Bruce Eric Ferris, MA, LMHC VITAE July 2014 Address Village Counseling Center 3919 Newberry Road, Ste. 5 Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 246-0946(cell), 373-8189(office) bruce@villagecouncelingcenter.net EDUCATION August, 2009 September, 1993 January, 1979 Master of Arts, Webster University, Major: Mental Health Counseling, Graduated with Honors Basic Law Enforcement, Kirkpatrick Institute of Public Safety Police Academy, Santa Fe College, 726 hours Bachelor of Science, State University of New York at Buffalo Major: Civil Engineering WORK EXPERIENCE January 2012 to Present: Mental Health Counselor and State Certified Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) facilitator, Village Counseling Center, 3919 West Newberry Road, Suite 5, Gainesville, 32607 Conducting mental health therapy with individuals, couples and adolescent boys. Including trauma healing, domestic violence, anger management, life issues and goals. Developed a Domestic Violence Prevention Program to provide education and support to children and adolescents so they can make healthy choices regarding future relationships. Facilitating Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) groups. Teach a Domestic Violence Effects on Children class. Domestic Violence Assessments. Expert Witness Testimony May 2011 to Present: Part time Mental Health Counselor, Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, 2100 NW 53 rd Ave., Conducting mental health therapy for domestic violence survivors. 1
January 1994 to September 2013: Police Officer/Detective, Domestic Violence Unit, Police Department Reserve Police Officer, January 1994 to September 1997, working in Patrol Division Full Time Police Officer/Corporal, September 1997 to January 2004, working in Patrol Division o Field Training Officer (FTO) o Advance Law Enforcement Rifle Team (ALERT) member o Noise Ordinance specialist Detective Corporal, January 2004 to September 2013, working in the Domestic Violence Unit of the Investigations Bureau o Investigating Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) crimes Lead detective on over 500 cases most resulting in arrests or charges being filed. o Training Police Officers about IPV crimes o Conducting public outreach o Advocating for victims of domestic violence o Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainer o Member of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team March 2010 to August 2013: Part time Mental Health Counselor and State Certified Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) facilitator, Creative Counseling Services, 4010 Newberry Road, Gainesville FL Conducting mental health therapy with individuals, couples and adolescent boys. Including trauma healing, domestic violence, anger management, substance abuse, life issues and goals. Facilitating Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) groups for offenders. January to August 2009: Part time Intern Counselor with the Forensic Diversion Team at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare,, while in graduate school. Conducted intake screening for new clients and facilitated groups for substance abuse clients. August 1986 to September 1997: Owner/Manager Ferris Importers Inc., Managed all facets of this wholesale business in the jewelry trade January 1981 to August 1986: Traffic Engineer, City of Engineer working on all aspects of the city transportation system January 1979 to January 1981: Transportation Engineer, EWGCC, St. Louis Missouri Engineer responsible for long range computer modeling of traffic demand 2
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), MH 11930, State of, Division of Medical Quality Assurance, Tallahassee, FL September 2010, State Certified Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) Facilitator January 1994, Certified Police Officer, Criminal Justice Training Commission Certification for use of the Domestic Violence Danger Assessment and Levels of Danger Scoring System, Dr. Jackie Campbell, John Hopkins University, 2014 AWARDS February 22, 2014: Certificate of Appreciation in Recognition of Valuable Contributions to the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training Program of North Central April 13, 2011: Awarded a special tribute award for the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the State of, for National Crime Victim Week by State Attorney General Pam Bondi, in Tallahassee, for the year 2010 Recipient of the University of Police Department Police Service Award September 15, 2011, for training officers on the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Honored as the Big Brother of the Year 2007-2008 by the Mid Big Brother/Big Sister program for his friendship with his Little Brother Kenny Honored as the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2004 by the Peaceful Paths Domestic Violence Abuse Network, PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES and ACTIVITIES American Mental Health Counselors Association Fraternal Order of Police Member of Gainesville s Domestic Violence Task Force Member of the 8 th Judicial Circuit of Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team Board member of the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women Member of the Alachua County High Risk Domestic Violence Team Volunteer Therapist with the University Of, College Of Medicine, Mobile Outreach Clinic, part-time, 2014 Member of the University of Male Leadership Committee, 2013/2014 3
Planning committee member for the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 annual Sexual Battery Conference, Planning committee member Men on Board Against Domestic Violence, Gainesville, 2013/2014 Member of the Gainesville Mental Health Consortium, 2012 Member of the 2012 United Way Community Wide Strategic Planning, Safety Committee Working group leader for the Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response for local law enforcement developed a best practices procedural guide, 2009. 2007-2008: A member of the statewide Domestic Violence Needs Assessment Group, organized by the Office of the State Courts Administrator, Office of Court Improvement. EXPERT WITNESS TESTOMY and CONSULTING February 25, 2009: Designated a Domestic Violence Expert Witness in testimony before Judge Joseph Smith, Levi County Criminal Court, Eighth Circuit Court May 11, 2010: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge Davis, Alachua County, Eighth Circuit Court January 20, 2012: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge Sieg, Alachua County, Eighth Circuit Court August 29, 2012: Certified as a Domestic Violence Expert Witness by Judge Green, Alachua County, Eighth Circuit Court October 24, 2012: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony before Judge Green, Alachua County, Eighth Circuit Court December 14, 2012: Domestic Violence and Mental Health Expert Witness testimony before Judge Davis, Eighth Circuit Court, Juvenile Division December 2012 to March 2013, Expert Witness Consulting to the law firm of DeThomasis & Buchanan, P.A., 1800 North Main Street, Gainesville, 32609, Re: State of vs. Briana Taylor Obannon Blackburn, Criminal Court, Fourth Circuit Court August 6, 2012, I gave audio testimony under oath in the USMC Board of Inquiry for Captain Robert A. Brooks, resulting in his discharge from the USMC. The hearing took place in Parris Island Joint Law Center, South Carolina. I consulted on the case with Chief Trial Counsel Captain Jenna E. Reed, USMC. September 20, 2013: Domestic Violence and Mental Health Expert Witness testimony in Civil Court before Judge Davis, Eighth Circuit Court, Levy County, Chenery case. Also expert witness consulting to attorney S. Scott Walker Esquire, 527 E. University Ave.,, 32602. November 18, 2013: Domestic Violence Expert Witness testimony in Civil Court before Judge Nilon, Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, Sidhu/Thind 4
case. Also expert witness consulting to attorney Kathleen C. Fox, PO Box 1930, Alachua, 32616. January 18, 2014, Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, Juvenile Division. Testified as an Expert Witness in the case of V. Greco, D. Greco and K. Greco before Judge Nilon. February 4, 2014, Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge Colaw. Testified as an Expert Witness in Domestic Violence and PTSD in the case of Sweitzer vs. Sweitzer. April 24, 2014, Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge Brasington. Testified as an Expert Witness in Domestic Violence in the Miller vs. Muenchausen trial. May 21, 2014, Eighth Circuit Court, Alachua County, before Judge Nilon. Testified as a Domestic Violence Expert Witness in a civil trial in the Morgan vs. Luca case. PRESENTATIONS 2008 to Ongoing: Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma and Enforcement of the Law University of Law School class and Law Clinic several times each year 2009 to Ongoing: Teaching Conflict Resolution and De-escalation class for new members of the local Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), Law Enforcement and Correction Officers, and facilitating role plays, three times each year, 2012 to Ongoing: Impact of Domestic Violence on Children training for new Guardian Ad Litum (GAL) volunteers,, several times per year February 2014: Presented to the Forensic Team, therapists and case workers, at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare,, Domestic Violence and Trauma February 2014: Presented to assistant state attorney s and victim advocates, Domestic Violence and Trauma, at the Eighth Circuit Court State Attorney s Office December 2013: Guest speaker at the Men on Board Against Domestic Violence rally at the Bo Didley Plaza in downtown. November 2013: Presented at the Seeds of Violence Panel at the Bob Graham Center, University of, a forum on trauma and intimate partner violence and its effects on children. July 2013: Presented Communication and Conflict Resolution for Intimate Partner Relationships to members of the LGBTQ community sponsored by Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network at the Alachua County downtown library May 2013: Presented as part of an expert forum at the Annual Sexual Battery Conference; Domestic Violence Trauma from Childhood to Adulthood, Gainesville 5
March 2013: Presented at the Injunction Update for Victim Advocates at the Alachua County Sheriff s Office January and March 2013: Presented criminal fatality cases at the 8 th Judicial Circuit of Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team October 2012: Domestic Violence Trauma: From a Police Detective and Mental Health Therapist Point of View at the 12 th Annual Break the Silence on Violence Conference in Ocala October 2012: Intimate Partner Violence, Trauma/Investigations/Therapy at the University of graduate class Family Violence, Counselor Education Department May 2012: Intimate Partner Violence panel at the Alachua County Family Justice Center Courthouse as part of the PFSF FLAG meeting to judges, attorneys and other community partners May 2012: Domestic Violence, Trauma and BIP to prisoners at the Alachua County Jail as part of an Alachua County Library Health Information Education project January 2012: Domestic Violence and Criminal Investigations training for the police officers of the High Springs Police Department January 2012: Intimate Partner Violence and Police Investigations at the LGBT conference, at the Pride Community Center in November 2011: Domestic Violence: From the Police Investigation to the Trauma, a Detective and Therapist s Point of View presented during the clinical track at the annual conference of the Coalition for Children (FCC), Tampa September 2011: Best Practice and the Use of Role Plays in CIT Training International Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) conference in Virginia Beach Virginia September 2011: Domestic Violence and Childhood Trauma Alachua County School Board Middle School, and High School guidance counselors multiday forum. May 2011: Interviewing Children at Domestic Violence Crime Scenes regional Domestic Violence conference sponsored by the Alachua County Sheriff s Office February 2011: Domestic Violence, Trauma and Police Investigations University of s Counselors for Social Change January 2011: Domestic Violence and Trauma Healthy Family case workers, October 2010: Domestic Violence and Police Investigations University of s School of Pharmacy students 6
October 2010: Domestic Violence, Trauma and Police Investigations University of s Counselor Education Program students July 2010: Crisis De-Escalation and Reflective Communications Skills Northeast Education Consortiums (NEFEC) Annual Conference, May 2010: New Legal Issues and Local Practices in the Domestic Violence Front Gainesville Sexual Battery Conference April/May 2010: Consultant for the Alachua County Sheriff s Office; developed a Domestic Violence training program about the complete investigation and understanding of Intimate Partner Violence for the Sheriff s sworn and civilian employees. February 2010: Consultant/presenter for the FCADV on the InVEST domestic violence project helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and victim advocates, Orlando. October 2009: Conflict Resolution and De-escalation CAFVIC Battered Women s Program in Baton Rouge Louisiana 2008-2009: Conflict Resolution and De-escalation Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV), developed and taught the class for the staff at the 42 domestic violence shelters around the state of. June 2009: Law Enforcement Interviewing Children at Domestic Violence Crime Scenes National Battered Women s Justice Project (BWJP) Conference in St. Paul Minnesota November 2007: Domestic Violence Santa Fe College student safety forum September 2007: The Resources Continuum for Domestic Violence Victims in Our Community, panel participant at the two day seminar sponsored by the Child Advocacy Center and Peaceful Paths entitled Community Collaboration to Address Violence in the Family, June 2007: Domestic Violence Youth Summit sponsored by the 8 th Circuit SAO and the Department of Juvenile Justice, April 2007: Domestic Violence and Police Investigations GPD Violent Crime Summit, TRAINING ATTENDED July 2014: What Attorneys and DV/SA Experts Can and Should Expect From One Another, Webinar, Kirsten Faisal and Tim Gruenke, supported by U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women 7
June 2014: Understanding the Role of Experts in Immigration Proceedings Involving Victims of Battering, part 2, Webinar, Noel Busch-Armendariz and Edna Yang, supported by U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women June 2014: Forensic Evaluations and Expert Witness Issues, AMHCA Clinical Issues Webinar Series June 2014: Addiction and the Family: A Systemic Healing Perspective, Dr. Kelly Aissen, North Central Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, May 2014: Strangulation & Alternate Light Source by Debra Holbrook BSN, RN, Sane- A, FNA A/P, at the ACSO May 2014: Attended the 33 rd annual Sexual Battery Conference which included keynote speakers and breakout sessions on related trauma topics,. April 2014: Neuroscience: User Friendly or too complex for practice?, by Dr. Pat Hurff, NCFAMFT, Gainesville, March 2014: Sequential Intercept Model training, by Leah Vale, MA, Forensic Program Director, MBH, Gainesville, February 2014: The Art of Caring: Fostering Balance for Clients and Counselors Through Intention and Awareness, by Dr. Linda Goodwin, NCFAMFT, Gainesville January 2014: Domestic Violence Danger Assessment Certification, Dr. Jackie Campbell, John Hopkins University, June 20, 2013: Attended a Webinar on Domestic Violence and Expert Witness Testimony led by attorney Christopher Mallios from AEquitas Resources June 2013: One day seminar on Domestic Violence Fatality Review training, Gainesville June 2013: HIV/AIDS Education taught by Prepare for Success, LMHC requirement June 2013: Prevention of Medical Errors taught by Prepare for Success, LMHC requirement May 2013: Department of Children and Families Dependency Court Process training, October through December 2012: Graduate course at Webster University on Brief/Solution Focused Family Counseling, Ocala September 2012: Human Trafficking in North Central, Indicators and Action Tips Gainesville, 8
August 2012: Two day seminar at the National Strangulation Training Institute in San Diego California; Strangulation Train the Trainer Course August 2012: Two day seminar at the National Strangulation Training Institute in San Diego California; Developing the Strangulation Expert Witness Course July 2012: Department of Children and Families Dependency Court Process training, July 2012: Dr. Jim Probert on Trauma, Mindfulness and Recovery, June 2012: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Suicide, Civilian and Law Enforcement, May through July 2012: Graduate course at Webster University on Marriage and Family Counseling, Ocala May 2012: Sexual Battery Conference, Strength and Resilience: A Collaboration in Healing, May 2012: Completion of Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, TF-CBT Web, presented by Medical University of South Carolina April 2012: Hate Crimes training presented by the Anti-Defamation League, Gainesville April 2012: The Future of Batterer Intervention Programs The Importance of Evidence- Based Practice and Movement Affiliation, A Battered Women s Justice Project Webinar Training March 2012: Laws and Rules for LMHC in Orlando at Webster University campus February 2012: The Injunction for Protection Process for Non-Lawyers training at the Alachua County Sherriff s Office February 2012: Domestic Violence Core Competency Advocate Training (30 hours) at Peaceful Paths Abuse Network, November 2011: Coalition for Children (FCC) Annual Conference, Trauma and PTSD training, Tampa October 2011: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training, October 2011: The Secret is Out: 11 th Annual Domestic Violence Conference, Ocala 9
October 2011: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Group Crisis Intervention, September 2011: International Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia, various trainings including several on PTSD September 2011: FCADV Invest Regional, Domestic Violence Strangulation, Gainesville June 2011: FCADV Inside the Looking Glass: A Battering Relationship and the System s Response, June2011: FCADV Saving Lives: Creating Safer Communities, May 2011: Through the Eyes of a Child: Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence training, May 2011: Sexual Battery Conference, Current Trends in Sexual Violence Prevention and Intervention, April 2011: Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), March 2011: Trauma, PTSD and Trauma Grief for Clinicians, Duane Bowers, March 2011: Women Who Use Violence, March 2011: FCADV Best Practices for the Supervision of Batterers, March 2011: FCADV Child and Youth Institute, Orlando January 2011: Department of Children and Families, Trauma Informed Care, presented by Robert Edelman and Rosa West, December 2010: Psychosexual Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescence, presented by Robert Edelman, Hillsborough County November 2010: Institute for Survivors of Sexual Violence: 50 hours of Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution training, Level 1 and 2, Orlando October 2010: Creating Change: Collaborating to End Intimate Partner Violence, September 2010: Domestic Violence Batterer Accountability, Pinellas County August 2010: Batterers Intervention Program: Substance Abuse Specific to Domestic Violence, Indian Shores 10
June 2010: Working with Youth with Mental Health Disorders in the Juvenile Justice System, May 2010: Intimate Partner Violence: When Home is Where the Hurt Is, Gainesville May 2010: Sexual Battery Conference: Examining Societal and System Revictimization, April 2010: Stress Management and Law Enforcement Officer: A Front Line Response, Dr. Tina Jaeckle, March 2010: CJST Human Diversity, Discriminatory Profiling, Professional Traffic Stops, Domestic Violence, and Juvenile Sexual Offender Investigations, February 2010: Creating a Process of Change for Men Who Batter: The Duluth Model, comprehensive three day training, St. Petersburg June 2009: Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), Train the Trainer Session training by Dave Sergeant and Michelle Petony from the Maryland Network against Domestic Violence, May 2009: Sexual Battery Conference, Challenging Interpersonal Violence, Creating Safe Connections in Communities, May 2009: Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training, 40 hours, April 2009: Enhancing Our Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence, Graham Barnes, Battered Women s Justice Project, March 2009: Alcohol Facilitated Rape Investigations, Eighth Circuit State Attorney s Office, March 2009: Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment: Implications for Safety, Dr. Jacqueline Campbell from John Hopkins Medical School, March 2009: Retired Judge Raymond T. McNeal at the Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center: A New Look at Domestic Violence January 2009: Harassment Training and Investigations, Gainesville Police Department December 2008: At the University of Dr. Bobby Smith Director of FORTE, Foundation for Officers Recovering from Traumatic Events (FORTE) June 2008: Domestic Violence Summit; training in Palatka March 2007: Forum at the University of College Of Law about Immigrant Domestic Violence 11
January 2007: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence: A Community Discussion Peaceful Paths, outreach office Anna Guest-Jelley Director, Violence Prevention Program, May 2006: Federal Domestic Violence Instructor Training Program-FLETC/BWJP, (40 hours) Tulsa Oklahoma April 2006: Kinesic Interview & Interrogation Technique Class, Glenn Foster, Gainesville March 2006: Domestic Violence Summit: Social Change, Looking Back, Moving Forward, March 2005: Advocating for Battered Mothers, Battered Women Justice Project, New Orleans Louisiana October 2004: Closing the Gap: Men Stopping Violence, Atlanta Georgia August 2004: DV Summit: Building a Peaceful Community, June 2004: Detective and New Investigator Training, Orlando March 2004: Breaking the Silence: Coalition Against Domestic Violence May 2000: Criminal Case Preparation and Court Preparation, May 2000: Sexual Battery Conference, Challenging Interpersonal Violence: Creating Safe Connections in Communities, Gainesville Florid Law Enforcement Career Development and Training Complete list of police training available upon request. Partial list of specialized training: o 01/26/2012: Communication and Interpersonal Skills o 12/02/2010: Child Abuse Investigations o 02/12/2009: Elder Abuse Investigation o 01/22/2009: Diversity Awareness o 09/02/2008: Baker Act, Officer Survival Series o 07/10/2008: Domestic Violence and IA Review o 03/21/2007: Diversity Awareness o 03/01/2006: Domestic Violence and Juvenile Sex Offenders o 11/08/2004: Peaceful Paths Domestic Violence o 03/04/2003: Juvenile Sex Offenders and Domestic Violence o 05/21/2002: Human Diversity o 05/21/2000: Creating Safe Connections with Communities 12