Gregg Bagdade, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with first responders, veterans, and active-duty military — firefighters, police officers, EMS, dispatchers, and service members — to address the demands of their high-impact careers and support their mental health. As a retired firefighter/paramedic, Gregg knows the rigors of the job firsthand and understands what first responders and military personnel face on a daily basis.
Inspiration
Gregg was driven to the counseling profession after experiencing, firsthand, the disparity of mental health assistance within the fire department where he served. After the line-of-duty death (LODD) of one of his friends and coworkers, it became apparent that there was nowhere for firefighters to process their grief. That loss became the impetus for Gregg to begin serving the first responder community.
Education
Gregg holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Concordia University and interned with the Chicago Fire Department’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
After graduation, Gregg began working in Chicago, Illinois as a therapist in private practice serving first responders. Today, Gregg practices at Mental Health Center of America’s Glendale, Arizona clinic, where he serves as Clinical Lead of the Glendale Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and sees patients virtually across Arizona.
Professional History
Over the last six years, Gregg has earned the respect of patients and fellow first responders by providing crucial mental health support. He was part of the inaugural Chicago Fire Department Peer Support Program, consulted for the Northwest Central Dispatch Peer Support Program, provided crisis intervention therapy following the July 4th parade mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, and served on the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force.
Gregg specializes in first responder mental health and care for veterans and active-duty military, including trauma and PTSD, cumulative and operational stress, burnout, grief after line-of-duty loss, critical incident recovery, moral injury, and the transition out of service or into retirement.
Veterans and active-duty service members: Gregg is in network with VA Community Care (TriWest) and TRICARE. Many of the veterans and service members in the Glendale IOP come to MHCA through Community Care referrals, and Gregg and our intake team can help you navigate the referral process. Learn more about our IOP for Veterans in Arizona.
Awards and Recognition
Gregg is a decorated firefighter/paramedic who received multiple Chicago Fire Department Unit Performance Awards, the CFD Multi-Unit Response Award, and the CFD Cardiac Arrest Successful Resuscitation Award.
He has been a guest on multiple podcasts, including Chicago’s Bravest Stories, the Fire Engineering Magazine Podcast, and Chicago Fire Wives: Married to the Job, and has hosted webinars for the Juniper Center and the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency. Gregg is also the author of Mental Health Mayday: A Firefighter’s Survival Guide from Recruit Through Retirement.
Personal Interests
During his career with the Chicago Fire Department, Gregg was a drummer with the CFD Pipes & Drums, carrying on the fire service tradition of honoring fallen firefighters and celebrating the brotherhood of the job. Though retired from drumming, that connection to the fire service community remains central to who he is.
Are you a first responder, veteran, or service member looking for a counselor who has walked in your boots? Gregg sees patients in person at our Glendale clinic and virtually throughout Arizona. Learn about our First Responder program or call our new-patient line at (602) 932-2413 to schedule.