Stephanie Petersen

Stephanie Petersen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Master Social Worker who focuses on Trauma-Focused Therapy alongside practical, skills-based approaches. She brings 14 years of experience and a down-to-earth style that aims to make therapy approachable and useful. Stephanie speaks English and practices from Michigan.

Her background includes a Bachelor of Social Work from Oakland University and a Master of Social Work from Wayne State University. Early roles in medical social work and home health gave her experience supporting people through illness, caregiving stress, and major life changes. She began offering telehealth therapy in 2020, building on work across clinical settings.

Stephanie uses a mix of methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness practices, motivational interviewing, and psychodynamic and solution-focused ideas. She teaches coping skills, helps people notice and work with thoughts, and supports practical steps toward goals. Sessions are collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

Her focus areas include grief and loss, stress and anxiety, addiction concerns, relationship and family conflicts, self-esteem and body image issues, parenting challenges, and coping with chronic illness or caregiving roles. She also addresses attachment-related concerns, abandonment, and communication or commitment difficulties.

Stephanie aims to be a nonjudgmental supporter and practical coach. In sessions she blends exploring past experiences with skill-building so people can manage symptoms and move toward goals. Outside work she enjoys reading, travel, movies, music, martial arts, gardening, and time with her French bulldogs.

How trauma-informed approaches work in online therapy

Trauma-Focused Therapy focuses on helping people process upsetting events and reduce their impact on daily life. It often involves gentle review of difficult memories and building skills to manage reactions, which can be paced to fit each person's needs.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed by them. It combines values clarification with practical steps so people can act toward what matters despite uncomfortable emotions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches concrete ways to notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and many day-to-day concerns because it emphasizes specific skills and measurable steps.

Finding the right approach is a team effort. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what feels most useful, then try approaches together and adjust as needed. This collaborative stance helps tailor work to the person rather than using a single fixed method.

Confirm the current session options before booking, since specific formats are not listed in the profile. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy schedule, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Different approaches translate well to remote work because they focus on skills, homework, and ongoing conversations that can be done over distance.