Born and raised on the coast of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ward’s professional career sprouted from the progressive roots of Southern California nearly 15 years ago. Ward’s behavioral health career was cultivated through working in all facets of the behavioral health treatment industry. Since moving to Charlotte, NC over four years ago, Ward has become one of the most prominent mental health and Substance Use Disorder professionals in the country for his innovative work with clients and their family systems.
Ward founded Blanchard and Associates, LLC over 10 years ago as a private practice focusing on family re-structuring, family case management, and family consulting. In 2017, Ward established The Blanchard Institute, LLC, a dual diagnosis outpatient treatment center that incorporates comprehensive family focused care. Ward and his team approach treatment for behavioral health conditions through a unique family systems model that utilizes multiple evidence-based modalities in their innovative Blanchard family process.
Ward has a Master’s Degree in Psychology—Marriage and Family Therapy and an MBA in Healthcare administration. Specializing in dual diagnosis treatment, Ward obtained his advance addiction counseling education credential through California Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADC- II). Ward is also a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) and a credentialed Clinical Supervisor (CSS).
In his career that spans across the country, Ward furthered his career while also working alongside some of the world’s most well-known behavioral health centers including The Betty Ford Center, Michael’s House Dual Diagnosis Center, The Ranch Recovery Center, Foundations Recovery Network, and Southern California’s state system. Ward’s experience includes: interventions, admissions, program design and direction, experiential therapy, long term case management, and business administration and revenue cycle management. His passion is centered on educating individuals, families, and professionals as he has presented extensively at national conferences, hospital systems, continuing medical education events, and public service events. Ward has an altruistic enthusiasm around educating the professional community about family systems, SUDs, dual diagnosis disorders, the opioid epidemic and chronic pain.