think that's very important."

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