Therapist Dr. Ricardo Gillispie, PhD, LCSW Photo

Dr. Ricardo Gillispie, PhD, LCSW, LCSW

Stress, Anxiety Relationships Family conflicts Trauma, Abuse Depression
Video Phone Live Chat Messaging

About me

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Ricardo Gillispie, PhD, LCSW
I received my Bachelor’s Degree in 1973 in Social Science from Mississippi Valley State University. I was accepted , ACin the first Masters of Social Work Program at the University of Southern Mississippi graduating in 1975. I was awarded the first Social Worker of the Year by the Mississippi Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers in 1992. I was accepted in the first Ph.D. Program in Social Work at Jackson State University graduating in 2000, with the primary focus in Psychotherapeutic Social Work.

Prior to retiring from Private Practice, I was part owner and CEO of Family Counseling Services, PLLC in Meridian, MS. This was a Private Behavioral Health Care Group Practice consisting of Psychiatrists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, PhD Clinical Psychologists, Licensed Professional Counselors and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners. While in Private Practice, I specialized in Marriage and Family Therapy, Cognitive/Affective Disorders, to include patients experiencing Depression, Anxiety and Post Traumatic Disorder.

In 1999 I accepted the consulting role with East Mississippi Correctional Facility, a private prison under the management of the GEO Group, Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida. In that consulting role, I designed the first exclusive mental health program in corrections in the United States. February 2006, I accepted the full-time position as Deputy Warden of Mental Health Programs with East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF), and maintained my private practice with Family Counseling Services, PLLC.

From 1973 to 1985, I served as Assistant Director for Region Ten (Weems) Mental Health Center covering a catchment area of nine counties in East Central Mississippi. In that role, I wrote the Initial Operation Grant for Weems Mental Health Center and other grants.

1986, I served as Clinical Director and an investor of Laurel Wood Psychiatric Hospital in Meridian, MS.

I served fifteen years on the Meridian School Board of Trustees, serving two terms as President.

I was elected as Region Ten National Association of Social Work Representative for the Nomination and Leadership Committee, representing Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee.

1994, I was appointed to the first Mississippi Social Workers Licensure Board serving one term as chairman.

I served as an Auditor of Correctional Facilities in the United States for the American Correctional Association (ACA).

Also, I was a Psychiatric Social Worker Surveyor consultant for the Center of Medicaid/Medicare Services (CMS), in which I surveyed public and private psychiatric hospitals for Medicare and Medicaid compliance in the United States.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Diplomat in Clinical Social Work, and Certified by the Academy of Certified Social Workers.

2006, I was inducted in the Hall of Fame at Meridian Community College.

I have served as a part-time instructor for Mississippi State University School of Social Working – Meridian Branch, Meridian Community College and Adjunct Faculty for the University of Southern Mississippi School of Social Work.

I have provided the following professional presentations:
• 2015 Techniques in the Provision of Group Psychotherapy - Rush Hospital Senior Citizens Program
• 2017 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Rush Hospital Senior Citizens Program
• Guest speaker for the 2010 American Correctional Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA. Topic: Efficacy of Mental Health Services in Corrections
• Presenter at 2011 American Correctional Association Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill, Topic: Long Term Segregated Offender Mental Health Program.
• Social Work Standards of Practice in Psychiatric Hospitals for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – Seattle, WA
• Assessment Interviewing Training for the Mississippi Department of Health and Human Services- Jackson, MS
• Stress Management Workshops for Industries, Hospitals and other professional organizations.
• Interviewing Skills Training for the Department of Public Welfare; sponsored by the University of Southern Mississippi Continuing Education Department - Gulfport, MS
• Assessment Interviewing/Assessment Training for the Bureau of Indian Affairs; Choctaw Reservation - Philadelphia, MS
• Developing of Treatment Plans for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – Baltimore, MD
• Guest Speaker for the Institute of Rural Mental Health; Topic: Barriers for African Americans in Obtaining Mental Health Services In the Rural South
• Operational Development of the Psychosocial Assessments – Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – Kansas City, MO

I have authored the following publications:
Book: How to Prevent the Collision of the Two Worlds we Live, Publisher - Mulberry Book, LLC, 2020.

Hospitalized Africa American Men with Mental Illness: Some Antecedents to Service Satisfaction and Intent to Comply with Aftercare. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Skills, Volume 6, Number 3, winter 2002.

Hospitalized African American Mental Health Consumers: Some Antecedents to Service Satisfaction and Intent to Comply with Aftercare. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Volume 75, Number 2, pp. 254-261, 2005.

I have been married to Catherine Nelson Gillispie since 1973. We have a daughter Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell who is a physician of OBGY at Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans and son, Rashad Gillispie a graduate of MVSU with a degree in computer science.

My wife and I attend North Park church in Meridian, MS a multiracial and cultural congregation.

Licensed and Certifications:
• Mississippi Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Marriage and Family Counselor - #COO82
• Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) - #881216796
• Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD) - #006164

Professional experience

50yrs in practice
Stress, Anxiety Relationships Family conflicts Trauma, Abuse Depression

Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and Foster Care, Aging and Geriatric Issues, Antisocial Personality, Attachment Issues, Avoidant Personality, Blended Family Issues, Body Image, Caregiver Issues and Stress, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment Issues, Communication Problems, Control Issues, Coping with Natural or Human-Caused Disaster, Dependent Personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Divorce and Separation, Domestic Violence, Emptiness, Family of Origin Issues, Family Problems, Fatherhood Issues, Forgiveness, Gender Dysphoria, Guilt and Shame, Hoarding, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Isolation / Loneliness, Jealousy, Life Purpose, Men's Issues, Midlife Crisis, Mood Disorders, Multicultural Concerns, Narcissism, Obsessions, Compulsions, and OCD, Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks, Paranoia, Phobias, Polyamory / Nonmonogamous Relationships, Postpartum Depression, Post-traumatic Stress, Prejudice and Discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Harm, Self-Love, Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Sexual Dysfunction, Sexuality, Social Anxiety and Phobia, Somatization, Women's Issues, Workplace Issues, Young Adult Issues

Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy

Services offered

Video
Phone
Live Chat
Messaging

License information

MS LCSW C0082

Reviews

These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Dr. Ricardo Gillispie, PhD, LCSW. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.

I've only had one session with Dr. Gillispie, but we connected immediately and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He's a real and genuine person.

Written on Mar 28, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 3 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, and grief

Dr Gillespie is such a great blessing and certainly most competent.

Written on May 08, 2023 after therapy with Ricardo for 6 months

"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to speak with and learn from Dr. Ricardo Gillispie. He is a kind, caring, sympathetic, individual and was able to give me the tools, resources, knowledge, and confidence to persevere and grow through an incredibly difficult time in my life. I can say with the utmost sincerity that any individual who has the opportunity to work with Dr. Gillespie will in fact be a better human being with a healthier mindset. Dr. Ricardo Gillispie is truly a blessing to humanity."

Written on Apr 23, 2023 after therapy with Ricardo for 1 month

After exactly a year if seeing him, I am happy to say that I have gotten to know Dr. Ric Gillispie as a genuinely kind, level-headed person and respectfully challenging therapist that listens intently, encourages you when you’re on the right track and guides your way of thinking accordingly if you start to veer off it. With heartfelt gratitude, 100% recommend.

Written on Mar 19, 2023 after therapy with Ricardo for 9 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, and relationship issues

Dr. Gillespie takes the time to listen to me and is a very good at encouraging me to take action on overcoming dysfunction/dysregualted thoughts. He also gives me practical advice on how to counteract those negative thought patterns. Also, besides being my therapist, he is also just enjoyable to talk to. It's nice to have someone like him to just be completely honest with. Most importantly, Dr. Gillispie points me to Jesus and that means everything. Overall, he is a very good counselor and would highly recommend to anyone dealing with negative thoughts.

Written on Jan 08, 2023 after therapy with Ricardo for 3 weeks

He’s the best.

Written on Dec 13, 2022 after therapy with Ricardo for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, sleeping disorders, and anger management