I’m Ryan Peterson
I'm a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (NBCCH) based in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. With more than a decade of clinical experience, I work with individuals who feel stuck in patterns that resist willpower alone: Compulsive Behaviors, Social Anxiety, Adult ADHD, and the private struggles that often accompany them: shame, self-criticism, and the sense that something essential isn't quite working.
This kind of work calls for steadiness and nuance. It requires the ability to stay grounded and curious in places where many people feel exposed or uncertain, and to approach difficult patterns without judgment or avoidance.
Why I’m Drawn to This Work
I'm drawn to the gap between how people look on the outside and how they actually experience themselves on the inside. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful and capable, and yet privately feel stuck, caught in a pattern, a loop of anxiety, or a mind that won't cooperate with the life they're trying to build. The dissonance between the outer self and the inner experience is often exhausting, and it's rarely something people feel they can name out loud.
I'm also drawn to work that involves shame. There is a particular courage required to address a pattern that feels hidden, embarrassing, or difficult to explain. Compulsive behaviors carry the most obvious stigma, but social anxiety carries its own kind of silence, and adult ADHD often arrives with years of internalized self-criticism. Across all of it, I've found that when these experiences are approached with steadiness and curiosity rather than judgment, something begins to reorganize. It becomes less about fighting the pattern and more about addressing the underlying dynamics that keep it in place.
And I'm drawn to Clinical Hypnosis (also called Hypnotherapy), not as a gimmick, but as one of the few therapeutic tools that works directly with the automatic, below-conscious processes where these patterns actually live. Watching a client experience genuine internal shift, not through more willpower but through a different kind of access to their own mind, is one of the most meaningful parts of this work.
I have a deep respect for the honesty it takes to bring difficult patterns into the open. My role is to provide a steady and thoughtful space where these things can be examined directly, without moralizing or avoidance.
What It’s Like to Work With Me
I approach therapy as a collaborative process. We slow patterns down and examine them carefully, what triggers them, what they regulate, and what keeps them reinforced.
Some sessions are more analytical. Others are more experiential. Both are intentional.
You won't need to censor yourself, and you won't need to have it all figured out before you arrive. We won't rush the process, and we won't avoid what needs attention.
Outside of my clinical work, I’m drawn to activities that require patience and presence: reading, baking sourdough, playing guitar, and spending time with my dogs. I value steadiness and reflection, and I aim to bring that same quality into the therapy room.
Training & Professional Background
I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist (NBCCH).
I hold a Master’s Degree in Counseling & Psychological Services and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. In addition to private practice, I have served in clinical leadership roles and supervision within established therapy clinics and remain actively involved in professional consulting and mentorship with other clinicians.
My clinical training includes advanced work in Clinical Hypnosis and Integrative Depth Psychotherapy. I serve on the board of the Minnesota Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
Over more than a decade of clinical practice, I have worked extensively with compulsive behaviors, social anxiety, and adult ADHD, and have led therapy groups for social anxiety, facilitated men's groups, and led therapeutic retreats focused on structured experiential work.
Fees
Standard individual sessions are 50 minutes at $190.
Extended sessions (80 or 110 minutes) are available when clinically appropriate, particularly for depth-oriented or experiential work. Extended session fees are prorated based on length.
Brief 25-minute sessions are available for established clients as follow-up or focused check-ins.
Group therapy fees vary depending on format.
I operate as a private-pay practice and do not bill insurance directly. Many clients choose this model for the added privacy, flexibility, and focus it allows. I'm happy to provide a superbill if your insurance offers out-of-network benefits.
FAQs
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I operate as a private-pay practice and do not bill insurance directly. Upon request, I can provide a superbill for possible out-of-network reimbursement, depending on your insurance plan.
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Payment is accepted via credit card, HSA/FSA cards, other standard electronic payment methods, and cash. Payment is due at the time of service.
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Yes. Therapy is confidential within the limits of Minnesota law.
Because I operate as a private-pay practice and do not bill insurance directly, your care is not reported to insurance companies. This allows for greater privacy and discretion and reduces administrative involvement from third parties.
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The first session is structured and focused on understanding what brings you in. We will discuss your goals, relevant history, and the patterns you want to address.
You are not expected to disclose everything immediately. The pace is steady and deliberate. By the end of the session, we will have a clearer sense of direction and structure moving forward.
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The length of therapy depends on your goals and the complexity of the patterns involved. Some clients work short-term on a specific issue. Others choose longer-term depth-oriented work.
We will discuss expectations early in the process so the structure is clear.
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Yes. I offer in-person sessions in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area as well as secure telehealth sessions for clients located anywhere in Minnesota.
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I require at least 48 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a session (excepting illnesses or emergencies). Sessions canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice are billed $125.
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No. Clinical Hypnosis (also called Hypnotherapy) is one tool within my broader approach. It is never required. Some clients use it regularly. Others choose not to use it at all.
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Clinical Hypnosis is a state of focused, relaxed attention, closer to guided meditation than anything you might associate with stage hypnosis. You remain aware, in control, and able to stop at any time. It allows us to work with automatic patterns and below-conscious processes that conscious effort alone often can't reach.
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No. As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, I do not prescribe medication. If medication is part of your care, I'm happy to collaborate with your prescribing provider.
Ready to get started?
This work is grounded, focused, and confidential.
Reach out to schedule a free 20 minute consultation.