About
A Circle of Hope
Combining clinical sophistication and love of family to help you make informed decisions when choosing a therapeutic program or school.
About Us
Connie Wood
Founder, Clinical Director
With 25 years of clinical psychology experience, Connie has dedicated the last 15 years to therapeutic placement consulting. She travels extensively in order to gain in-depth knowledge of the programs to which she refers. Working only for our clients, she does not receive compensation from any program in the form of salary or commission for making a referral.
Connie is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association with a therapeutic designation. She is an individual professional member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs and a member of the Therapeutic Consultants Association.
Her volunteer work includes committee membership with Garrett’s Space, a wellness program for college age adults focused on mental health and suicide prevention.
Matthew Wood
Therapeutic Educational Consultant Certified Recovery Specialist
Matthew has over a decade of expertise in the field of residential programming. In 2018, he became an integral part of A Circle of Hope, following a successful tenure in adventure therapy, substance abuse recovery, and young adult transition coaching.
As an individual professional member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, Matthew dedicates a substantial amount of time to personally assess and endorse programs and schools across the nation on behalf of our clients.
Fueled by a profound enthusiasm for outdoor experiential therapy, Matthew completed the National Outdoor Leadership School in the Pacific Northwest and received advanced training in outdoor survival. His background includes serving as a wilderness field guide and working with young adults on the Autism Spectrum. Matthew is a certified substance abuse and mental health recovery specialist accredited by the International Recovery Institute.
Beyond his professional commitments, Matthew holds a position on the board of the Parker Bounds Johnson Foundation—a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting wilderness therapy. The foundation actively contributes by offering scholarships and aftercare opportunities for residents of the Pacific Northwest.
Our Team
We couldn’t do all that we do with out our amazing team!
Academic Case Support
Tracy Rivard, B.A. is a certified teacher with experience in the fields of boarding school and residential treatment placement. She has a special interest in helping students with learning challenges and has worked both in the classroom and as a tutor. During her time with A Circle of Hope, Tracy has visited both therapeutic and academic-support boarding schools nationally. Tracy is the parent of two adult children, and has a heart for supporting our clients. Tracy assists with cases on an as-needed basis.
Staff and Process Support
Aimee joined our team in 2023. She assists the consultants and manages our database and travel planning.
Office Team
At the main office, Tracey and Heather greet clients at the front desk. They take care of the conference rooms and office schedules as well as managing our mail. We appreciate that they provide an invaluable and welcoming home base for A Circle of Hope as we travel to programs and work from locations around the country.