About Dr. Floyd T. Phillips
Discover the Story Behind Dr. Floyd Phillips
Floyd Phillips is a poor kid from Harlem trudging down the street to give the commencement speech at his sixth-grade graduation. He should be thrilled, but while all the other kids are arriving with family and friends, Floyd is alone.
His grandmother died three years earlier, his mother is in the hospital dying of cancer, his father can’t move due to a crippling lung disease, and his brother and sister are attending school across town.
But lonely as he is that day, he delivers a speech that receives a standing ovation and reveals to him the power of words. Left pretty much to his own devices after his mother dies, Floyd drops out of high school to hang around with his “homies” on the street corner. He’s not interested in working or learning, or doing much of anything except partying every night.
It’s a recipe for disaster — or it could have been. But his mother and grandmother had instilled solid values in him, as well as an unshakeable grounding in the most spiritual philosophies in the Bible.
Along the way, Floyd deepened his wisdom, both on the streets and in the classroom. As an African American man, he had his share of race barriers to overcome, while also fighting through a debilitating illness while studying for his doctorate. His story is one of determination, resilience, and a keen insight into what motivates people to realize their full potential.
Dr. Phillips founded The New York Institute of Health and Behavior, which focuses on the psychological and emotional underlying causes of mental illness and maladaptive behavior, including addiction, while providing insight and teaching healthy coping skills for a wholesome life.
Above all, his story is one of hope and resilience. Today, he is determined to change and heal the world, knowing that will likely happen one person at a time. His story encourages those who want change to join him in the quest.