Rebecca Parnell, Psy.D., HSP-P
Dr. Parnell (she/her) founded the Carolinas Center in 2017 following her relocation from South Florida. She is highly regarded by her peers as being sensitive to the unique needs of each client and approaching each case with clinical expertise and empathy. Dr. Parnell has extensive experience completing psychological, educational and forensic evaluations, as well as working with adults in psychotherapy.
Dr. Parnell has a passion for understanding the “why” of human behavior and believes in the value of comprehensive evaluations in helping to find this. Multiple sources of information are viewed as pieces of a puzzle that, when put together, provide a picture of the whole person that is often hard to see using just one perspective. Dr. Parnell provides gender-affirming care and is particularly focused on the ways in which neurodevelopmental and psychological factors intersect with our personal experiences to influence our behaviors, relationships and internal representations. She approaches every evaluation with the hope of providing clarity to individuals seeking to better understand themselves and carve a path forward.
When working with clients in therapy, Dr. Parnell uses a relational framework, emphasizing the ways in which our early life experiences shape the way we view ourselves, relationships, and the world. This forms the blueprint that we use when meeting partners, selecting friendships, parenting, and choosing jobs. Sometimes, this leads us to rewarding, joyful experiences though it can also contribute to repeating negative patterns, feeling “stuck” in unpleasant cycles of behaviors and relationships. Dr. Parnell specializes in treating depression, anxiety, relationship and boundary issues, divorce/separation, familial conflict, trauma, and domestic violence.
Dr. Parnell has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL and has specialized training in forensic psychology as well as psychodynamically-informed psychotherapy. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Dr. Parnell was the Clinical and Training Director at a community-based agency that provided forensic services in Palm Beach County. She was qualified as an expert witness in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit (Palm Beach County) and frequently testified in cases involving child protective services. Dr. Parnell works with many local counties in North Carolina to provide court-ordered evaluations.