Stacey Ricketts, BSW, MA, LMSW, CBT
Stacey Ricketts, BSW, MA, LMSW, CBT, is a seasoned mental health provider and counselor based in Dover, Delaware, with an accomplished career spanning over 38 years in social work and behavioral health. Since beginning her career in 1988, Stacey has worked across a wide range of settings, demonstrating exceptional leadership, adaptability, and dedication to client care. Early in her journey, she was among the first social workers hired in Texas following legislation requiring social services in nursing homes, where she built and led an entire social services department as Director. Her strong foundation in systems-building and patient advocacy set the tone for a career centered on meaningful impact.
Stacey went on to serve 12 years with Child Protective Services in Houston, Texas, working in multiple units with a particular focus on adolescents navigating complex and often traumatic life circumstances. She empowered youth to take accountability for their futures while supporting them in achieving personal goals. Her experience also includes working as a sex offender treatment therapist facilitating group therapy, where she developed a deep understanding of behavioral patterns and the cyclical nature of trauma. Additionally, she contributed her expertise to the Dover Adolescent Program for Pregnant Teenage Mothers (DAPI) and spent four years as a drug and alcohol counselor and therapist, strengthening her work in substance use treatment and recovery.
Currently, Stacey serves as a Mental Health Provider/Counselor at A Center for Mental Wellness in Dover, Delaware, where she provides both telehealth and in-office sessions to clients of all ages. Known for her collaborative style, Stacey approaches therapy as a partnership—acting as a coach rather than a directive authority—while emphasizing advocacy and ensuring every client has a voice. She credits her clients’ resilience as a continuous source of learning and inspiration. Outside of her professional life, Stacey is a dedicated fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, enjoys crafting, and attends tribal pow wows to stay connected to her culture, reflecting a well-rounded and grounded personal identity that enriches her work with clients.
• LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker)
• Licensed and Ordained Minister
• Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor
• Belief Therapy Certification, Christian Counseling
• Delaware State University - BSW
• Delaware State University - MSW
• Who's Who in America 2026-27
• Nanticoke Blending Lenape Indian Tribe
• Native American Heritage Month speaker and presenter
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to having a passion for this work - if you don't have it, and if it's not really a spiritual gift or a passion, it doesn't work out well. It's not just being in a field that improves people's lives, it's that it makes me feel validated as a person. Just to see the change and know that I was instrumental in making it happen gives me a sense of purpose, a sense of accomplishment to know that I am helping other people to be better individuals. When they celebrate their victory, I celebrate with them, even if it's the most tiniest thing. Like when a client tells me they were able to end a toxic relationship after we talked about it, that makes me feel complete as a therapist because I know they started using some of the techniques and interventions to get themselves to another place and to find peace within themselves. It's almost like an adrenaline thing - it really gives me a sense of purpose. I often tell my clients I'm not here for the paycheck, I'm here because I can see that you are progressing, and that's my whole goal.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Make sure your heart's in the right place, because you will get challenged. These young ladies will challenge you with questions like 'why do I have to do that?' and you need to be prepared for that. They're a lot more vocal and expressive in ways that their senior counterparts, teachers, mothers, and grandmothers weren't. They're more aware and more in tune with their feelings. When I turn to my own daughter, I tell her it's not my opinion, that's my wisdom to help you. I'm not telling you because this is an option or because I want you to add my opinion to your pool of people your age who haven't been through nothing. You need to understand that this new generation is on a different wavelength, and you have to be ready to work with that while keeping your heart in the right place.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is being able to deal with individuals, especially younger women who have not been supported the way they should or who are just so misunderstood and feel as though they have to do certain things to accept themselves or even love themselves. I've had women come in, young women with children struggling with dual diagnosis - drug addiction and mental health - and they're probably one of the hardest groups to work with. I heard one young lady who sat there and told me she OD'd last month and she had a daughter. Then to find out she's in a controlling relationship and has nobody she can go to for help. I'm seeing young ladies not valuing their bodies, doing anything to get attention from males because of the poor male figures they had in their life. There's been a significant change over the past 30 to 40 years. Social media plays a part - the videos, the whole culture of wearing a mask. They have no foundation of boundaries, no concept of being real, being overly concerned about others, not taking advantage of education. Another challenging thing is that females have become so competitive against each other that they're not supporting one another. The political climate is definitely a factor too, with cutting back on resources.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The value that stands out most for me is to treat others the way you want to be treated. Compassion is very important to me, as well as equality and inclusion. But empathy is definitely number one - you've got to have empathy. I believe very strongly in these values, and I think empathy is a value that's really being lost on people today. They don't have empathy for each other, and that's really sad, especially if you're in the world of social services in any capacity.