TAKING CHARGE:
STAN WOODY, MS, LMHC
An Interview by Leo Perales
Stan Woody
 Mr. Woody received his Master of Science
Degree in Applied Psychology in 1994
from Eastern Washington University.
 Since attaining his degree, he has
practiced as a Mental Health and
relationship counselor and works out of his
own office in Richland, Wa.
Services
 Mr. Woody’s office offers many services and







they include:
Domestic violence counseling
Major Depression
ADHD
Couples and Family Counseling
Anger Management
Men’s Groups
Individual Sessions
Typical Day
 He noted that he is semi
retired and majority of his day
consists of handling domestic
violence cases which are all
court ordered.
 Deals with individuals who
have “chips on their shoulders”
 His program he cites is a
Psycho-educational program
and he helps the individual
figure out the “I” in
responsibility which is Wood’s
motto.
Likes vs.. Dislikes of the Job
 Likes
 Woody was once a farmer and
then decided to put the shovel
down and do what he loved:
helping individuals
 Dislikes
 Woody proclaimed that he
adamantly loves his job and
the only thing he dislikes is the
pay! (We laughed at this)
 He relishes the fact that he can
 The other attribute he disliked
open doors of possibilities and
present the tool’s to develop
skills to figure out how to work
out their problems and seek
the “I” in their own
responsibility.
 He “helps” them, and teaches
them the skills and has them
put them to practice.
was organizations and how
domineering they were, such
as the community of mental
health and doctors.
 Also the courts. He dislikes
how they try to be surrogates
parents for family’s as they
tear families apart, it’s a
tragedy he exclaimed.
Changes?
 When I asked Mr. Woody what he would
change about his job, he noted the pay
again laughingly. But on a serious note, he
said he would have liked to have done
something else perhaps, but he’s content
with the job he has and what he gets to
do. Helping individuals is extremely
gratifying.
Causes of child abuse and neglect,
domestic violence and or elder
abuse?
 Roots: Mr. Woody contends that child abuse,
domestic violence and etc. extends from family
roots and habits from past generations. He
believes that these generations have not been
given the tools to alleviate stress and anger and
use violence to battle with the emotions. This
adds to the fact of lack of prevention for this type
of behavior. Woody also claims that religion
plays a huge role as it is pro-abuse. Many
religions believe in corporal punishment which
he believes is the tip of the ice berg of domestic
violence. It’s an epidemic Woody noted.
Essential Elements of Intervention
 Woody believes the contemporary
methods of intervention are unfair and
unjust. There is no compassion for the
victims and perpetrators. The courts and
other state agencies abuse their power
and help destroy families. His counseling
and own methods of help rather provide a
pathway to recovery and redemption.
Essential Elements of Prevention
 To Woody, education is the key to not
necessarily solving the epidemic of domestic
violence, abuse, neglect and etc. but decreasing
the rates. He also says that this alternative may
be cost effective and hard to measure but this is
how he approaches this problem and he’s
seeing amazing results. Offenders lack the
communication/social skills and practice of these
skills. They need motivation to act, “How to
do…” and thus they can see the “I” in their
responsibility as a human to act accordingly.
What Woody thinks future social
workers should know…
 Woody states that future social workers and counselors should know
the inside and outs of all the major mental disorders such as anger,
emotional intelligence, depression, fear, communication, bi-polar,
and so forth. Information is key and many individuals display a
combination of various disorders. ‘
 He notes that such information should all be taught in high school
where with time, one’s mind can expand and become more
knowledgeable on these problems and one can have practices for
individuals and all persons can be helped.
 Also, all students should always be learning! They should feel like a
kid in a candy store, and if you stop learning, your dying! Woody
noted that he learns something new every day.
Interesting Fact
 Woody relayed much information with me
during our one hour and a half interview.
One interesting fact that he told me about
domestic violence or family violence in
general is how men get the short end of
the stick, but this doesn’t mention the real
fact that our own society condones a
misogynist belief that it’s okay for men to
hurt woman but also how men are always
the perpetrator.
His View of Family Violence
 Woody does believe entirely that our culture aids
to the ever increasing epidemic of family
violence. Religion, family dynamics, community
standards and mass media all play a vital role in
the on going of family violence.
 The Duluth Model which is explained in our
book, Woody claims is biased and aids to the
fact that men are always the perpetrators, but
woman have a role in domestic and family
violence.
Conclusion
 I chose to do my interview with a police officer at first but
changed because that would have been too cliché. This
was a far better experience and the facts and information
learned were very valuable to me. His motto of “I” in
responsibility made me think a lot about my own life and
how I am the one who shapes and can change it and it’s
I who posses the tools to a better way of life if I change
myself, this in turn can change the world and people
around me, and this is why Stan Woody put his pitch fork
down some thirty years ago and is doing what he loves:
helping persons help them selves and their relationships.