Danny Peterson (he/him)
My name is Danny (he/him), and I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I grew up on the East Coast (Virginia and New Jersey) and moved to Utah in 2019. I am a licensed therapist (licensed in both New Jersey and Utah) and bring a variety of educational and professional experiences to my work. I hold master’s degrees in divinity, theology, professional counseling, and healthcare administration.
How did I get here?
I grew up in a very loving family where the faith was both instrumental and central to our life together. From a young age, I was taught the beauty of the gospel: that I was created by a loving God and called to dwell in that love and share it with those around me.
As a closeted gay man, however, I also learned another narrative: that I was lovable “for the most part,” and that hiding the shadow parts of myself was the best option.
During my young adult years, I felt called to become a Catholic priest and entered seminary in 2008. When I finally became ready to share these hidden parts of myself with a trusted church peer, I was told that being queer was a wound that could be healed: “If Jesus can heal the blind and raise the dead, then you can be redeemed and turned straight.”
After years of deep interior struggle and isolation, I slowly came to discover that I was not wounded in this way—that God loves the gay parts of me, too. I was ordained to the priesthood in 2016 and served my local community. I loved this ministry with all my heart.
After three years of ministry, I realized I could no longer embrace the role of spiritual leader in this faith community with sincerity and integrity. Fidelity to God’s promptings led me to leave the Catholic priesthood and complete my education in professional counseling.
I moved to Utah for a fresh start and have since been working with individuals in therapy to help them navigate their interior lives and the beautiful complexity of our shared humanity.
Please feel free to reach out. My fee is $200 per session (sliding scale available), and I’m happy to provide consultations to ensure we’re a good match.