Embark In-Home

Amanda Marlar, MS, NCC joined the Embark family in 2016 and has been in the behavioral health care field for 10 years. She was formerly with Vive Family Support Program and has a passion for admissions. Amanda is located in Florida and now heads up in-home services as the National Coordinator.

Amanda Nisewaner is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked with young adults and adolescents navigating transitions for the past decade. Amanda received her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and her masters in Social Work from Boston University. She spent her training years at Children’s Hospital Boston with an emphasis on trauma and working with recently arrived refugees and immigrants. She has experience working in community clinics, hospitals, school settings and the home environment. She takes a holistic and collaborative approach to identifying treatment goals and strives to create a calm and safe space for individuals to express themselves and talk through their experiences. She pulls from a variety of therapeutic modalities and will utilize narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems, nature therapy and enjoys teaching mindfulness to young people. She utilizes a trauma framework when serving her clients and has experience treating mood disorders, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and those struggling to navigate the complex world we live in. She understands the needs and challenges that young people are faced with in today’s society and enjoys exploring the political and cultural climate that impact our well-being. In her spare time, you will find Amanda hiking with her dog in the redwood forest or enjoying the local beaches.  

Sheryl Walden is a Clinical Licensed Social worker with a Master of Social Work from Boston University. Sheryl has experience working with adolescents, adults, couples and families in office, home, hospital, and community-based settings. As a professional and a parent of grown children, Sheryl understands the adolescent years and knows the challenges of parenting. Sheryl has experience helping families balance the tension between a teen’s need for greater independence, a secure home- base and parental adjustments and flexibility toward ongoing changes. Sheryl believes each family is unique but all experience times when therapy can provide added support, increased communication and greater understanding of family dynamics. Sheryl is a fan of Motown, movies and Mexican food. She has been married for 30+ years and a native to California.

Elizabeth has worked with adolescents, young adults and families for over 10 years. After earning a Masters of Social Work from Columbia University she has dedicated her life to helping clients make real and effective changes through a family-systems and strength-based therapeutic approach. Elizabeth strives to build a compassionate, caring and safe environment to help clients identify what is causing havoc in their life. She combines client centered and motivational interviewing with evidence-based treatment methods such as CBT and DBT. Elizabeth enjoys exploring the natural beauty of DC with her husband and with her dog, Roxy, spending weekends at the Delaware beaches, and spending plenty of time with family and friends sharing laughs and making memories. She and her husband recently had a skateboard ramp built in their backyard.

Julianne has worked in outpatient, home and community-based, and residential settings. She has experience working with individuals and families presenting with a range of mental health concerns- including eating disorders, co-occurring mental health disorders, and autism-spectrum disorders. Before pursuing mental health counseling, Julianne received her B.S. in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. While working as a research assistant in a Counseling Psychology lab, she became especially interested in the interplay amongst one’s family, relationships, and behavioral health. After graduating and working in homes with special needs clients and their families, Julianne went on to earn her Masters in Couple and Family Therapy from Drexel University. She is currently working toward licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Julianne strives to provide clients with a safe therapeutic environment, utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy and a variety of family systems approaches, such as Contextual and Structural Family therapy. Julianne approaches her work with individuals in the context of their relationships, with the ultimate goal of helping them gain self-love and compassion. In her free time, Julianne enjoys being active outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and reading.

Ryan Weinstock is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University Chicago. From an early age he developed a love for the outdoors and a passion for playing sports. He is an avid distance runner and was captain of the Cross Country team at his alma mater, Kenyon College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in sociology. Ryan has nearly 10 years of experience working with at-risk adolescents and young adults in a variety of settings. He uses outside the box thinking to conceptualize creative, often experiential strategies to connect with youth. He is a firm believer in meeting clients where they are at in their therapeutic process. It is this client-centered approach along with a knack for active listening that has allowed him to make a strong connection with so many young people. In his free time, Ryan enjoys volunteering, hiking, and kicking around the soccer ball. When he is not off exploring the trails Chicagoland has to offer, he is spending quality time with his girlfriend Rachel, with whom he has plans with to someday amass a family of dogs together.

Marisol Bucio is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. She obtained her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University. Marisol is a bilingual therapist (Spanish) and has experience working with a culturally diverse population. She has worked in different settings such as not-for-profit organizations and community agencies where she assisted in reunifying families. Marisol believes that every individual can benefit from therapy and works to create a safe, trusting, non-threatening environment for each client. Marisol specializes in helping children, adolescents, and adults with work-life balance and transitions, depression, stress, anxiety, self-esteem, grief/loss, trauma, and self-harm. Using a collaborative and integrative approach with clients, Marisol utilizes cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, and Adlerian therapy to meet the unique needs and desires of each client. During her free time she enjoys traveling, eating at new restaurants, and watching Netflix.

A New York State Mental Health Counselor, David Diaz has worked with many populations and specializes in working with adolescents and young adults with co-occurring disorders and exploration of client’s gender identity and sexual orientation (LGBTQ). David uses evidenced-based practices to pave a path in providing therapy towards achieving client-oriented goals. Modalities include, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Gestalt Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care (Seeking Safety), Feminist Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Multicultural Therapy, and Art Therapy. David has assisted clients in overcoming sexual abuse/intimate partner violence through the use of the Power and Control Model and other evidenced-based practices. David focuses on guiding the client in identifying their needs, strengths and goals while in therapy in order to work towards the positive outcome they desire and enable the change from within. David enjoys swimming, soccer, and reading.

Chad Gunville is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor who has a Masters degree in Holistic Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. He has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years in a variety of settings serving youth and families all throughout the Bay Area. He has done work in youth agencies, group homes, outpatient settings, and private practice. Chad uses a strength based, solution focused, and humanistic approach to help families feel comfortable and find the strength to make changes. He is a firm believer in looking at the whole picture and being an active and supportive player in the lives of the people he serves. Chad is very passionate about this line of work and knew from a young age that he wanted to help people. He’s very aware and has a great ability to see things from different perspectives. His kind-hearted and compassionate nature makes him an easy person to talk and open up with. Chad has an emphasis on his degree in Buddhist psychology and has completed intensive workshops in expressive arts therapy, eco-therapy, and motivational interviewing. He’s a firm believer in the saying, “Nothing happens TO you, it happens FOR you” and he has a great ability at helping instill hope in the families he’s supporting. In his spare time you can find Chad playing all kinds of sports, exploring nature, writing rhymes, practicing numerology, or hanging out with friends and family. He also loves being with his dog which is 3/4 golden retriever and 1/4 shih tzu-pug.

William “Will” Hughes holds a Master of Science in Counseling Degree with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health from Prescott College. He is currently working towards his LGPC licensure in the state of Maryland. Will specializes in mindfulness-based counseling techniques and psychoeducation for young adults experiencing challenges commonly associated with the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: attention-seeking; substance use; guilt; avoidance; depression; executive functioning; ect. Empowering teens and young adults with scientific knowledge of why they feel, behave and react in ways that don’t serve them and offering skills to help them maintain vigilant awareness of their symptoms and choices of response is his focus. He believes strongly in experiential and adventure-based learning, often taking clients into nature, where they may experience their immediate mental reactions to subtle stimuli. Will’s other passion is counseling adults through difficult career and life-stage transitions, utilizing the Pro Discovery assessment tool as a foundation. Clients experiencing feelings of identity loss, diminishing self-worth, hopelessness and catastrophic thinking respond well to the authentic personal reflection and Positive Psychology perspective Pro Discovery provides them. He is Founder and Director of the Family Legacy Project (on-going), an adaptation of this instrument for application with multi-generations of families seeking unity, purpose, identity and flourishing. Will is a Cancer survivor, adventure travel enthusiast, professional-level Chef and avid skier.

Kurt Vaillancourt is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and certification as a Clinical Supervisor. His experience includes multiple roles including Case Manager, Senior Program/Clinical Director, Clinical Coordinator, Admission and Marketing, Program Development, and Individual, Family, Couples, Children, Adolescent and Group Psychotherapist. Kurt recently relocated to the Bay Area from Los Angeles where he was born and raised. He has worked in numerous hospitals/medical center settings including Cedars-Sinai, Century City, and Kaiser Permanente just to name a few. In a professional role he is often described by his clients as supportive, ethical, passionate, and energetic. Kurt’s colleagues describe him as empathic, reliable, humorous and consistent within the therapeutic realm. Kurt Vaillancourt, also known as Dr. Kurt, hosted a live Internet streaming show and podcast that could be heard on iTunes and the Stitcher App where The Dr. Kurt Show was nominated for a Stitcher Award in 2012. Dr. Kurt was able to successfully provide his listeners with both heart felt stories as well as the light-hearted moments bringing a smile to his audience. Although Kurt is not necessarily in the spotlight these days he likes to make guest appearances on local radio and television shows, however, he tends to focus his attention on his clients — You and your family!

Sophie is a licensed professional counselor and a school counselor with a MA from Lewis University. She has eight years of professional experience working with families and youth in a variety of settings. Sophie uses an eclectic approach often combining the practical solution focus of brief therapy techniques, client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy modalities allowing for tailored treatments for clients of varying individual needs. Sophie has a keen ability to listen and truly understand her clients. As a counselor, she desires that each individual feels that they are being heard, not only through their struggles and adjustments, but also through their successes and self-awareness. Sophie is committed to helping her clients create fundamental changes that are lasting while teaching them to be self-sufficient by using developed strengths and personal resources to solve major problems that life brings. Sophie has a unique passion for motivating, inspiring and empowering others to achieve their dreams as she walks with her clients on their journey of discovering their strengths and potential. She understands that each person has a unique story and sees the beauty in helping clients through their transitions. Life experience, education and a passion for others inspired her mission to help others. Her passion and innate ability to understand the challenges of youth and families empower clients to regain confidence and successfully work through obstacles in their lives. In her free time, Sophie enjoys running, hiking, golfing, traveling with her family and enjoying many genres of live music.

Nicole Wint is a Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW). Nicole Wint holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology from the University of the Caribbean and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Simmons University. For the past thirteen (13) years, Nicole has worked extensively with teenagers and young adults across Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and the United States which undoubtedly has attributed to vast improvement in cultural competence and diversification of knowledge in her area of expertise. Nicole has a passion for working with youth and while working in Turks and Caicos singlehandedly commenced and maintained campaigns on ending bullying and child sexual abuse. Projects are maintained to date by the Turks and Caicos government. Nicole is consistently developing competence in use of techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness and Play Therapy as part of best therapeutic practices. Nicole is experienced in areas of communication, working with culturally diverse groups, public speaking and leadership skills. Nicole has strong ethical values, great compassion for people and believe that the family is the backbone of the society. Nicole is competent in her ability to work independently and with a team. In her spare time, Nicole likes to read, cook, travel and watch movies with her family.