Nancy Peterson

I was able to understand people in their pain, despite my young age, because I had gone through the pain of losing my father to a brain tumor when I was only five years old. I had a strong drive to help people because it had been so difficult to navigate the deep fears and sadness following my father’s death without a counselor to support and guide me through the process.

Today, as a therapist, I seek to be that person for children, teens, and adults–a person who listens, shows empathy, understands, and can help people move forward. I’m invested in clients for as long as they need me, but my goal is to help them develop the skills to handle problems on their own.

I think going through pain helps a therapist to be better equipped to empathize and guide others through their journey. I also bring other life experiences that I draw upon as a therapist—and not all of them involve pain. I draw upon both the good and the bad of my life.

I have been married for 40 years, and along the way I have learned what it takes to cultivate a happy marriage, even in the midst of the ups and downs. So I love to work with couples to find ways to move from destructive to healthy patterns in their relationship.

In addition, I have spent years studying books, going to seminars, becoming certified in a couples communication program, and even creating my own marriage program.

I am the mother of two wonderful boys—well, men, actually. They are now in their upper twenties and early thirties, and it’s been a lot of work, of course, but I love being a parent and passing on what I’ve learned. I feel very fortunate to come to parenting with professional training in mental health because it helped me balance firm boundaries and nurturing support, which are important for children’s well-being. My training, parenting experiences, and my understanding of the pull of parental emotions enables me to help parents and their children navigate a range of issues, including coping with divorce, separation anxiety, bullying, attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and misbehavior.

I worked as a counselor for five and a half years with the Piatt County Mental Center, five years with the Champaign County Mental Health Center, and 19 years with the Christian Counseling Center in Urbana, where I also worked as director for four years.

I started my private counseling practice in 1980 and then, in 2007, I expanded my private practice to full time.

In addition to counseling, I have conducted groups and given presentations on parenting, social skills for children, boundaries, self-esteem, depression, and time management. I have also taught child psychology at Parkland Community College in Champaign.