Dr. Joanne S. Parham, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT

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Get to know Psychologist Dr. Joanne S. Parham, who serves patients in The Woodlands, Texas.

Dr. Parham is a licensed psychologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed professional counselor, a certified school psychologist, and a certified EMDR trauma-focused therapist. She is currently serving patients at Woodlands Family Institute in The Woodlands, Texas. “Woodlands Family Institute has been serving families in The Woodlands and surrounding areas for over 25 years. We offer counseling and therapy for couples, families, and individuals, as well as specialized therapy services for addictions, problems with mood, and family conflict resolution. Our approach is empathetic and practical, focusing on listening, understanding, and problem solving. Our goal is to help families and individuals work through their struggles and become whole again. We do this by teaching intimacy skills, effective communication, practical parenting, and the power of forgiveness” as stated on the practice’s website. 

Dr. Parham grew up in Florida and somehow knew in high school that she wanted to be a psychologist. She was fortunate in fulfilling that dream. She completed her undergraduate work at Florida State University and earned her master’s degree in School Psychology at the University of South Florida. She worked in the Sarasota County School System for three years as a school psychologist before earning her doctorate at the University of Mississippi in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Parham has worked as a staff psychotherapist at four different psychiatric facilities in the Houston area. 

Dr. Parham’s clinical focus is one that provides awareness of how an individual responds to and functions within their environment. This approach incorporates marital, family, individual, and group therapies with adults, teens, and children. Dr. Parham’s interests are varied and include marital and relationship problems, anxiety and depressive disorders, life transitions, women’s issues of all kinds, parenting skills, socialization skills, assertiveness, ADHD, behavior management, self-esteem building, as well as trauma and existential conflicts. Her approach takes into consideration the developmental level of the individual/family in order to address issues that are tailored to the specific needs of the patient. Her therapeutic goal lies in working toward improving personal relationships and personal esteem by teaching skills to help her patients overcome major/minor obstacles and move toward being able to maximize their potential and live the fulfilling lives they desire.

Dr. Parham’s treatment approach is very active and engaged. It is generally a cognitive-behavioral model, which incorporates a teaching paradigm that helps patients with problem-solving strategies and effective coping skills for working through depression, fear, grief, anxiety, and many other life conflicts. Sessions emphasize the understanding and modification of patterns of thinking and behavior to enhance personal growth and insight, as well as to improve the quality of life. Dr. Parham enjoys teaching effective communication with partners/spouses, children, parents, families, peers, and colleagues. She truly considers it an honor to be invited into a person’s life and to be able to join in their journey of growth in self and relationships. Dr. Parham is a member of the Texas Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, and the EMDR International Association. 

Psychology is the science of behavior and mind. It includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as feeling and thought. Psychologists, like Dr. Parham, focus on the evaluation, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral health issues. In addition, they play a major role in promoting healthy behavior, preventing diseases, and improving patients’ quality of life. 

Happily married for 30 years and counting, Dr. Parham and her husband, Steve, have four children. Having been raised in a large Italian family, Dr. Parham enjoys anything that has to do with her family being together, especially trips, board games, and all the great discussions that evolve around the dinner table. In her spare time, she enjoys playing classical piano, reading good books, listening to music, going to the movies, cooking, going on photographic adventures with Steve, and just being with good friends.

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