Dr. D. Gant Ward, Ph.D.
Dr. Ward was the drum major for the Jones Longhorn marching band before transferring to the residential Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, where he was a member of the high school’s third graduating class. He attended the University of Oklahoma on a Regent’s scholarship and graduated magna cum laude and phi beta kappa with a Bachelor of Science in psychology, and completed three, semester-long language programs in France, Mexico, and Italy. While at OU he was a middle blocker on the university’s club volleyball team, and was awarded the distinction of being the 1998 OU Intramural Athlete of the Year. From OU he directly entered the University of Missouri-Columbia’s doctoral program on a Ridgel Fellowship, earning his Master degree along the way. He completed his predoctoral internship at the Oklahoma City VA Hospital, and was awarded his PhD in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Sport Psychology in 2004. Dr. Ward earned a postdoctoral degree in the treatment of Chemical Dependency in 2005 from the OU Health Sciences Center. He obtained licenses to practice psychology in Kansas and Oklahoma in 2006. Dr. Ward’s clinical activities are primarily individual therapy with adolescents and adults, Social Security Disability Evaluations, court-ordered DHS parenting evaluations, specialized substance abuse evaluations for the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, and the training and supervision of his group’s postdoctoral fellows. Also, from time-to-time he is asked to speak on issues of substance abuse or mental illness, the psychology of Type I Diabetes, legislative priorities for psychologists, and the business of psychology. Dr. Ward wrote a sport psychology column for the Moore American newspaper from 2008 to 2010. He has had a presence in the television media as well, appearing on KOCO 5 News and Fox 25 News locally, and nationally on the Dr. Phil Show, CNN Live, and the NBC Nightly News. He is the owner and clinical director of the Moore Counseling Center, P.C. and Moore Autism Center, P.C., and has been elected by his psychologist peers to a Director position on the board of the Oklahoma Psychological Association.
Dr. Ward’s basic approach is to work jointly with clients to make the changes that they desire. He pays primary attention to his clients’ concerns, drawing upon his clinical expertise to rule out or include additional areas in need of treatment. During therapy sessions Dr. Ward focuses on the client’s thoughts, feelings, and personality, and how these are hindering or helping his or her situation. By (a) increasing awareness and appropriate expression of emotions, (b) correcting faulty, distorted thought patterns, and (c) improving interpersonal functioning, Dr. Ward works collaboratively with clients to address their concerns.
During the first session clients can expect Dr. Ward to take an extensive psychiatric history, to develop and share his diagnostic impressions, to answer all questions about diagnoses, and to develop a mutually agreed upon treatment plan. Therapy sessions are then scheduled on a weekly basis for a typical duration of between eight to ten weeks.
Though Dr. Ward has a broad range of clinical experience, his areas of specialization include depression, personality disorders, substance abuse, sport psychology, and group therapy.
Beyond his work as a psychologist and business owner, Dr. Ward maintains his interest and involvement in sport. He continues to prioritize physical fitness, and enjoys competing in adult indoor and outdoor volleyball events. Also, Dr. Ward was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Region Volleyball Association (OKRVA) where he works to advance and grow the sport of volleyball in Oklahoma. Dr. Ward is also in his second year of officiating volleyball, and in his first and second years was selected as a Line Judge for Oklahoma’s premier high school competition, the Volleyball State Finals. He has also obtained his Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO) certification, which has allowed him to officiate college matches and championships at the NAIA, Division II, and Division I levels.
Dr. Ward on Channel 5 News
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Dr. Ward on the Dr. Phil Show
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Dr. Ward on CNN Live
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Dr. Ward on Channel 5 News |
