About Julian Ward 

While this website details my personal offerings, I do not work in isolation. I’m privileged to be part of a wide, generous community of facilitators, therapists, and healers. Everything described below has grown out of these collaborations.

Background, experience, practice

I do this work because I believe that genuine healing is built through connection, not separation, and that every individual possesses the capacity to meet these difficult moments if they have the right support.

My formal training includes a master’s degree in Restorative Justice from Eastern Mennonite University, where I studied under leaders in the field. Currently, I’m pursuing a masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, further integrating therapeutic approaches to my work.

Since 2019, I’ve worked with The Ahimsa Collective, based in Oakland, CA. Through real-world experiences, mentors and colleagues have supported me in developing an intuitive sense of this work that would not have been possible through training or education alone. 

In 2020, I helped create Restorative Justice in the Community—a program that allows for restorative dialogues without having to engage the legal system. Much of this work has centered on the aftermath of sexual violence, an area considered off-limits by many RJ practitioners because of the nuance and skill required.

“Co-facilitating with Julian is a joy — his clarity, insight, and authenticity, informed by a deep understanding of restorative justice, foster genuine grounding and trust.”
— Ana Maria Hurtado, therapist & RJ facilitator

A breakdown of the work

In addition to community-based RJ work, I also facilitate:

  • Victim–Offender Dialogues, bringing survivors into prison to meet with those responsible;

  • a group in prison addressing gender-based violence through a restorative framework; and

  • trainings and workshops, focusing on RJ 101 and restorative approaches to sexual harm. 

In total, this work has included:

  • co-facilitating more than 20 processes myself, some of which culminated in dialogue while others took their own unique paths;

  • as program manager, supporting more than 20 facilitators navigating almost 100 other processes; and

  • speaking with hundreds of potential participants on initial calls, deepening my understanding of when it’s the right time for restorative justice.

Resources and Support

Explore my offerings:

Support this work: If you have the capacity and feel moved to keep these offerings accessible to all, contributions are deeply appreciated.

Colleagues and Collaborators: Find out more about some of my community members and their offerings.

“I have known Julian since 2019 and find co-facilitating with him a truly moving experience. He is impeccably responsible with the most difficult and important stories in peoples lives and can connect meaningfully and genuinely with everyone involved. I trust his instincts, insights and the subtle way he offers them. ”
— Maegan Willan, LMFT & RJ facilitator

Start a conversation

If any of my offerings resonate with you, I invite you to schedule a 30-min exploratory call to see what might be possible.

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