Therapeutic Approach

I’m Dr. Pete Meidlinger, and I’m a clinical psychologist offering individual therapy to people in the Lincoln and greater Nebraska area.  While a majority of those services are provided online, I do have the capacity to see clients in the Lincoln area face-to-face. 

In my practice I strive for genuine and growth-oriented relationships.  All therapy is built on a foundation of trust, and I build that trust with an open and honest relationship with my clients.  I strive to be authentic in my therapeutic relationships with both an ability to hold the deep emotions inherent in therapy and a suitably wry sense of humor.  I approach therapy from an individualized evidence-based framework, which truly means that I believe that clients are experts in their own experiences and goals for therapy. My role is to use my expertise and knowledge of the scientific literature to help them leverage the change they would like to see in their lives.  I work best with clients who are oriented towards change, appreciate participation from their therapist, and value a therapist who can balance the deep emotional processing of therapy with appropriate humor.

It's challenging to get accurate feedback as a therapist, but past clients have described me in anonymous feedback as “easy to talk to”, “truly wants to help me be a better person”, “trustworthy”, and, simply, “a good dude.”   Frankly, praise doesn’t get much higher than that.  At the close of therapy, I often ask my clients what was and wasn’t effective for them in order to foster my growth as a clinician.  What I’ve gleaned from those conversations is that I am capable of balancing the gentle openness that is necessary for trust and understanding with the frank genuineness that is sometimes necessary for change.  That I have helped them find their strengths hidden behind their problems and helped them view their struggles with compassion and understanding that allowed them to grow.

My Therapeutic Background

I took a non-traditional route to clinical psychology.  I grew up as a punk kid in medium-sized (for Nebraska) town, the son of a clinical psychologist with one certain ambition that I did not want to be a clinical psychologist.  I received a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and spent several years working in restaurants before I decided to go back to school.  While I loved, and still love, history, I was frustrated by the static observation of the way systems succeed or fail and knew I needed to pursue something change oriented.  I had developed an appreciation of the science of psychology in the intervening years and set out to pursue a doctorate degree.  I ultimately chose to pursue my PhD through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in part because of its strong focus on the use of scientifically validated treatments to effect change in people’s lives.  I completed my doctoral internship at the Durham VA Healthcare System in Durham, NC, and I was fortunate to spend the early part of my professional career working in the VA, which both helped deepen that relationship with scientifically validated treatments and honed my clinical skills with a population that often presents with pasts and problems that are complex and clinically challenging.  Outside of my private practice, I am also faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and serve as the director of the clinical psychology training clinic.  In this role, I have the honor to serve as instructor and clinical supervisor of graduate students on their own journeys to becoming clinical psychologists.

What does this mean for my clients? In essence, I have years of training in both the science and practice of clinical psychology.  I’ve worked on clinical trials and been part of designing treatments, all of which sets me up to be able to evaluate the latest psychological research.  My work with graduate trainees also pushes me to stay current with my knowledge of treatments and continually reinvigorates my skillset.

Evidence Based Treatments Offered

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation for PTSD Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills (not full model DBT) Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression

Diagnoses/Issues Treated

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, moral injury, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Specific Phobias, adjustment issues, grief, relationship conflict, and more.