Choices Counseling & Hypnosis owner, Chandra Petersen, international hypnotist, educator and speaker, therapist, and founder of Best Year-Best You! Program for people ready to change their lives.  I am an independent Licensed Mental Health and Addictions Therapist, an IACT certified hypnotherapist and ICBCH Certified Hypnosis Instructor. 

I have counseled and supported 1000's of people over the past 20 years to achieve an elevated state of mental healing and physical wellness, increasing life satisfaction and happiness. I help those who have encountered trauma, abuse, PTSD or grief find a state of healing and peace.  I help guide and help children, teens and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, fears and phobias, behavioral issues, life transitions, stress, self-esteem, confidence, and physical limitations.

Specialties and additional training: Trauma focused therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing, EMDR and hypnotherapy. Certified grief facilitator, crisis care responder and CISM trained. Past behavioral health responder and critical incident team member for the Nebraska medical reserve.

Age range: grade school through adult

Gender: all genders

Session format: individual, family, and office or telehealth available.

Treatment styles: CBT, TF-CBT for children and teens, DBT, brain spotting, EMDR, client centered therapy, evidence-based addictions therapy and hypnosis/ hypnotherapy.

Education: Chandra received her MS in community counseling and her BA in psychology from University of Nebraska Omaha. She has worked in the Blair and surrounding community since 2004.

Licenses: Independently licensed mental health counselor and addiction therapist in Nebraska and Iowa.

My wish for everyone is to create and live the life they choose.

Bella has been on staff since the summer of 2018. She began her life as a street cat, in and out of the shelter. She has won the hearts of many members of the community since being at Choices. You can usually find her in her favorite spot, soaking up the sun in the front window. She loves belly rubs and to provide comfort for people when they need a safe soul to weep with. 

Animal-assisted therapy enhances clients' mental, physical, social and emotional well-being. Depending on the client's needs, various animals are utilized in therapy, such as horses (equine therapy), dogs (canine-assisted therapy), dolphins, llamas, rabbits and others. Research underscores the numerous health benefits of pet ownership, including lowered blood pressure and reduced central nervous system activity when interacting with animals, which can elevate mood and foster feelings o affection.

Over the years, emotional support animals, ESA, definitions have been watered down, and it is important to distinguish clearly between having a pet and an ESA. ESAs are a temporary coping strategy, meant to help clients return to normal daily functioning, not a lifetime designation. Just as you would not have your counselor living with you full-time, te ESA is a temporary prescription. 

To qualify for an ESA, individuals must be diagnosed with an emotional disability by a licensed health professional. ESAs aid in daily functioning by encouraging activities such as getting outdoors, walking, promoting self-care through feeding and nurturing, and fostering responsibility beyond oneself. 

It is also important to distinguish between an ESA and  a service animal. ESA does not require specific training or certification. In contrast, a service animal is specially trained to perform tasks or provide physical assistance to individuals with physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual disabilities. Service animals have legal protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), allowing them access to most public places.  ESAs are primarily granted accommodation in housing and air travel under the Fair Housing Act and the Air Carrier Access Act only. 

ADA service animal information