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Therapist profile

Paula Peterson

Therapist · Wisconsin

Compassionate counseling that focuses on real change

Continue with Paula

Review online therapy options and next steps on BetterHelp.

Paula Peterson
Credentials
LPC
License
LPC, Wisconsin · 3934-125
NPI
1922252188
Experience
18 years
Languages
English
Location
Wisconsin
  • Practical coping skills
  • Trauma informed care
  • Goal oriented work

About Paula

Paula Peterson is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Wisconsin with 18 years of clinical experience. She approaches therapy with warmth and straightforward support, meeting people where they are. Paula encourages honest conversation and helps clients notice small steps toward feeling better.

She chose counseling after seeing how being vulnerable can lead to real change. Her training includes a degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Over nearly two decades she has worked in day treatment and outpatient settings and with both adults and adolescents.

In session Paula focuses on practical skills and emotional understanding. She uses client-centered methods to follow each person's lead, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns, and EMDR when trauma processing is helpful. She also incorporates mindfulness and solution-focused techniques to build coping strategies and small, measurable goals.

Paula has experience with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, anger, and life transitions. She also helps people navigate codependency, family of origin issues, self-esteem, and workplace stress. Her approach aims to strengthen a person's own ability to cope and grow.

If the style described here feels like a fit, Paula invites you to reach out to begin the process. She aims to create a steady, respectful space to work through your current struggles and build toward clearer next steps.

How Paula’s approaches translate to online work

Paula uses client-centered therapy to follow what matters most to each person, creating space to be heard and understood. This approach helps with relationship concerns, self-worth, and emotional overwhelm by letting the client set the pace and focus.

She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions. CBT provides hands-on tools to reduce anxiety, depressive patterns, and workplace or school stress by practicing concrete skills between sessions.

EMDR is used when trauma memories are affecting daily life; it involves structured processing to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories and symptoms. Paula will discuss whether this method fits your needs and explain what to expect before beginning.

Choosing the right approach is a team effort. Paula will work with you to identify goals and try methods that suit your situation. She adjusts pace, techniques, and focus over time based on how you respond.

Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life by reducing travel and allowing appointments during a lunch break, after work, or between errands. It also supports quieter sessions that use less bandwidth or shorter check-ins when that better matches daily routines.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyGriefAnger managementCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue

Also works with

AddictionsRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseSelf esteemCareer difficultiesDepression

Additional focus areas

CodependencyCommunication problemsEmptinessFamily of origin issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingLife purposeMidlife crisisPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveWomen's issuesWorkplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

18+ years

Credentials

Wisconsin

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does this counselor commonly address?

Paula helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and abuse, addictions, anger, and life transitions. She also focuses on codependency, self-esteem, family of origin issues, and workplace stress.

What is her approach or style in sessions?

She blends client-centered listening with practical techniques. Expect collaboration, skills practice, and pacing that fits your needs.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 18 years of professional counseling experience working in day treatment and outpatient settings.

What credentials and region are listed for this therapist?

Paula holds the LPC credential, and her practice is located in Wisconsin.

Which languages are supported for sessions?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with this therapist?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

How are session costs handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

What steps do I take to begin therapy?

Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Paula PetersonContinue with Paula