Dr. Thomas Petersen is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist (MFT-14862) with over 40-years experience as a Psychotherapist. He began his professional training in 1966 in the U.S. Air Force at the Brooks School of Aerospace Medicine. While in the Air Force, Dr. Petersen was an air rescue paramedic and served a tour of duty in Vietnam.
After returning to civilian life, Dr. Petersen continued his professional training and worked as a therapist for a San Gabriel Valley area community mental health agency. He was program manager of the South Gate Police Department’s juvenile diversion project, where he also consulted with the Police Department providing mental health services to the officers and the Department.
During that time, Dr. Petersen was elected as president of the California Association of Diversion and Youth Service Counselors, a statewide professional organization of counselors who provided mental health services to troubled youth and families.
In 1978, Dr. Petersen joined the Inglewood Police Department as the in-house Clinical Director of the Police Department’s Behavioral Sciences Unit. The B.S.U. provided counseling services to youth and families in the community. Dr. Petersen also provided criminal investigative services to the Department in such areas as child abuse, missing persons, domestic violence, forensic hypnosis, hostage negotiations, sexual offenses, stalking offenses and workplace violence prevention. In 1982, Dr. Petersen was elected President of the International Society for Investigative and Forensic Hypnosis, an international organization of therapists and law enforcement personnel who provided forensic hypnosis services. He is a Certified Investigative and Forensic Hypnosis Technician. In 1986, Dr. Petersen became a Licensed Private Investigator (PI-11473) providing forensic investigations. In 1991, Dr. Petersen received certification as a Mediator from the Claremont Dispute Resolution Center.
In 1998, Dr. Petersen retired from the Inglewood Police Department after 20 years of service, and has since served as clinical Director and clinical coordinator at several Los Angeles area community mental health agencies. He currently is in private practice in the Glendora area and consults with mental health and law enforcement agencies.
Dr. Petersen has worked with couples and families of all ages in a variety of settings and has extensive experience working with troubled youth and families. Dr. Petersen has experience as a University Assistant Professor teaching clinical therapists how to work with youth and families who have suffered violent experiences and Administration of Justice students about Police Psychology. He has worked with both victims and perpetrators of violent crime, sexual offenses and domestic violence. Dr. Petersen is a CAMFT Certified Clinical Supervisor providing clinical Supervision to mental health interns and trainees. He is a Certified Substance Abuse Professional providing U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT) evaluations.
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