Dr. Karen Peterson

Most of my clients are overwhelmed in three areas: mind (anxiety, depression); body (emotional eating, chronic illness); and soul (finding your passion). In the first session, I help clients to prioritize their concerns. But once we begin therapy, clients are surprised that progress in one area often spurs on progress in other areas. Perhaps the emotional eating is related to fears about a possible divorce, which is related to your difficulty with finding someone who will cherish--not chide--you? And perhaps those mood-enhancing foods (sugar, fat, white flour, chocolate) in turn set off a flare in the autoimmune disorder(s)? My job is to guide you in setting priorities, but no matter where you start, progress in one area will often create progress in other areas as well.

I have lived in a whirlwind of many interrelated issues—and the shame that goes with them—which is why I feel honored when clients invite me into their worlds. Depending on what will best suit each person, I often use a combination of therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, EMDR, attachment-based, existential, and/or hypnosis.

I believe in art as well as science. As the parent of an adult child with chronic illness, and through my work with families facing serious illness in a hospital setting, I have a deep understanding of the art of managing medical stress, anxiety, and trauma. And, as the author of 3 books who has lived with—and without--writer's block, I'm here to help you approach your goals for creativity and productivity as well.