Scott Ward

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

Scott has over 25 years of experience working with children and families. He has worked in mental health, school settings and at an adoption agency. Scott’s clinical perspective is informed by his training in attachment therapy and Gottman Method Couples Therapy.


Therapy is an experience of understanding parts of your life through sharing and understanding your story. When we meet we will enter a therapeutic journey, in which I will observe and reflect back a narrative that helps both you and I understand the parts of your story that are making you feel “stuck.” As a trained therapist, I will listen and provide you with ideas and thoughts to help clarify your story. Together we will reflect on this place you are in, take emotional stock of what it means, and develop a plan for coping and/or moving forward. My approach is to work with you regarding your needs while looking at your ability to take care of yourself through life’s challenges.

Among the services I provide are...

Family Therapy: For those who desire to address their problems in a family context, family therapy helps address problems with all family members present. Family therapy is usually fewer sessions than individual or couples therapy.


Couples Therapy: Partners evoke the greatest joy and at times the deepest sadness and anger. Among the areas that couples may address in therapy are:

  • Communication skills
  • Boundary setting
  • Crisis prevention
  • Intimacy
  • Parenting
  • Decision-making to support the relationship rather than undermine it
  • Problem-solving skills

Individual Therapy: Adults navigating adulthood experience the challenges of emotional stability that may include anxiety, depression, or sadness. Learning how to successfully transition into adulthood can be complicated due to a variety of issues including but not limited to family history, physical or sexual abuse, relationship challenges, grief and loss, self-care and personal development obstacles. Therapy will help adults better understand themselves and help them feel more competent.


Teen Therapy: Teens today have unique social and family pressures and sometimes lack effective tools to manage these stressors. Kids who have had traumatic physical or sexual histories may be particularly susceptible. Such struggles may lead to anger, defiance, academic problems, including decreasing grades, peer pressure, inappropriate contact and communication with peers of the opposite sex, promiscuity, substance use, isolation, bullying, social skills, sadness, and loss. Teen struggles can stem from parental conflicts, marital issues and divorce as well.


Family Consultation: At times, parents are simply seeking new strategies, ideas or guidance to manage a situation more effectively. Situations may include but are not limited to divorce, co-parenting and communication, navigating schools and being a parent advocate, managing TV, internet, computer and media influences, addressing discipline challenges and peer-related issues, to address suspected chemical use, child moving to college, independence issues, to better manage homework battles, and to parent with love in mind, to name a few.


Collaborative Divorce – Child Specialist: The collaborative divorce model is predicated on the belief that couples seeking a divorce want to work together, for the benefit of their children, despite their differences that led them to the divorce. As a child specialist, my role is to provide an assessment of the issues facing your child(ren), to help you to develop a collaborative plan around visits, vacations, phone calls and holidays and events. A Child Specialist is not a therapist. For more information please go to my link at the website of the Chittenden County Collaborative Law Group at: http://www.chittendencountycollaborativelaw.com/mental-health-professionals.php


Scott's Education and Training Background:
  • Creighton University , Bachelor of Arts
  • Washington University, George Warren Brown School of Social Work , Masters of Social Work
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Vermont #089-0000675
  • 250 hours of Intensive Training and Consultation in Attachment Therapy with Daniel Hughes, Ph.D ( www.danielhughes.org )
  • Scott has completed Level III Practicum Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy.

Phone: 866-840-1574