Therapist in Summerville, South Carolina Joseph Ritchey, Therapist

Joe Ritchey received a Bachelor’s degree from Penn State, in the mid 1980’s and completed the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at USC-Columbia in 1990. He worked on an inpatient psychiatric unit, in Augusta, GA followed by working at CHAPS Recovery program in Columbia, SC. He moved into the public sector and began working at SCDSS and later at SCDHEC. Joe further developed his passion for working with individuals in therapy settings while working at these agencies. In the late 1990’s, Joe spent a few years at LRADAC (Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission) working with clients with dual diagnoses (addiction and other co-occurring disorders), and was part of the Dual Diagnosis team at Columbia Area Mental Health. He completed the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree in 1999 and the Gerontology Certificate program, in 2001, from USC. In 2004, he became a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) for the state of South Carolina. Joe worked with the aging population at Central Midlands Council of Governments (2001 to 2013) serving caregivers caring for loved ones at home. He facilitated two groups per month for caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren. From 2008 to 2013, Joe also provided counseling and group therapy services, part-time, at Three Rivers Behavioral Health psychiatric hospital in the out-patient area. He taught undergraduate social work courses at Limestone College, Columbia College, and USC between 2003 and 2013. He has extensive experience providing individual counseling and facilitating various groups. He has developed an appreciation for the complexities encountered by people that happened to be LGBTQ. Joe has provided counseling services for people with addiction, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, grief and loss, adjustment disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, and other diagnoses. His approach includes letting the patient lead the session, initially, and determine what that person would like to work on vs. drawing conclusions and stating what the person needs to address. Therapy does not have to be a struggle; it can be enlightening and allow a person to be free of things that drag them down.