Shari Peterson , LICSW

Shari Peterson is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) based in Minnesota who brings more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She has practiced across community mental health programs, school settings, and outpatient treatment environments, and she has spent three years providing one-on-one therapy to individuals facing a range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, personality disorders, anger, substance use, and ADHD.

Shari has substantial experience supporting people who have endured complex trauma, abuse, and domestic violence. Her work emphasizes a strengths-based, relational stance that is warm, authentic, and person-centered. She views each person as the expert on their own life and aims to create a respectful therapeutic partnership that honors individual goals and experiences.

Her approach is flexible and tailored to the individual, drawing on client-centered techniques, cognitive-behavioral strategies, mindfulness practices, and relational methods to address emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal difficulties. As an LICSW, she holds a professional license to provide independent clinical social work services in Minnesota. Shari values collaboration and supports people in building skills, increasing self-understanding, and making meaningful changes in their lives.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Shari Peterson integrates client-centered therapy by focusing on each person's values, choices, and lived experience, offering an accepting environment where the therapist follows the client's priorities and supports self-directed growth. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to help identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors through practical skill-building, often useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Mindfulness Therapy introduces present-moment awareness and gentle attention to thoughts and bodily experience, which can aid in managing emotional reactivity and building coping skills.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process - Shari works together with each person to determine which methods align best with their needs, goals, and preferences. She tailors interventions over time, blending techniques as appropriate so that therapy fits the individual rather than forcing a single model.

Online therapy with Shari can be delivered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, access support from home or work, and choose the communication style that feels most effective for the person's circumstances.