Dr. Ricardo Gillispie, PhD, LCSW, LCSW
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 in 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.
After retirement, I accepted the offer to serve as a group therapist for Rush/Ochsner Intensive Outpatient Psychogeriatric Programs. These are IOP's throughout East Mississippi.
In 2000, I accepted to be a consultant for Rush Psychogeriatric Intensive Outpatient Programs. In this role, I help develop the Behavioral Healthcare Program for geriatric patients with mental health, aging and emotional conditions. After developing these Programs, I provided training for social workers, psychiatrist and nurses. Afterward, I surveyed these Programs in accordance to CMS guidelines.
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
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
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.
Dr Ric Gillispie is first class
Written on Sep 23, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 7 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, addictions, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting issues, and coping with life changes
Dr. Gillespie was able to help me quickly identify therapeutic goals in our first session and we have been making progress every week since then!
Written on Jul 29, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, grief, self esteem, and adhd
Dr. Gillispie is a very kind and understand man; he has great listening skills. I respect his input and guidance. I feel as though I’ve found a true friend in a doctor and I’ve never felt that before.
Written on Jul 29, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, coping with life
Changed my life in a short period of time, strongly recommend if you are looking for quick and impactful change in your life.
Written on Jul 26, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 1 month on issues concerning relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self esteem, and career difficulties
Dr. Ric is kind, empathetic, patient, curious and objective in his work to help us find our journey and be reflective and sustainable in our mental development.
Written on Jul 05, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 2 years on issues concerning stress, anxiety, and relationship issues
He saved my marriage.
Written on May 13, 2024 after therapy with Ricardo for 2 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, parenting issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, compassion