Derek Wise, MA, LCPC | Meridian Behavioral Health, LLC

My name is Derek Wise, and I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a private practice based in Las Vegas, Nevada. My work is deeply rooted in lived experience, professional training, and a heartfelt commitment to helping people heal from pain they’ve carried for too long. I entered the foster care system in Colorado in sixth grade, and I know what it’s like to grow up without a consistent sense of safety or belonging. That experience shaped my understanding of trauma, resilience, and the power of human connection—and it continues to guide my work every day. After my time in the U.S. Marine Corps, I pursued a career in mental health so I could support others in navigating the emotional wounds and invisible burdens they carry. Over the years, I’ve worked in state hospitals (Rawson-Neal), forensic (LVMPD and US Marshalls) and community-based behavioral health settings (Desert Parkway/Seven Hills), and eventually transitioned into private practice, where I could offer clients consistent, compassionate, and individualized care. I specialize in working with adolescents and adults experiencing trauma, anxiety, panic, depression, relationship wounds, and emotional dysregulation. Many of my clients have histories that include neglect, emotional manipulation, or unresolved attachment injuries. I am a certified EMDR therapist, and many clients seek me out specifically for that work. EMDR allows us to go beyond talk therapy—targeting the deeper emotional and somatic roots of distress by working with the brain’s natural ability to heal. That said, EMDR is never required. Some clients benefit most from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, or a blended, flexible approach that evolves as they do. Therapy with me is collaborative, nonjudgmental, and personalized. My role is to walk alongside you, helping you make sense of your experiences, reconnect with your inner strengths, and move toward the kind of life and self-understanding that feels authentic and sustainable. Whether you’re carrying trauma from the past or just trying to feel more grounded in the present, I’ll meet you with respect, warmth, and clinical clarity.