About Heather...
Heather Parker, M.Ed., LPC, NCC
“Our brokenness reveals something about who we are. Our sufferings and pains are not simply bothersome interruptions of our lives; rather, they touch us in our uniqueness and our most intimate individuality.” ~ Henri Nouwen
I chose this path professionally because I believe that every person - regardless of their past, their current circumstances, or what the “world” has told them they can and cannot do - is valuable and has a story worthy of being told. There is something extremely validating and freeing about genuinely being heard and feeling safe in that. I know personally what it takes to gather the courage to trust enough to be honest about fears, mistakes, hopes and disappointments; and I consider it an honor to walk with clients as they do the work of owning their own stories. Whether you are struggling with anxiety or depression, wondering whether or not your marriage will make it, trying to survive your role as a parent... or if you just have no idea what makes you….YOU - I would love to join with you on that journey. As Dan Allender has said, “The work of restoration cannot begin until a problem is fully faced.”
After graduating from Samford University with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, I began a teaching career in the public schools. During this time, I earned a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I absolutely loved teaching and felt honored to be a part of the lives of every child and parent. Those relationships and experiences made an impressionable impact on my life.
To begin this chapter in my life, I returned to graduate school at the University of Montevallo to earn a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health. I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. I am a Certified EMDR Therapist (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I began my career as a counselor at Impact Family Counseling (a non-profit non-denominational Christian counseling agency) in 2012 where I worked until the Spring of 2017. Waterstone Counseling is a culmination of God teaching me to trust Him in each little step I take, and me learning to “waltz” (http://www.bobflayhart.com/2009/01/gospel-pipeline-waltz.html) through those steps rather than trusting in my old motto of “If it is to be, it’s up to me!”
I feel incredibly grateful to be doing what I love, and feel honored that others would trust me with their stories!