Stan Garwood’s life revolves around helping others. From helping out victims of Hurricane Katrina to treating a family seen on the Dr. Phil show, Garwood does his best to help his fellow man.
Garwood hopes his dedication to his job as a therapist and years of community service will help inspire other to lend a helping hand.
‘I have a strong belief that people need to come together to make things better for everybody,? Garwood said. ‘An example is if you get a flat tire and somebody stops to help you out. You would be more likely to stop and help someone else out. I want to get that string going.?
Garwood is a co-founder of the North Oakland Disaster Relief Team, which went down to New Orleans and Mississippi to help out Hurricane Katrina victims. During this trip, Garwood was asked a question by one of the victims he remembers fondly.
‘She asked me where we were from and I told her Michigan,? Garwood said. ‘She said, ‘Why would people come all the way down from Michigan to help us?? I replied, ‘Well, if we had a disaster in Michigan you would come help us.? That’s the way I believe the world should work.?
Garwood always knew he wanted to help people and went in with that mindset when he began college. He graduated from St. Mary’s College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in education and psychology. He later received his first master’s in guidance and counseling from the University of Detroit in 1968 and his second master’s in clinical social work from the University of Michigan in 1983.
Garwood began his career as a therapist with the Macomb Child Guidance Clinic in 1968.
During his time there, he and 12 others founded the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health and he founded the Macomb Association for Infant Mental Health.
‘We wanted to teach people to have healthy interactions with infants,? Garwood said. ‘People can build a healthy bond with their child.?
Garwood also worked at Eastern Michigan University. There he taught and developed a book for his course titled, ‘Fostering Infants.?
In 1982, Garwood hit a speed bump in his career when The Macomb Child Guidance Clinic lost funding and was forced to lay him off.
He went back to school and began working at Dr. James O’Neill’s office in Clarkston as a therapist. In 1983, Garwood opened his own practice called Garwood and Associates in downtown Clarkston.
‘I loved having my own practice,? Garwood said. ‘It’s a very satisfying job to help people and see the results. With all my training, I expect people to get good results. There is a lot of people who say they do what I do, but don’t have any idea what they are doing. We tend to get better and quicker results.?
In 1997, Garwood moved his practice to its current location on Dixie Highway because of a need for more space. He was also tired of renting and wanted to own his own building.
Today, Garwood and Associates has four therapists and does individual, family, marriage and grief counseling for all ages. His wife Kathy also works at Garwood and Associates and specializes in grief counseling.
One of the highlights of Garwood’s practice has been two recommendations from Dr. Phil.
‘He saw a family from the area on his show,? Garwood said. ‘We got a call from one of his assistants, who asked us if we could see this family. They sent us all the background of the family and copies of Dr. Phil’s work. We have had two recommendations like that.?
During his time in downtown Clarkston, Garwood wrote a column called ‘Ask the Therapist? where people would write in with questions he would answer.
Garwood said he is in the process of bringing back something similar at his office. He is setting up a phone number people can call with questions and a place for people to mail them.
‘I think it would be a great thing for our community to have,? Garwood said.
Garwood does not limit his commitment to helping people his office. Garwood has spends countless hours doing community service work.
He also has been a board member of the Clarkston Youth Assistance delinquency prevention program for 15 years. He has been a member of the Clarkston Area Optimist Club for 13 years and was the president from 1995-1996.
Garwood volunteered as home builder for Habitat for Humanity for three years. He has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 13 years and Lighthouse North for 12 years. He served as a Lighthouse North board member from 1990-1998.
He has also worked with Oakland County Crisis Response Organization for four years, been a marriage preparation sponsor at St. Daniel Catholic Church for three years and done mission work.
‘I’ve always believed to live a strong Christian life you have to help others so, all my charity work is a result of those beliefs,? Garwood said.