Staff Bios:
Dr. Eric Emery
Dr. Eric J. Emery is widely recognized in the professional mental health disciplines for having crafted some of the most innovative programs for the seriously mentally ill in the United States. Throughout his career he has blended the administrative and clinical management of mental health programs. In the early 1980’s Dr. Emery co-founded the Southern Ohio Family Institute, (SOFI) in Cincinnati. SOFI became well known for offering unique treatment programs to serve populations at risk, i.e. The High Risk Family Project, The Parents of Murdered Children Project and the Families with a Schizophrenic Member Project for the Ohio Department of Mental Health. These three programs all received national acclaim. Throughout these years Dr. Emery maintained a close collaborative working relationship and friendship with psychiatrist, Dr. Carl Whitaker whose pioneering work on the treatment of schizophrenia is still considered the standard of excellence for the field today.
In 1991 Dr. Emery left Ohio to move to California and begin a new venture with noted Psychiatrist, Dr. David Berenson. Together they co-founded the new Family Institute of San Francisco, (FISF). Dr. Emery once again developed several unique initiatives most notably the Asian Immigrant and Refugee Project with psychologist, Dr. Evelyn Lee.
In the July of 2006 Dr Emery was recruited by the board of Directors at the Spirit of Gheel to return to the Philadelphia area and assume the Executive Directorship.
Through all of these accomplishments Dr. Emery has maintained his commitment to integrating “cutting edge” theory with issues of applied “best practice” models of clinical care.
Dr. Phillip Reeves
Dr. Phillip R Reeves is the medical director of the Spirit of Gheel, Inc. He received his medical degree along with the Baldwin Keyes Award for excellence from the Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in 1999. He continued at Jefferson Medial College for his internship and psychiatric residency. Since his residency he has consulted and worked on inpatient units for several community hospitals in the greater Philadelphia area. He maintains an active private practice in Philadelphia.
Prior to medical school Dr. Reeves was an accomplished classical musician who attended the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and the Temple University College of Music majoring in viola performance. Following his graduation he performed as a core member of the Frank Sinatra orchestra for over a decade including several appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York. However, as a young boy, Dr. Reeves had always dreamed of becoming a doctor. This is what ultimately led him to return to school for his medical degree. We are fortunate to have him as he is a gifted clinician and psychiatrist who leads with his humanity.
Vanessa Perez
Vanessa Perez is the Director of operations at the Spirit of Gheel. She has a social work degree from Cabrini College and extensive experience working with those struggling with serious mental illness. The settings where she honed her clinical skills include experiences in an emergency inpatient psychiatric hospital and community psychiatric residences where she was as a program manager.
In addition to her experience with those struggling with serious and persistent mental illness she also has expertise in dealing with individuals dually diagnosed with substance abuse disorders and mental illness. Throughout her career it has remained her intention to support recovery through emphasizing positive change among those in acute crisis and the disenfranchised.