Valerie I. Parker, DNP

Dr Valerie IdadaParker is originally from Nigeria West Africa and immigrated to USA in 1988 She received her family Nurse practitioner degree FNP from UNC Chapel hill in 1997 She developed an interest in substance abuse after working as a primary care provider in a psychiatry hospital She identified the fact that substance abuse and dependence is a problem that needs grassroots intervention She went back to UNC Chapel hill to get a certification as a psychiatry mental health practitioner and also became a licensed addiction specialist Her interest in substance abuse and mental health resulted in her returning back to UNC Chapel hill to pursue a doctorate in nursing practice Her doctoral project was on evaluating effective treatments for patients with substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders Her project focus was on using the Dual diagnosis capability in addiction treatment index DDCAT to develop integrated care for patients with Dual diagnosis Her project is in the process of publication She believes in treating the whole person and strives to use complementary alternative modalities and traditional medicine to manage mental health and substance abuse patients She uses dance therapy yoga psychotherapy cognitive behavioral therapy meditation mindfulness prayer nutrition and medication management as modalities of care for her patients She has seventeen years of experience in mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment Her mission is to create healthy spirits minds and bodies