Emily Ann Peterson, MBA, MS-CMHC

A mix of soft landings, brave questions, belly laughs, and… a well-placed curse word. :-)

My Work
Clients often reach out to work with me before they even have words for what’s wrong, just a deep sense that something isn’t working. It can feel like serving up spaghetti sauce onto porcelain plates in a kitchen so loud it’s hard to hear yourself think. Life might look competent and high-functioning from the outside, but on the inside? There’s burnout, dread, shame, second-guessing, or a creeping sense of “what’s even the point?” Day-to-day life often feels weirdly personal, unnaturally high-pressured, and just plain exhausting.

Once we begin working together, usually by identifying your goals and symptoms, the tangle of feelings often starts to make more sense. Patterns emerge… perfectionism, procrastination, emotional whiplash, feast-or-famine finances, creative paralysis, or a job or relationship that used to mean something but now just drains the life out of you. We gently name those patterns for what they are: adaptations, strategies, echoes of past experiences still playing out in the present. From there, we start connecting the dots.

Overall, working with me is collaborative, practical, and irreverent, in the very best way. I bring a trauma-informed lens and a deep respect for your inner wisdom, alongside laughter and the occasional cathartic swear word (if that’s your thing). We won’t be chasing perfection. Instead, we’ll make room for your full humanity and keep orienting toward the next right step, whatever that means for you.

My Belief
I believe healing isn’t about “fixing” yourself — it’s about getting curious and creative. You already carry wisdom. My role is to help you reconnect with that wisdom, make space for the parts of you that have been exiled or shamed, and gently challenge patterns that no longer serve you. I prioritize honoring the messiness of healing and also greatly admire everything required to question systems, identities, relationships, spiritual frameworks, or sense of direction.

My Background
Before entering the counseling field, I spent many years as a Suzuki cello teacher and over a decade as a business consultant, mentoring and supporting creatives, misfits, and world-changers — many of whom were navigating trauma and big life transitions, often recovering from religious trauma or high-control organizations. I hold an MBA from the University of Wyoming, where my studies focused on the power of (cult) influence, narcissism in leadership, coercive control in marketing psychology, and consumer behavior. I bring all of that experience into my work with clients navigating relationships, career stress, purpose anxiety, burnout, and entrepreneurial pressure.

I’m currently completing my Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and internship under supervision at Greenlake Wellness Group. My clinical approach is influenced by Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), ecofeminist and person-centered philosophies, trauma-informed practice, and attachment-based healing.

My Self
Like you, I am shaped by my lived experiences, and my work with clients echoes this. I’m a survivor and transparent about my experiences with religious trauma, chronic illness, academic and career-based sexual violence, and disordered eating. There are also particular joys, tragedies, and absurdities that came with growing up undiagnosed neurodivergent, coming of age in a racist South, living overseas with culture shock, and navigating the music industry as a woman. I’m also deeply shaped by the queer, anti-racist, body-liberationist, and neurodivergent communities I’ve been part of. All of this explains why I welcome heretics, whistle-blowers, late bloomers, those who speak truth to power, or who’ve “never quite fit the mold.”

Psst! Folks who love talking in metaphors, giggling with dark humor, or who lean toward soul-wrestling topics often feel quite at home with me.