Bonnie Phillips, PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy / LPC
Clinical Director

Anybody that’s ever been a program director, a head coach, or a CEO knows that the success of the organization’s mission is dependent on the team. The team must be people of strong character who are committed to the mission, competent in their respective roles, and connected in real relationships that creates a synergy that brings out the best in each other. This never happens without a person like Bonnie Phillips. I am the head coach at Capstone and Bonnie is sort of like a combination between Assistant Head Coach and the Quarterback. She and I work together to lead Capstone on its journey to fulfill the vision. What Bonnie brings to the Capstone team is invaluable to the Capstone mission. She has many aspects that carry a rating of excellence: personal integrity, humility, professional competency, enthusiasm, heart, intensity, and much more.

When I coached football we always had “go to” players, the boys that you wanted to have the ball in their hands when you had to score to win. These were the boys with the heart and ability to make something happen in a positive way for the team. They were also the players who brought the team together into a synergy that was far greater than it would have been without them. Bonnie is the main “go to” person at Capstone. I can’t imagine Capstone without her.

Bonnie is the Clinical Director of Capstone plus much more. In her role as clinical director, she is hands on in coaching therapists and supervising the daily functioning of the program. She has a magic with the residents and with their families. Bonnie oversees the daily schedule and orchestrates the delivery of the daily plan. With twenty-five plus full-time employees and twenty or so young men who are collectively doing dozens and dozens of things, the planning of the daily schedule is one of the most challenging and important items of Capstone. She and I are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other to try to continue to develop Capstone into the best treatment center anywhere.

Bonnie is married to W. E. Phillips and is the mother of Elijah. W.E. uses his God given talents to make a positive spiritual impact on people through the medium of duck hunting. In addition, W.E. owns Duckmen Kennels as a trainer and breeder of labs and golden retrievers. W. E. also helps out at Capstone as support staff from time to time and is one of our night men. He is a great storyteller and has a great influence on the boys.

Elijah is Bonnie and W.E.’s son. What an awesome boy and I mean all boy! I love to see Elijah playing with the puppies and to watch him grow towards being a fine young man. It reminds me of the good ole days when my sons were little.

Bonnie Phillips is truly one of the top therapists that I’ve ever seen. Her style is not contrived; it’s who she is. She is a brilliant systemic thinker and has an instinct that is God given. Bonnie knows how to go to the core and fight the battles that must be won to set boys and families free. There’s no one I’d trust more to fight beside me at Capstone.

Bonnie earned her BA degree in psychology in 1995 and her MS degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in 1997, both from Harding University. She then entered the PhD program in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She finished her dissertation and completed her PhD in December, 2004. Her dissertation was on Canine Therapy at Capstone. Different parts of it will be featured on this web site. I’ve read the entire thing and it was awesome. I’m looking forward to reading her future book on canine therapy someday.

Bonnie’s favorite Scripture is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not loose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary struggles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs then all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”