Dr. Ron Gellis, Ph.D.

Clinical Director, PTSD Foundation of America, Camp Hope

Dr. Ron Gellis is the new Director of Clinical Services. Following his years working as a psychologist in a drug rehabilitation prison, he accepted a commission into the United States Navy to be stationed at the Naval Drug Rehab Center(NDRC). While at the NDRC he also taught at the Naval Drug and Alcohol Counseling School (NDACS) and the Naval Hospital in San Diego.

Following the Vietnam War, he participated in helping to discover the relationship between trauma and substance abuse before PTSD was even a formal diagnosis. Upon leaving the Navy, Dr. Gellis organized, directed, and consulted with multiple rehabilitation treatment facilities demonstrating his life calling to treat and help those with Addiction, Trauma, and Co-Occuring Disorders.

Dr. Gellis currently serves as Chair of the Faith-Based Working Group for the Orange County Veterans and Military Families Collaborative (OCVMFC) vetting psychologists for Saddleback Church. He has a MA in Developmental Psychology, a MA in Educational Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. He also has six years of Psychoanalytic Training, and is an Unbeatable Mind Coach. For fun, he has played Division I Soccer, has run 20 marathons and competed in at the CrossFit Games for three years as a Masters Athlete. For over 20 years he has also taught scuba diving, and been an award-winning underwater photographer. Dr. Gellis is a depth of expertise joined to the PTSD Foundation mission, and adds a new level to the overall care we are able to provide.