Dr. Hilton T. Thomas and Dr. Eugene Pernell review the office schedule for the day. By Michael Jennings
By Joshua G. Thomas
EAST LANSING, MI — Thomas S. Gunnings, Ph.D. gathered a small group of psychology professionals in the basement of his home to outline his vision. Gunnings envisioned a clinic to serve those who were underserved, disenfranchised and generally neglected by the mainstream while still providing services to conventional clients. More than 30 years later, and after the passing of Gunnings himself, that vision lives on in Meridian Professional Psychological Consultants, PC (MPPC), a private mental health and substance abuse facility.
The dream that is MPPC began in 1977 when Gunnings took his first sabbatical from his post at the Michigan State University counseling center, according to his wife, Barbara Gunnings Ph.D. The clinic began with a simple mission, to provide quality services and to make them accessible to all.
Gunnings set out to attain this goal by attracting a diverse and highly-skilled staff and capitalizing on professional relationships, according to MPPC co-founder Eugene Pernell, Ph.D. “He had ties in the psych community all over the country,” said Pernell of his former colleague. “He always had a contact that he knew personally instead of having to search a directory.”
Gunnings was a renown psychotherapist, teacher, and activist, which garnered him considerable respect in the community. His personal reputation was reflected in the works of MPPC. MPPC’s impact stretched beyond the doors of the facility that housed it and affected the community as a whole. One such way was attacking the stigma surrounding therapy, especially in the minority community. MPPC combated this mindset by means of community outreach and its diverse staff of counselors.
The youth was a large component of the community outreach as well. Gunnings lent much of his time to crisis work in the juvenile courts, according to Pernell. “Many of the youth were rescued and often returned to school instead of jail.”
“We began to be that beacon in the community,” said Pernell of MPPC and the community took notice. In 2007 Meridian Professional Psychological Consultants was recognized by Governor Jennifer Granholm and Ingham County for 30 years of service.
This past August MPPC’s founder and director, Thomas S. Gunnings passed at the age of 75. However, the vision he had for MPPC appears to have lasted as his legacy. “Of course [his passing] had a great impact. He was the office,” began Barbara Gunnings. “Most people have tried to carry on and wanted to carry on because of the great respect they had for him.”
In November of 2010 Hilton T. Thomas, founder and director of Professional Psychological & Rehabilitation Services, PC, purchased MPPC in hopes of continuing its legacy.
“[MPPC] was his dream and my dream,” said Pernell. “When we are no longer working we wanted someone to carry on that tradition. We found that person in Dr. Thomas and we are very blessed for that.”
April 10, 2011 – April 23, 2011 Edition
