Richard A. Bridges is the owner of Ouachita Counseling Services, LLC 

Mr. Bridges holds the following licenses and certifications:
Licensed Professional Counselor with appraisal privilege (LPC #3779) by the Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners
Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC #1166) by the Louisiana Addictive Disorders Regulatory Authority
Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor (CCFC #27436) by the National Association of Forensic Counselors
National Certified Counselor (NCC #221130) by the National Board for Certified Counselors

Mr. Bridges is a 1989 graduate of Winnsboro High School and attended Louisiana Tech University and Park College. He is a veteran of the United States Army and after being honorably discharged returned to college using the GI Bill. Mr. Bridges earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2004 and a Master of Arts degree in Substance Abuse Counseling in 2006 from The University of Louisiana at Monroe and has post-Master's degree education in assessment/appraisal as well as forensic mental health counseling. He founded Ouachita Counseling Services, LLC in 2008.

Mr. Bridges is a member of the Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals and a former board member. Mr. Bridges also holds membership with the Louisiana Counseling Association, the Louisiana Association of Addiction and Offender Counselors, the National Association of Forensic Counselors, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.

Mr. Bridges received civic recognition for providing crisis intervention and mental health counseling at the Monroe Special Needs Shelter following Hurricanes Gustav (2008) and Katrina (2005).

Mr. Bridges' clinical interests include forensic mental health counseling, addictions, antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy/sociopathy, post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation. Mr. Bridges has lectured on the local, state, regional and national level concerning counseling with offender populations.