John W. Puryear, MEd, MS, LPC

Wade Puryear has spent the last 20 years working with youth, families, and staff in treatment settings and alternative schools. Over this time he has developed innovative and effective treatment programs and helped many families find solutions to difficult problems. He most recently served as Vice President of Education for UMFS and Charterhouse Schools and Associate Director of Programs for Elk Hill. For more information visit umfs.org, charterhouseschool.org & elk hill.org. ​ Wade is a Licensed Professional Counselor inVirginia. He earned an undergraduate degree from East Carolina University and M.S. in Special Education from Old Dominion University. He continued his education at Virginia Commonwealth University where he earned a Post-Masters degree in Educational Leadership, a M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, and Post-Masters degree in Professional Counseling. Wade also holds a Post-Graduate Professional license from the Department of Education with endorsements in Emotional Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities and Administration & Supervision. ​ Wade focuses much of his work on adolescents and their families, many of whom are experiencing a variety of challenges. He is a certified practitioner of Collaborative Problem Solving® and Life Space Crisis Intervention. Collaborative Problem Solving approach is developed by Think:Kids, a program based in the Department of Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. Wade uses a relational strengths-based framework and evidence-based approaches along with innovative emerging methodologies to address a variety of needs including the needs of those who have tried many different approaches with no success. In recent years, Wade has begun to also focus his studies on positive psychology and appreciative leadership. He has given talks and led workshops at various community organizations (meditation centers, churches), non-profit organizations, schools, and conferences