Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Minnesota

As a clinical social worker, I have spent the past 20+ years helping clients recognize their abilities to work through hurdles and live their best lives.

I provide therapy for children, teens, adults, families, and groups, and I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely seen, respected, and supported.

My clinical work focuses heavily on anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, ADHD, self-esteem concerns, and life transitions. I also work with individuals navigating grief, substance use concerns, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, and trauma-related symptoms. I use a collaborative, client-centered approach and tailor treatment to each individual’s needs, goals, and strengths.

As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), I bring over 15 years of experience supporting individuals through significant life challenges and personal transformation. My background includes working in crisis mental health, emergency department settings, substance use treatment, and behavioral health, giving me a deep understanding of how mental health impacts every aspect of wellness. While I do have experience and can work with individuals wanting to address their overall mental health, I specialize in supporting individuals who are on a transformation journey, whether that involves weight loss surgery, GLP-1 medications, recovery from emotional eating patterns, improving self-esteem, managing anxiety or depression, or creating sustainable lifestyle changes. Major physical changes often bring unexpected emotional challenges, and many people find they need support adjusting to their “new normal.

Grief doesn't follow anyone else's timeline, and neither does healing. I work with children, adolescents, adults, and seniors across a wide range of life experiences, with particular depth in grief, maternal mental health, anxiety, and the emotional weight of chronic or physical health challenges. As a certified Grief Support Specialist, I bring focused training to one of the most isolating things a person can go through, and I approach every person with genuine curiosity about their whole life, not just their symptoms.

People come to me in the middle of ordinary weeks. A door slams somewhere in the house and the chest goes tight. The dishes have been in the sink since Sunday. Someone died and everyone stopped asking about it in March. The drinking stopped and the feelings stayed. A marriage that talks about the calendar, the money, the dog, and never the thing underneath. Some people have carried theirs since childhood. Some were handed theirs last month. Children, teenagers, adults, couples, whole families, people in their eighties who were told it was too late for this. If you found one of your own weeks in that list, you are welcome here.

I'm a Marriage and Family Therapist with a deep interest in the complexities of your story. My clinical training and own story led me to believe your story has a hopeful ending that needs to be rewritten. Sometimes you might like someone to sit with you to clarify, reframe, refocus, rebuild, and remind you of your story you were always meant to live.

I am a trauma trained and informed therapist, with a systematic approach while understanding the individual is absolutely essential to the entire system. Throughout my years in the field, I've been honored to work with individuals, couples, and families ages 18 to 99 resolving conflicts, reconciling relationships, rebuilding the self, and re-envisioning what life can be life when hope is present.

Welcome! I’m Kristin Petersen, MSW, LICSW, and I’ve been a psychotherapist for more than 13 years. I primarily work with women and individuals who are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions, and the many pressures that can leave you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected from yourself.

My experience includes working with children, adolescents, and adults from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. I’ve supported clients through both everyday challenges and more complex concerns, including trauma, co-occurring conditions, behavioral concerns, and significant life changes. I believe your experiences, relationships, culture, and personal history all matter when understanding what you are going through.

My approach is warm, collaborative, and honest. I won’t simply tell you what you “should” do. Instead, we’ll work together to understand what’s happening, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop practical strategies that fit your life. I draw from cognitive and person-centered approaches and incorporate solution-focused strategies to help you build insight while also making meaningful changes.

Therapy is a place where you can be honest without fear of judgment. Whether you’re starting therapy for the first time or returning because something in your life no longer feels manageable, my goal is to help you feel heard, understood, and supported while developing the tools and confidence to move forward.

You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. We can start exactly where you are.