Benjamin Larisey has been a natural advocate, listener, and provider of empathy long before he realized his calling to be a clinical social worker. Like most of us, Benjamin struggled to find a profession that allows him to do what he loves, which for him is to witness and be part of someone's journey toward their own success. In the years since then, he has held positions as a community-based therapist, advocate, school-based therapist, coordinator of behavioral health, and most recently the Director of Behavioral Health at Southeast Community Health Systems. Much of his expertise is in leadership, working with trauma victims, marriage problems, grief, depression, and anxiety, to name a few. He is an Eagle Scout. He and his wife were presented the Red Heart Award by the YMCA for feeding the homeless. He was also granted the Good Citizenship Award from the Sons of the American Revolution.

Most recently, he has been part of a national coalition to provide mental health assessments to some of the most vulnerable and traumatized migrants who have sought asylum in the United States. He is a native of Baton Rouge where graduated from Broadmoor High School and then Louisiana State University for both undergraduate and graduate school. He then attended Louisiana State University in Shreveport where he received a second master's degree in health care administration. He now lives in Central, Louisiana with his wife and five beautifully active children. He enjoys woodworking and hopes to witness more success and happiness from the people for whom he leads, counsels, and builds.