PROFILE SUMMARY:         

Dr. Sward is a dedicated mental health counseling professional with 40 plus years of diverse experience which includes, over ten years of administrative and supervisory work in community mental health care, providing counseling services at four different mental health centers and at a correctional facility. He has spent over 20 years in the private practice of mental health counseling. He was taught psychology and counseling, first as an adjunct college instructor, and for the past three years he has been an assistant professor of mental health counseling at Emporia State University. Also a licensed attorney, Dr. Sward was in the private practice of law for two years.

EDUCATION AND MAJOR CLINICAL WORK EXPERIENCE:

Dr. Sward received a B.S. degree in psychology from Sterling College in 1967. He obtained an M.A. degree from Michigan State University in 1969 in Rehabilitation Counseling. He did his internship for that degree at Larned State Hospital in Kansas, and returned there to work as a psychologist. In 1971 he was appointed Executive Director of Sunflower Mental Health Center in Concordia, Kansas, where he served for ten years. In 1983 he received the J.D. degree from Washburn law school and practiced law in Lawrence, Kansas for two years. He completed his Ph.D. degree in Community Counseling at Kansas State University in 1985. In 1986 he became the Director of Counseling Services at the Healing Arts Center in Wichita, Kansas, where he served for ten years before entering private practice. He served a short stint as Chief psychologist at the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility while building up his private practice. In 1999 his practice was big enough for full time service, and soon expanded into a five member practice. In 2005, Dr. Sward decided to finish out his career in academia and accepted a position on the faculty in the psychology department at Emporia State University where he teaches graduate students in mental health counseling. He continues to do some part time private practice in addition to teaching and research.

LICENSES and CERTIFICATIONS:

Dr. Sward is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Kansas, License #181. He is also licensed as an attorney in Kansas, #11670, since 1983. He is certified in Kansas as a substance abuse counselor. He is also certified by the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists as a Diplomate since 1998. He is recognized as a practitioner of EFT (The Emotional Freedom Technique) and listed on their national registry of practitioners.

MEMBERSHIPS, PUBLICATIONS, AND PRESENTATIONS:

Dr. Sward has written and published numerous papers in the field of counseling and mental health. He has also presented at local, State and National Meetings. He most recently presented a seminar on the legal aspect of the counselor ethical code for both the Kansas Counseling Association, and The American Mental Health Counselor’s Association. He is currently the President of the Kansas Association of Counselor Educators. He is a past two time president of the Kansas Mental Health Counselors Association.