Dr. Emma Peterson

I have extensive experience working with parents to address a variety of behavioral concerns in young children, including disruptive behaviors (e.g., tantrums, noncompliance/defiance, aggression), sleep trouble, fears, and anxiety.

I also work with adults as they transition to parenthood; providing support for the emotional and psychological challenges that emerge.

I earned my M.A. and Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver.

I completed my pre-doctoral internship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and my post-doctoral fellowship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

My approach to work with kids and families is primarily behavioral in nature. That means that I first gain a comprehensive understanding of the context in which the behaviors occur. Next, we work on addressing how to respond to the behaviors but also how we might elicit different more positive behaviors in the first place. Thus, much of my direct work is with parents/caregivers. I try to keep our work focused on tangible goals so that we can monitor our progress and make adjustments when needed.

In my individual work with new parents, I aim to provide a non-judgmental space to navigate the rewarding and challenging experiences that accompany this major milestone. To that end, we explore parent identity development and parenting values that can guide your parenting path moving forward.

The most effective parenting is parenting that resonates with you, aligns with your values, and feels good to you. To that end, we will work as a collaborative team to help you identify strategies that are not only effective at changing behaviors but are also practical and sustainable for your family.