Valerie Peterson, LCSW

Valerie grew up in Utah as a member of a big family and learned how to navigate everyday conflict early on. As a child, her family nickname was “the peacemaker” because she was always stepping in to mediate some conflict or resolve some dispute. Helping other people has always been a part of who she is.

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows her, then, that she ended up in a career helping families do exactly what she helped her own family do as a child: be happier. Valerie believes that strong and healthy family relationships are what drives happiness and good health, and that strong families make strong communities. Using a variety of creative therapies, she helps kids and parents increase their emotional intelligence and navigate life’s challenges.

When she’s not at work, Valerie enjoys spending time with her family, reading, gardening, hiking, and running. In fact, she hopes one day to hike the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile journey from a city in the French Pyrenees to northwestern Spain. Her favorite quote sums up her philosophy nicely, “I have found that it is the small everyday deed of ordinary folks that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” —Gandalf, “The Hobbit”