Stacy L. Peterson

Stacy L. Peterson, LMSW, ACSW, CST

Field Faculty | LEO-IV Lecturer | Teaching Professor | Clinical Social Worker & Certified Sex Therapist | Community Advocate**

Stacy Peterson is a Teaching Professor and Field Educator at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, where she has dedicated 27 years to social work education, clinical practice, mentorship, and community engagement. Recognized for her contributions to teaching and student learning, she received the Lecturer of the Year Award in 2022 and was appointed Teaching Professor in 2023. Her professional career reflects a longstanding commitment to advancing culturally responsive, inclusive, and socially just approaches to education, mental health, and community well-being.

As an educator, Peterson teaches across clinical practice, research, and program evaluation, integrating real-world experiences, critical reflection, and experiential learning into the classroom. Her work in field education includes mentoring emerging social workers, supporting community partnerships, and preparing students to navigate the complexities of professional practice. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes cultural humility, evidence-informed practice, and the intersections of privilege, oppression, diversity, and social justice. She previously served as an instructor at Washtenaw Community College for 20 years and has provided professional training in clinical supervision through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

In addition to her academic work, Peterson is a practicing clinical social worker and Certified Sex Therapist who provides individual and couples counseling. Her clinical interests include sexual health and well-being across the lifespan, intimacy and relationship concerns, trauma recovery, anxiety, depression, body image, and sexual shame. She has a particular interest in supporting sexual health, intimacy, and relational well-being throughout adulthood and later life, including the ways aging, chronic illness, changes in physical health, and significant life transitions can influence sexual expression, identity, and connection. Her therapeutic approach is sex-positive, kink-affirming, trauma-informed, and grounded in the belief that individuals deserve compassionate, nonjudgmental care that honors their identities, relationships, and lived experiences. She is particularly committed to helping individuals and couples navigate changing relationships, sexual expression, intimacy, and life transitions.

Peterson also serves on the instructional team for the University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program, facilitating Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) experiences. Through this work, she supports professionals in examining personal values, challenging assumptions, and developing greater comfort, self-awareness, and cultural responsiveness when addressing human sexuality in clinical and educational settings.

Her commitment to social justice extends beyond the university and clinical practice into community advocacy and service. Peterson is actively involved in grief and bereavement support, hospice and end-of-life advocacy, and initiatives supporting children, families, and underserved communities. Her international service includes providing mental health support and advocacy in Belize, with particular attention to women affected by trafficking and incarceration, children and families, and sexual and reproductive health. She also contributes to local community organizations through board service, wellness initiatives, and educational advocacy.

Peterson holds clinical and macro social work licenses in Michigan, the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) credential through NASW, and the Certified Sex Therapist (CST) credential from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). Across her roles as an educator, therapist, mentor, and community advocate, her work is guided by a central belief: Every individual is worthy of dignity and respect. She approaches her professional responsibilities with curiosity, compassion, cultural humility, and a commitment to lifelong learning, seeking to create spaces where individuals and communities can experience healing, growth, empowerment, and meaningful change.