Our Studio Director
 |
Leonard M. Brassard, Ph.D.
Our Studio Director, Dr. Len Brassard, is a Behavioral Psychologist with over 32 years of clinical experience. Dr. Brassard has assisted numerous facilities in Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Arkansas in the development of behavioral treatment plans for children and adults. His specialty in training has been with individuals demonstrating severe emotional and/or behavioral disorders. His experiences have ranged from autistic children to individuals requiring forensic examinations concerning competency to stand trial. He has also served in Worcester County as the Psychologist on a team assisting children and families involved with the Department of Social Services (D.S.S.).
In addition to his clinical services, Dr. Brassard has trained professional and line staff in medical facilities throughout Massachusetts (including the Psychiatry Residents at U-Mass Medical School in Worcester, MA.) in the proper methods of self-defense and acceptable restraints in the treatment of agitated or aggressive inpatients. His methods of defense and restraint have been part of the training at Worcester State Hospital since the late 1980s.
Dr. Brassard has an extensive academic teaching career, beginning in 1978. He has held faculty positions at Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He currently serves on the faculty of the Psychiatry Department at the U-Mass Medical School in Worcester, MA. In the mid-90's he was a member of the School Board at Crocker Elementary School in Fitchburg, MA.
Dr. Brassard's martial arts experience spans three over decades. In the 1970's he taught at two martial arts studios in Massachusetts. In his Sr. year of college he taught a self-defense class on the University of Lowell campus, in Lowell, MA. (now U-Mass at Lowell). While working on his graduate degrees, he opened martial arts studios in Mississippi and in Little Rock, AR. By 1982 his studios and students became members of Mr. Ed Parker's International Kenpo Karate Association (IKKA), making him an IKKA pioneer to the states of Mississippi and Arkansas. During his association with Mr. Parker, Dr. Brassard was a contributing writer for the martial arts magazines: Black Belt, Inside Kung-Fu, and Tae-Kwon-Do times. In fact, following Mr. Parker's passing in 1990, Dr. Brassard wrote an article for Black Belt Magazine introducing Mr. Richard "Huk" Planas as the heir to the American Kenpo system of Karate.
Besides his current martial arts teaching schedule, Dr. Brassard trains monthly with his Kenpo Instructor, Mr. Steve White of Manchester, N.H. This brings a "live" martial arts lineage to our Studio in the line of: Mr. Ed Parker (Founder Of American Kenpo Karate), Mr. Lee Wedlake, Jr. (1st Generation Black Belt student Of Mr. Parker), Mr. Steve White (1st Generation Black Belt student Of Mr. Wedlake), and Dr. Len Brassard (1st Generation Black Belt student Of Mr. White).
This next section is under construction
