Joseph Parker

My Story

Becoming a therapist has been a journey for me. I always knew my calling was to help people in some capacity, but it took a while to answer that call. At first, I thought it was to help athletes because that’s what was familiar and comfortable to me, then a physician’s assistant because there would always be employment opportunities, but I realized that I was following other people's passions in my life. Then, the challenges of my own mental and physical health pushed me into one of the darkest corners of my life for several years. I was lost, confused, and thought there was little life left. For years, I knew what therapy was but never had the confidence to set an appointment because of how it has been stigmatized in my community growing up and believing it to be weak to ask for help. Finally, with a gentle push, I set up my very first therapy appointment, and that is when the healing journey began. It’s not weak to seek help when you’re incapable of doing the work on your own, and I believe it is powerful to reach out for help when needed. For me, the healing never stops, and it’s my passion to help those begin their own healing journey. 

I graduated from East Carolina University in 2020 with my Bachelor of Science and obtained my graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2023. I’m currently licensed as a clinical mental health counseling associate (LCMHCA) and am seeking licensure as an addiction specialist. 

In sessions, I utilize a Person-Centered and Adlerian approach. There is an innate need for connection in our lives, and I find a connection in a therapeutic relationship essential to promote healing. Outside of my approach in sessions, I pull from several other therapeutic modalities to ensure problems can be confronted to increase quality of life.

I specialize in:

• Shame

• Substance use/abuse

• Relapse Prevention

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Identity Exploration

• Accepting Change

• Boundary Building

• Family System Issues