Jensen Petersen, DMin, MDiv, CCISM, Intern
Clinical Mental Health Counselor (Candidate)
Stress, Trauma, Moral Injury, and Meaning-Centered Counseling
Jensen Petersen is a trauma-informed mental health counselor, U.S. Navy Chaplain, and pastoral counselor specializing in work with military members, veterans, first responders, clergy, their families and those who experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, and life crises. He brings extensive experience supporting individuals exposed to combat, operational stress, and high-stakes responsibility, personal hurt, helping them navigate trauma, moral injury, grief, and major life transitions while rebuilding meaning, identity, and purpose.
As a Navy Chaplain, Jensen has served with operational Navy and Marine Corps units and provided counseling and critical incident support during combat and combat-adjacent operations, including deployment aboard a guided missile destroyer in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. In these settings, he has worked closely with service members facing acute stress, trauma exposure, ethical conflict, loss and death, and the psychological impact of sustained operational demand.
Jensen is currently completing his Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, complementing years of frontline pastoral counseling experience with formal clinical training. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity and is the author of a published, a meaning centered philosophical-theological book, The 12 Real Laws of the Universe, focused on helping individuals discover meaning, resilience, and purpose in life. His clinical orientation is strongly informed by Meaning-Centered Existential Therapy (MCET), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), helping clients explore values, responsibility, identity, and meaning—particularly in the aftermath of trauma, moral injury, and vocational disruption and distressing life events and to identify and overcome barriers for greater life experience and purpose.
In his clinical work, Jensen works collaboratively with clients to process traumatic experiences, address unhelpful thought patterns, and navigate the identity shifts that often follow combat exposure, occupational stress, or significant loss. When clients desire, Jensen offers faith-informed counseling, thoughtfully integrated within ethical, evidence-based clinical practice.
Jensen has experience leading therapeutic and psychoeducational groups, providing career and life-skills counseling, and delivering Critical Incident Stress Management in high-risk environments. He holds certifications in Critical Incident Stress Management (CCISM), Warrior Toughness mindfulness training, and suicide prevention (SafeTALK and ASIST), and is receiving training in Operational Stress Control and Readiness (OSCAR), a program designed to help Marines manage stress and maintain mental fitness. He has also designed and facilitated resiliency and meaning-centered programs for military and organizational settings.
Prior to his military service, Jensen served as a missionary, instructor, and senior pastor, training leaders across more than ten countries and providing counseling across diverse cultural contexts. His background in leadership development and organizational care informs his work with individuals who carry significant responsibility and moral weight in their professional and personal lives.
Jensen is known for his calm, empathic, steady presence and his ability to create a safe, grounded therapeutic space—particularly for those who have learned to function under pressure but struggle to slow down, process their experiences, and make sense of what they have carried. He is deeply committed to serving those who serve others, helping them move forward with resilience, integrity, and renewed meaning.