Rebecca Parnell, Psy.D., HSP-P
Licensed Psychologist
Just because we can do hard things, doesn’t mean we always have to.
How I Think About My Work
I have always been driven by a desire to understand the why.
Whether someone is coming in for an evaluation or therapy, they are often carrying pieces of a story that haven’t quite fit together yet. Sometimes they have spent years trying to understand why certain things feel harder than they should, or why their experiences don’t seem to match the expectations placed on them.
My work is about helping those pieces come together.
Through careful evaluation and conversation, we begin to look at how different parts of a person’s experience intersect—how they think, learn, regulate emotions, process sensory information, and relate to others. When those patterns begin to make sense, the picture that emerges often brings both clarity and relief.
People are the experts in their own lives. My role is to stay curious, listen carefully, and help illuminate the connections that allow someone to understand themselves more fully.
What the Evaluation Process is Really About
Psychological and psychoeducational evaluations are often thought of as a way to answer a specific question or determine whether a diagnosis is present. While that can be part of the process, my approach is broader.
An evaluation is an opportunity to step back and understand the whole system.
We explore cognitive and learning patterns, emotional experiences, sensory processing, and the ways a person’s environment interacts with their natural strengths and vulnerabilities. The goal is not simply to identify challenges, but to recognize the abilities and preferences that can serve as bridges toward more sustainable ways of functioning.
During feedback sessions, we spend time translating these insights into practical understanding—how to work with your brain rather than against it.
Strengths, Challenges, and the Bridges Between Them
Every person brings a unique constellation of strengths and challenges. Often the areas that feel most difficult are rooted in experiences that developed early—sometimes through learning differences, sensory sensitivities, or relational experiences such as trauma or abandonment.
Understanding those origins allows us to approach them with more compassion.
Many of the people I work with have spent years holding tremendous grace for others while being much harder on themselves. Part of this work is learning to extend that same generosity inward, while also recognizing the capacity each person has to face difficult things and grow from them.
Insight does not erase challenges, but it can illuminate pathways forward.
Safe & Sound Protocol
In addition to evaluations, I offer the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), an intervention based on polyvagal theory that supports nervous system regulation.
For some individuals, emotional regulation, anxiety, or sensory sensitivities are closely connected to the ways the nervous system responds to the environment. SSP works through the auditory system to help the nervous system shift toward states that support safety, connection, and engagement.
This work often complements the insights gained through evaluation and ongoing therapy by addressing the physiological foundations of regulation and emotional experience.
Dr. Parnell earned her Doctorate in Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University and is a Licensed Psychologist in North Carolina. She is also certified in the Safe & Sound Protocol.
Dr. Parnell founded the Carolinas Center for Evaluation and Treatment in 2017 to serve the Lake Norman and Charlotte communities, with the goal of creating a practice grounded in thoughtful, relational work and meaningful understanding. She sees clients both virtually and in-person, primarily in our Cornelius office. She offers limited testing appointments in the Huntersville office.
The best way to reach Dr. Parnell is via email at rparnell@carolinascenter.com.
Dr. Parnell and the entire Carolinas Center team are committed to offering an inclusive, affirming, and accessible experience to all.