Wes Parks, LPC-S, NCC
Training & Licensure
Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor #69918
Licensed by the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors
National Certified Counselor #717656
Certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors
Master of Science
Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology
University of Texas at Tyler
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology
University of Texas at Dallas
THERAPY, ASSESSMENT, CONSULTATION & TRAINING, FORENSICS
About Wes…
I have always been drawn to understanding others’ behaviors. Or, more to the point, I have always been curious about why people do the things they do, even when they are unhealthy, ill-advised, or otherwise counter intuitive. That was my initial interest in psychology, fostered by observations on the playground, in church, at parties, in the workplace…anywhere people gather, behaviors happen that left me trying to understand what I was seeing, making sense of the “why.” What drives us to live our lives they way we do, even when we know we want something better? Once the why becomes clear, making the transition from unhealthy to healthy completes the cycle I find so interesting.
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I have worked with diverse problems such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, stress management, anger management, relationship problems, sexual trauma, Autism, ADHD, PTSD, and personality disorders. I have specialized training in neuropsychological assessment, including complicated diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Additionally, I have experience working in the forensic arena in terms of psychological assessment, court ordered counseling, sentencing/mitigation investigations, and trial consulting. Before opening my own practice in 2015, I was fortunate to work with two other private practices where truly individualized care was the standard and we settled for nothing less than excellence. Creative and collaborate problem solving has always been part of my approach to therapy and assessment.
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I did not start out with a large gay clientele and I didn’t want to be known as “the gay therapist.” I was focused on general clinical issues and a few LGBTQIA+ clients found me. Then a few more, and a few more after that. Before I knew it I was developing a rewarding niche practice. Since then, I have worked with diverse issues affecting our community that include navigating the coming out process, sexual identity and sexual expression, gender identity and gender expression, navigating the gender transition process, relationship struggles, family issues, sexual concerns, mood issues, anxiety problems, and stress management. Understanding that LGBTQIA+ clients frequently struggle to incorporate their identities into the mainstream culture, identity exploration and formation has become a large part of my work.
My Interest in Life
As a person, I have lots of interests outside of my professional identity. I am a bit of an artist. I am an avid reader of all genres of literature. Binge watching Netflix is a guilty pleasure. I enjoy great meals with friends, running, movies, hiking, my cats, family outings, dancing with friends until we look utterly silly, watching live sports, politics, social justice, philanthropy….and the list goes on and on!
Fees for Service
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Therapy - Out of Pocket
$175 per session.
Sessions last 45 - 50 minutes.
Payment methods include cash, check, HSA/Flex cards, major credit cards.
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Therapy - Insurance
• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
• Carelon Behavioral Health
• Independence Blue Cross of Pennsylvania
• Oscar (Optum)
• Oxford (Optum)
• Quest Behavioral Health
• United Healthcare (Optum) -
Assessment
$200 per hour.
Assessments are billed at an hourly rate. The total cost will depend on the type of evaluation.
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Forensics
$250 per hour.
Forensic services are billed at an hourly rate. The total cost will depend on the exact services requested.
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Training / Public Speaking
Variable.
Trainings and public engagements have a variety of cost factors. Email with specifics for details.
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Licensure Supervision
$100 per weekly individual session.
$75 per weekly group session.