Embark Behavioral Health

7809 Schelhorn Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22309

About Embark Behavioral Health

Embark Behavioral Health at Tysons Corner, in Vienna, Virginia, offers addiction and behavioral health services to boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17. They offer several levels of care which all fall under the category of outpatient care. These include standard outpatient care, intensive outpatient care and partial hospitalization care. This is also a dual diagnosis center which means you can be treated for mental health conditions that are associated with your addiction.

We understand how heartbreaking it is to watch your teen struggle with mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, but you’re not alone. Our residential treatment center in Alexandria, Virginia provides 24/7 care in a safe, home-like environment that helps teens heal. If residential care isn’t the right fit, we offer IOP, PHP, virtual IOP, therapeutic boarding school, and transitional living options across the U.S. to support your teen and family on the path to healing.

Latest Reviews

Thomas

3 months ago on Google

I highly advise against this location. The culture here involves forcing the staff's ideas and narratives onto the children and parents. The staff are very self-absorbed and treat parents with disdain, acting superior to everyone. It feels like the parents are there to serve the staff, not the other way around.There is no consideration for working parents you are expected to be at their office when they tell you. When you show up for scheduled therapy appointments, it s not uncommon to wait 15-20 minutes for the therapist, reinforcing the idea that you and your time are less important than the staff.At no time did it feel like a team environment (staff and parents working together). Instead, it was the staff speaking at the parents, with a heavy bias to keep the child in the program as long as possible.The program operates on a four-week cycle, so if you are there in week 5, you repeat the activities from week one. My child became agitated with the repetition, wanting to cover new topics they hadn't already made significant progress on. This became another point of contention with the therapist, who seemed focused only on keeping my child as long as insurance allowed.The doctor on staff is based out of New York and spends a virtual 5-15 minutes with the child, rapidly prescribing medications.In the end, it got so ridiculous that the therapist told my child that if she left the program early, she wouldn't get a graduation party. It was almost like they were playing a game of chicken with us. My child saw it for what it was and decided not to return.In summary, I highly recommend against this Embark location.

Response from the owner10 months ago

We are very sorry to hear about your described negative experience; something unacceptable under Embark s standards. Our outpatient clinic was created with each young person s well-being and effective care as our top priority. The goal of our therapists and staff is to provide supportive treatment that gets adolescents and teens back to one s family and community as soon as possible. The choice to seek treatment is the family and client s choice. We appreciate you for taking the time to voice your struggles and concerns. Embark is committed to increasing awareness and lowering the stigma surrounding mental health; and is focused on creating access to high-quality, evidence-based care. We have set out on a big goal to reverse our nation s youth mental health crisis. I d like to invite you to reach out to our Executive Director, Karina at karina.campbell@embarkbh.com so we can discuss the described issues or concerns further.

JJ JJ

6 months ago on Google

Response from the owner5 months ago

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a five-star review. At our outpatient clinic, we're dedicated to providing comprehensive care to teens and young adults facing mental health challenges. Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) are designed to offer structured support and treatment tailored to the unique needs of each teen or young adult. We're committed to helping our clients achieve their mental health goals and regain a sense of well-being. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out. Sincerely, The Embark Behavioral Health Team

Tom P

9 months ago on Google

Bad. Very unimpressed with the staff as their primary focus seems to be keeping your child in the program for as long as possible. They follow a prescribed one size fits all program.Oh and literally the worst billing system I have ever encountered. No billing transparency. Expect them to randomly charge your credit with no notice or invoice. Expect them to bill you 6-12 months after you have left the program randomly. The billing team is highly dysfunctional and has requested on multiple occasions to have me call up my insurance company and conference them in because the insurance company won t talk to them directly. Huh? If you do use Embark - keep a ledger of every payment, and conversation as back up. Try to force them to send all correspondence via email for record keeping purposes. Refuse to pay without a full accounting of expenses and payments.And when they send your child's medical or personally identifiable information in clear text - which is a violation of HIPAA and Virginia state law make sure you report them. Did I mention how bad the billing department is?

Response from the owner8 months ago

We are very sorry to hear about your described negative experience; something unacceptable under Embark s standards. Our outpatient clinic was created with each young person s well-being and effective care as our top priority, this includes not disclosing any personally identifiable information and abiding by HIPPA laws. The goal of our therapists and staff is to provide supportive treatment that gets young people back to their family and community as soon as possible. The choice to seek treatment is the family and client s choice. We appreciate you for taking the time to voice your struggles and concerns. Embark is committed to increasing awareness and lowering the stigma surrounding mental health; and is focused on creating access to high-quality, evidence-based care. We have set out on a big goal to reverse our nation s youth mental health crisis. We d like to invite you to reach our Chief People Offer, Landon Kirk, at lkirk@embarkbh.com so we can discuss the described issues further.

Gallery

The facilities at Embark at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA 1

The facilities at Embark at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA 2

The facilities at Embark at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA 3

Location

Accepted Insurance

Embark Behavioral Health works with several private insurance providers and also accepts private payments when possible, please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Aetna

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Other Forms of Payment

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Outpatient

Outpatient rehabs offer community-based addiction treatment, enabling clients to remain in their homes while in recovery. Their levels of care typically include partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), standard outpatient, and sober living programming. Most outpatient facilities offer addiction counseling and recovery-focused life skills training. Integrative programs include evidence-based holistic therapies, such as meditation, music therapy, and massage. Facilities specializing in alcohol and/or opioid addiction may also provide medication assisted treatment (MAT).

Inpatient

Clients who are in early recovery, leaving detox, or experiencing a crisis often require the intensive treatment of an inpatient rehab facility. Clients in inpatient care receive robust clinical supervision, housing, and meals, allowing them to focus exclusively on their recovery while they stabilize. The primary treatment modalities used in most inpatient centers include extensive addiction counseling and recovery-focused life skills training. Many drug rehabs also offer holistic therapies, such as music, art, fitness, and experiential therapies.

Aftercare Support

Clients participating in a rehab aftercare program receive comprehensive and customized support as they leave high-intensity treatment, reintegrate into their community, and focus on maintaining their sobriety. These programs offer a wide variety of services to align with the client's unique and evolving needs, often including medical, mental health, and social service program referrals. Clients typically develop their drug rehab aftercare plan in conjunction with their case manager and care team.

Partial Hospitalization Program

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a short-term form of intensive rehab, usually for those with acute symptoms that are hard to manage but don’t require 24-hour care. PHPs have structured programming (i.e. individual and/or group therapy), and usually meet 3-5 days a week for around 6 hours (i.e. 9am-3m). Some PHPs are residential (patients sleep on site) and some are not, so patients sleep at home. PHPs can last from 1-6 months, and some offer transportation and meals.

Treatments

A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.

In Virginia, dual-diagnosis addiction treatment programs focus on providing integrated care for individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Specialized programs offer medically monitored detox, outpatient, inpatient, and partial hospitalization. Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), trauma-informed therapy, and family therapy help to address both disorders simultaneously while promoting mental health and well-being.

Virginia provides substance abuse treatment for individuals struggling with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. These programs incorporate evidence-based therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care. With a variety of treatment options available, including outpatient, inpatient, and residential programs, you can find personalized care to support you in achieving sobriety and learning the skills to maintain long-term recovery.

Dual diagnosis treatment is a specialized form of rehab where you receive care for both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. You're provided access to medical staff and mental health experts throughout the program. Additionally, mental health services tend to include multiple forms of therapy, including individual therapy, group counseling, relapse prevention education, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Programs

Program For Women

Rehabs for women provide a safe, nurturing space for female clients to heal. These treatment programs consider the specific obstacles that women can face during recovery and place a special emphasis on mental, social, physical, and reproductive health. They explore how each woman's experience has shaped the trajectory of their substance use, addressing issues such as sexual abuse and past trauma.

Program For Men

Men face specific challenges and concerns when seeking addiction treatment. Gender-specific recovery programs help them tackle these issues head-on in an environment that's focused, targeted, and distraction-free. It also gives them the opportunity to connect with and learn from other men who have been through a similar journey and can offer support for the next step.

Teen Program

Teen programs are designed to address the unique pressures teens face, pressures that can drive them to experiment with dangerous, addictive substances. They need programs that meet them exactly where they are and give them tools for long-term recovery. Therapy can help teenagers understand and work through underlying issues so they can reclaim the life ahead of them.

Child Program

The providers who specialize in the children's rehab space understand the specialized needs that this population faces. School-based and social services such as tutoring and family counseling are often central to treatment. Child programs may also address the needs of youth experiencing substance abuse in the home, including a parent's or sibling's addiction.

Clinical Services

Cognitive behavioral therapy in Virginia is a short term form of talk therapy. Participants usually have homework between sessions, which may include journaling, self talk, and setting SMART goals. The aim is to transform negative thought patterns into positive ones.

Trauma therapy helps you understand and manage the emotional and physical responses that often follow witnessing or experiencing traumatic events. Using therapeutic interventions, your therapist works with you to reframe that experience, which in turn reduces your anxiety and helps you regain control over your life.

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

If you've experienced addiction, you may have lost the skills to self manage and adapt to change. Because these basic life skills are crucial for recovery, drug rehab programs typically include life skills training as an integral part of treatment.

For those experiencing mental health challenges, including substance use disorder, dialectical behavior therapy in Virginia offers an evidence based method of treatment. This therapy teaches skills for emotional regulation and interpersonal relations so you can break free from negative patterns.

Experiential therapy is based on the philosophy that individuals cannot think themselves out of their struggles. Instead, they need experiences to help them physically and emotionally work through issues. Examples include adventure therapy, music therapy, and equine therapy. These methods are often used to treat substance abuse and other types of behavioral addictions.

Nutrition therapy teaches you what to eat and not eat, how to grocery shop, how to cook easy nutritious meals, and how to use food as medicine to address your health issues. These skills will help speed up your recovery process and reduce the risk of relapse.

Recreational therapy is often a part of a holistic treatment center program for drug and alcohol addiction in Virginia. It offers structured activities that replace substance use with positive experiences like swimming, painting, and hiking. These encourage social interactions, promote physical and mental health, and help reduce stress, all of which are factors that are important to help you rebuild your life.

Amenities

Residential Setting
Luxury Accommodations

Accreditations

The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.

Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes

State Licenses are permits issued by government agencies that allow rehab organizations to conduct business legally within a certain geographical area. Typically, the kind of program a rehab facility offers, along with its physical location, determines which licenses are required to operate legally.

State License: Virginia

Contact Information

(571) 977-5487

Website

7809 Schelhorn Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22309

Get Help Now - 800-985-8516

Who Answers?

Fact checked and written by:

Benjamin Cardenas

Edited by:

Kerry Nenn, BSW

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Reviews of Embark Behavioral Health

4.6/5 (37 reviews)

Google Reviews

4.6 (37 reviews)

3 months ago

Response from the owner11 months ago

6 months ago

Response from the owner6 months ago

9 months ago

Response from the owner9 months ago

Rebecca McDonald

11 months ago

Wonderful amazing staff and program! Been a life changing help for my daughter.

Hello, Thank you so much for your positive review! We're thrilled to hear that our outpatient clinic in Vienna, Virginia, has had a life-changing impact on your daughter. Our therapists take pride in providing a wonderful and amazing program that aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of adolescents and teens. It's heartening to know that the support and services we offer have been instrumental in your daughter's journey. If there's anything specific you'd like to share about your experience with our outpatient treatment program or therapy sessions, we'd love to hear more. Thank you for entrusting us with your daughter's care. We're committed to continuing to provide excellent service and support for her well-being. Best regards, Embark Behavioral Health in Vienna, Virginia

Bonnie Ahumada

1 year ago

The IOP at Embark at Tyrsons Corner was immensely beneficial for my child. They learned skills and coping mechanisms that will serve them well in life. As parents, we also learned so much about what our child was going through and how best to help them. The family sessions and group family sessions were invaluable. I would highly recommend this program to other families in the area. It was not the first outpatient program our child participated in but it was by far the best and most successful.

Response from the owner1 year ago

Dear Bonnie, Thank you for sharing your feedback about the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Embark Behavioral Health in Vienna, Virginia. We're delighted to hear that our IOP was immensely beneficial for your child. It's heartening to know that they acquired valuable skills and coping mechanisms that will serve them well in their journey ahead. We also appreciate your acknowledgment of the positive impact on your family as a whole. The family sessions and group family sessions are integral parts of our program, and we're glad to hear that they were invaluable for you. Supporting families in understanding and assisting their loved ones is a key aspect of our approach. Your recommendation holds great significance. If you ever have more questions or need further support, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to assist you and other families in the area on their paths to healing and growth. Thank you for choosing our outpatient program and for sharing your positive experience. Embark Behavioral Health in Vienna, Virginia.

I would strongly advise against choosing Embark as an intensive outpatient program for you or your child. I do not feel that this facility gave the care that they promised to give in any way resulting in a very negative experience. Most of the time when we tried to share opinions about the program, they were quickly shut down and they were not open to change. There is a strong lack of professionalism and communication, both things that are essential to individual progression and success within a program like this. Although I at times felt I was able to build connections with my group members, I feel as though another program whose therapists have more respect, expertise, and genuine care for each client would help make much more progress than this program has the ability to make.

We are very sorry to hear about the described negative experience; something unacceptable under Embark s standards. Our outpatient program was created with each adolescent, teen, and young adult s well-being and effective care as our top priority. The goal is to get back to one s family and community as soon as possible. Our goal is to provide healing treatment that helps youth overcome difficult challenges like anxiety and depression and to create lives filled with joy, we understand that the healing journey is not always easy. We appreciate you for taking the time to voice your struggles and concerns. Embark is committed to increasing awareness and lowering the stigma surrounding mental health; and is focused on creating access to high-quality, evidence-based care. We have set out on a big goal to reverse our nation s youth mental health crisis. Thank you for your feedback, please reach out to our Executive Director, Karina Campbell at karina.campbell@embarkbh.com so that we can discuss this issue further.

Lee K

[Original post removed. Care, safety, and ongoing treatment of patient was neglectful and inadequate, resulting in a net negative experience. Billing procedures were convoluted and questionable.]

Lee, we are very sorry to hear about the described negative experience; something unacceptable under Embark s standards. Our outpatient program was created with each client s well-being and effective care as our top priority. The goal is to get back to one s family and community as soon as possible. The choice to seek treatment is the family and client s choice. We are focused on creating a streamlined billing experience that provides multiple in network insurance options for families who we have the opportunity to help. We appreciate you for taking the time to voice your struggles and concerns. Embark is committed to increasing awareness and lowering the stigma surrounding mental health; and is focused on creating access to high-quality, evidence-based care. We have set out on a big goal to reverse our nation s youth mental health crisis. Thank you for your feedback, please reach out to our Executive Director, Karina Campbell , at karina.campbell@embarkbh.com so that we can discuss this issue further.

Wholesome Health 360

Excellent staff and high quality care! Will continue to refer! Jennifer Murphy and Ladan are amazing to work with.

Thank you for your wonderful review! Jennifer, Ladan, and all of the other therapists and staff at our outpatient treatment program are committed to providing outstanding care and support through our intensive outpatient programs and day treatment/partial hospitalization programs. Our goal is to help adolescents, teens, and young adults with difficult behavioral health challenges like anxiety, depression so they can create a life filled with joy. We are grateful for your feedback. If you have any further questions or if there's anything else we can assist you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team.

KG 123

Thank you so much for your review! All of the therapists and staff at our outpatient program are dedicated to helping adolescents, teens, and young adults overcome difficult behavioral health issues like anxiety and depression. We are so grateful that you took the time to leave this review!

Mary Anne Limoncelli

2 years ago

If you re reading this, you re most likely a parent searching for support with your teen. Let me assure you - Embark can help. With their support, things will get easier. Embark s approach combining group sessions, DBT skills, individual therapy, and psychiatric support gives teens the sense of ownership over their own recovery that so many of them need in order to begin to thrive again. My son learned the skills necessary to manage his mental health issues and emerged from the program with a strong sense of self and self-worth.A large part of the credit for his recovery goes to his therapist, Melissa. Melissa is incredibly good at connecting with teens. Her ability to meet my son where he was at and get him to open up and do the hard work necessary for recovery was truly impressive. She was also incredibly skillful at navigating family sessions, and the whole family emerged stronger after spending time working with her. Melissa sees what her clients need and advocates for them. She is able to change her approach when needed; this flexibility is absolutely essential when dealing with this population.I should also point out - Embark is very LGBT friendly and gender-affirming. With the state of the country as it is, if your teen is trans or gender non-conforming and in need of mental health support, please be sure to consider this component. They will feel welcomed and supported at Embark.

Response from the owner2 years ago

Mary Anne, this review means so much to everyone at our outpatient clinic! Each one of our therapists, psychiatrists, and staff members is dedicated to creating a healing, supportive environment that helps adolescents, teens, and young adults overcome difficult mental health issues like anxiety and depression. We are proud to have therapists like Melissa on our team who are able to use nurturing therapeutic approaches that can help young people develop skills and self-worth long after they visit our clinic. We are so grateful to hear that our combination of DBT, psychiatry, individual, group, and family therapy was able to help your son. Thank you for trusting us to be a part of your family s healing journey!

Shireen Jonathan

The decor and design of the place are very soothing and helpful to the clients but what was best was the therapist my child got. The therapist Shavonne Gray did a lot of very difficult work with both my child and the family, never giving up or giving in to sometimes conflicting dynamics in the family. The therapist went above and beyond to understand and hold space for my child. She curated difficult family sessions with skill and empathy. She also made intuitive and trained decisions in the best interests of my child and provided my child with coping mechanisms and life tools in a way that my child was able to understand and retain. I would highly recommend Embark Tysons Corner and this therapist to any client in difficult life circumstances.

Shireen, this review means so much to all of the therapists and staff at our outpatient program. Shavonne and all of our Virginia therapists are dedicated to providing adolescents, teens, young adults, and families with healing behavioral health care. Our therapists like to provide DBT coping strategies such as distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness that can help adolescents, teens, and young adults challenge difficult mental health issues, we are so grateful that some of our coping mechanisms were able to help your child! Thank you for trusting Embark at Tysons Corner to help your child create a life filled with joy!

Mark Stone

Our family had a wonderful experience with Embark. Our son had fallen very low with anxiety, depression, ADHD and POTS. He went to a residential program for 12 weeks and next went to the Embark at Tyson's corner. It was the right choice. His therapist Donovan understand him and connected with him. The therapists were skilled and responsive. Our son made strong connections with the other kids in the program. The program includes frequent feedback which we found helpful. The parting ceremony was quite emotional with tears all around! The staff helped us connect with a new followup therapist. All in all we were quite happy with Embark and recommend it whole-heartedly.

Mark, everyone at Embark at Tysons corner appreciates your review! It means so much to all of our outpatient program staff and especially Donovan that we were able to connect with your child. We provide a continuum of care so that adolescents, teens, and young adults, like your child, who were in a transitional living, wilderness therapy, short-term residential, long-term residential, partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, in-home therapy program, or virtual therapy program and step down or up a level of treatment when needed. We believe in helping each child we work with to create a life filled with joy, thank you for trusting us to do just that.

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