Hi! I'm Emily Ann Peterson, MBA & MS-CMHC ('26)
I'm a seasoned business consultant (and a newbie counselor!) I've always loved supporting fellow helpers & healers.
The emotional labor and strength required to do our work demands an immense amount of bravery. Working with our clients, especially those who belong to vulnerable populations, requires careful ethical marketing practices. Yes, we need them to produce real results, too. The kind of results that matter:
- greater economic sustainability
- increase in physical & emotional energy
- lower rates of burn-out & compassion fatigue
It is my hope that this Ethical Marketing Circle can be a place of rejuvenation, camaraderie, and growth for you and your colleagues.
Group Intentions
Ethical marketing practices are increasingly crucial to running a sustainable mental health business. Mental health clients rely on a foundation of trust, consent, accessibility, inclusion, and privacy.
Professionals in attendance agree to:
- respect the privacy (and anonymity, if requested) of other attendees
- hold each other accountable to ethical marketing practices
- discover and listen to our unique perspectives as business owners
- raise the industry standard of ethics for client-based mental health services
Monthly Discussion Topics
- January: Marketing Practices for Compassion Fatigue
- February: Value-Based Models for Business Decisions
- March: Boundaries—Enforcing & Reinforcing, or Not At All?
- April: Ethical Strategies for Cultivating Cash Flow
- May: Protecting Privacy—Challenges & Solutions
- June: Identifying Cognitive Dissonance in Your Biz
- July: Empowering Equitable Care & Accessibility
- August: Social Media Solutions & Ideas
- September: Inclusive Pricing & Scalability Strategies
- October: Prioritizing Consent-Based Marketing
- November: Press & Publicity Ideas for Client Acquisition
- December: SEO that Builds Client-Therapist Trust
ETHICAL MARKETING CIRCLE
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at an Ethical Marketing Circle?
We begin meetings with a round of "celebrations" to practice the bravery of self-promotion and, if needed, a round of "sorry's" to practice accountability through vulnerability. This is followed by a mix of facilitated discussion, group activities, and break-out rooms for partnered brainstorming.
Our discussion circles are loosely conducted according to a set of nonhierarchical guidelines from The Circle Way. Members are asked to read and agree to meet according to these guidelines. In brief:
- One volunteer attendee co-hosts by helping to "guard the circle" and share in monitoring the group's need for pauses in the discussion. "Pauses" are simply an opportunity for attendees to breathe and create space in discussion for processing big feelings or big ideas. Any group member may "call for a pause" if desired.
- Another group member can volunteer to monitor time & take down any links or resources mentioned.
Each meeting ends with a grounding practice led by a volunteer group member.
What do I get from attending an Ethical Marketing Circle?
Simply put, you'll get 90 minutes of facilitated discussion around our topic of the month. You'll also receive...
ongoing accountability from like-minded colleagues, via access to our online group forum
personalized support and guidance, via a link to submit questions in advance
easy, sustainable ideas for growing your practice of ethical business!
What about replays? Are those available too?
I do not provide replays of our meetings or these group discussions.
This is for several reasons: to encourage "in-person" attendance, protect privacy of attendees, and foster an ideal learning environment for all group members.
I reserved my seat, yay! What's next?
Upon confirmation of your seat reservation, you'll be directed to agree to our groups guidelines and your rights and responsibilities after which, a secret Zoom link and other information will soon magically appear in your email inbox.
At the appropriate time, you'll click the super secret Zoom link to join the Ethical Marketing Circle Meetup. We ask that you join us from a quiet-ish place on your laptop or desktop computer to minimize distractions for other group members. We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Can I pay for a friend or "gift" a seat to a colleague so they can join us too?
Of course! After selecting the registration price for their seat (drop-in or recurring) you'll see an option to select the check box on your order form for "This product is for someone else." When that box is selected, a form will appear to enter your friend's contact information for that seat registration.
Testimonials...
I loved this Client Calculator and especially our 1-on-1! It was all so encouraging. You supported my personal history and unconventional entrepreneurial visions with practical business know-how and authentic affirmation. Plus, I ended my session not feeling alone or strange for *not* wanting to be a millionaire. The whole experience was validating and totally affirmed my desire to do things differently than the rest of the business world. You are dope, and more people need to encounter a trauma-informed business consultant like you! I look forward to working with you in the future!
“Being in the music/entrepreneurial space myself, it’s sometimes easy to have reservations with coaching sessions. But to sit down with Emily, there’s no need. She has a focused yet graceful way of getting straight to the point, fluff not included. Offering value catered exclusively to me and my personal needs, we deciphered my mission, constructed a plan, and found actionable baby-steps for me to take - all within an hour session. Emily Ann Peterson is the real deal.”
“Emily Ann is a breath of fresh air and is always full of new ideas. She helped me tremendously when it comes to presenting my message in a very clear and concise way that my audience will understand, in a way that they like and they want to come back. I know that my brand would not be consistent throughout all the areas of my business if it was not for Emily Ann’s unique eye. I am grateful for her talents and of course our time together.”
“Emily Ann is a straight-talker with a smile. I love this. This makes me get to the heart of the matter so much more quickly, whether it’s honing in on the goals of a project or trying hard to see something through to the end. If I need a hand zeroing in on a goal or needing a plan as to how to break down a project into manageable action items, I call Emily Ann.”
“Sometimes we need help to pull away the covering of fear and find the courage to be brave. Sometimes that help is a person: Emily Ann Peterson can be that one. Bravery begins one step at a time. As it’s given the soil of courage and understanding, bravery blooms inside us and becomes large enough to walk under. I needed help to do that, and if you do too, this is the place to start. Bravery can be learned.”
Bare Naked Bravery is an inspiring, empowering manifestation of one woman's journey to recovery. Whether it's an illness, a divorce, or financial ruin, we all deal with challenges in our lives. We all need to be brave, and we need bravery from others. If you have ever struggled, if you have ever been scared, if you have ever stopped and thought, "How do I make it through this?" - this book is for you.