Embark Behavioral Health – Berwyn

What a wonderful program and a phenomenal staff. I can’t say enough great things about Embark. Their commitment and care are the best around! If your loved one is in need, Embark should be your first call.

As a previous client, this isn't the best program, and there are better ones out there. What I did like is I learned new DBT skills that I didn't know before. What I didn't like is that they had favorites, and the ones… that weren't the favorites went last for everything. There were no teachers to help with school work, and they wouldn't help me when I asked. The psychiatrist put me on this medicine that made me gain a lot of weight, and even when I got off the medicine I didn't lose the weight. The therapist always assumed I was bragging, and told my parents I was bragging when she barely knew me. After a certain amount of weeks if people weren't ready to move to IOP they would recommend Residential. They basically told me I had to leave and go to residential since I was not ready for IOP. When I was struggling, they never helped me.

Embark was a life changing experience for our family. Marissa was able to successfully facilitate so many difficult conversations and helped our family build trust and the ability to work together again. She gained the… respect of our child and that made all the difference. Emily (med management) listened to our concerns and was willing to make the changes that led us to success. Highly recommend especially if you can get paired with these two!

Embark provided skills and resources that strengthened our entire family. My daughters confidence, self respect, self worth and communication skills have all improved so much. I wish they offered a crash course for all… interested parents to prepare us for navigating the teenage years! I learned a lot during each session I was invited to attend and will continue applying and sharing the information gained from our experience with Embark! Much gratitude to Tony, Cassie and the rest of the Embark team!

Skeptical? Yes, so were we. We have had the unfortunate opportunity to put our teenager in one of those 'other' PHP places that actually made her worse or not help at all. I came here - just like you - curious and… helpless. Embark has a delightful 'home like' feeling not that cold hospital hardness feeling. They have an inviting atmosphere as well as the staff. The staff all knew how to approach our teen and work with her. Medicate her correctly after many questions (again - I was skeptic) but happy to help and answer anything we asked. With Embark, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A breakthrough if you will. Their PHP was educational with the non-hospital feeling. Our teen will still have their issues, and bad days as we all do. But - it will be easier to face with confidence. You won't be sorry.

Our family is incredibly grateful for the care and support our daughter received through the PHP/IOP program. From the very beginning, we felt a sense of trust in every staff member we encountered—they met our daughter… exactly where she was, with compassion, patience, and understanding. The environment was safe, accepting, and truly conducive to healing. Not only did our daughter gain valuable tools that she’ll carry with her into the future, but we as a family felt supported every step of the way. The program’s commitment to family engagement made a meaningful difference, helping us stay involved and informed throughout her journey. Even as she transitioned out of PHP and IOP, the team was there to guide us through next steps and ensure continuity of care. We can’t thank them enough for walking alongside us during such a vulnerable time. Highly recommend to any family seeking thoughtful, comprehensive support.

Embark helped our son out of a dark place. He felt supported and safe to explore his feelings and said that it helped to know that he wasn't alone. We would recommend this program to anyone with similar struggles.

I truly can't say enough good things about Embark Berwyn. The holistic approach to their program contributed to a positive transformation in my child. I appreciated the caring and supportive environment staffed with… professionals, as well as my child's ability to learn from peers in the program. I also liked how the staff involved the family in learning how best to facilitate the transformation and maintain it after the program. A year later, I can say with certainty that Embark was a life-changing experience for my child and one that we continue to reference each day.

After the second emergency room visit for my son’s SI I was handed a bunch of brochures and was told my son needed a php program. Many of the places seemed scary to me and many places I called said my son was not a fit,… he was not “bad enough”. A friend of mine in the mental health field recommended Embark. We went in for the interview and within a few days my son was in a safe place. When we started he would cross his arms and not talk at all in family therapy. Their team had suggested that he may be high functioning ASD which was something I had always thought but was dismissed by medical professionals for years. But it started the process and he was diagnosed from chop as asd1. His therapist, Serena, became such a safe place for him. They worked on cbt therapy, group theray and through our family therapy we are now in a place that he is able to self advocate for his mental health. He did go back the following year but that is because school is such a trigger for him. They helped advocate for the right services for him for his IEP when he went back based on his triggers. He is a different kids because of Embark. We are so lucky that we found this place.

My child started in IOP-> needed residential in Flathead Montana ( read review- AMAZING) and did PHP and IOP here. We picked Embark after touring 3 places for IOP, so I never saw residential coming, but it did and the… director AC did a great job of getting her in Residential and saved her a place in PHP. We really liked Dr Gill the psychiatrist! Overall my child did PHP well and their liaison worked well with the school. The parents nights etc were really helpful. Why the 4 stars? They changed my child’s therapist when my child was transitioning back to HS from PHP to IOP, her therapist had a new role role, but even the director AC admitted C was the best fit for my child and the therapist was still seeing kids! So then we get this therapist A who was horrible at family therapy! The sessions would go over our time with me and my spouse , my child would be brought in for 5-10 minutes such a wast and nothing like C or her residential therapist in MT. Then at graduation on her last day this therapist takes off early, and the kids normally get a gift and we had to go back and get it the next week and it was so impersonal and they did not make my child feel like this graduation was special- it was so rushed, where in MT it was so lovely! Also though I thought my child might still need DBT ( I’m no therapist) , NO ONE said “ look your kid is basically mastering this, why not use other therapy? “ so we felt so lost, felt no real help with a good therapist recommendation ( what therapist doesn’t have a list?) for long term care, and we asked and asked re: care. I did the looking and it was well over 3 weeks to find a person. We found one we really like but no parent/ child needs that stress. Plus’s even though we were in network at Embark, we had huge chunks of money pulled from our account so their accounts dept needs help! And despite signing pages of HIPPA AND ROI paperwork no one got anything and I still need to get that sorted. Finally kids are not supposed to have contact until all are dc’d, that is not enforced! We did not know that- so all those little things lost a star. Kids were hanging out that should not have been, no one told us this! However: Due to amazing residential care identification my child needed by Embark in Berwyn, the quick transfer to MT and her excellent transition back to PHP and her work with therapist C in Berwyn we will keep it at 4. But the transition to A, and the poor FT sessions, sad graduation etc and accounting issues at the end/along with kids interactions before dc- I would push them on that. DBT is a great therapy base, but learning other therapies can augment your child’s healing. We are still grateful for the care and the quick realization our child needed residential care. We hope to not need Embark, but we do recommend them and if your not seeing the results- make sure your child clicks with their therapist b/c that is key! Good luck! M&M

It was such a tough time for our family. We cannot say enough about the care our son received from Embark. He came from this program with confidence, and he has been using the tools he gained, ever since. We are forever… grateful. Thank you so much for being there for us.

For us a horrible experience. This is a place for hardcore clients with hardcore issues, not kids with "just" anxiety and/or depression issues. We should have been alerted-to the (potential) severity of the other… clients our child was to be exposed-to before we signed-up. (Specifics not needed (HIPPA)) Hopefully this review helps prospective families.

Worst mental health place I’ve ever been. Staff did not care and it was very unhelpful. When I started to decline instead of helping they kicked me out and not even my therapist tried to reach out to me after I came… home from the hospital. If I could give 0 stars I would. Do not recommend.

Awesome program ! Awesome facility ! Definitely a HOT SPOT for teen mental health! Great job Embark !

This facility is beautiful ! A very cool place for teens!

This program ROCKS! I have been to multiple programs here in the city and nothing has grasped me like the energy at Embark! Thank you, Sadé for touring me and sharing your experiences! Your staff is awesome and the… facility is beautiful! This program will stay at the top of my referrals !

WOW! This program really sets the bar for excellence in behavioral healthcare. During the Ben to Shore fundraiser, I had the opportunity to meet some of the staff that represented Embarks Team! I have heard of them… before due to my work in the area and have always told myself I was going to schedule a tour for possible referrals. It was refreshing to hear the excitement in the staff's tone about the work they do with their client, I know impacts are being made!

Embark was able to restore our family’s trust and relationship I am still in awe from the results and progress we have made, the facility is always warm and clean. Sade was very passionate and super welcoming! As my son… would say “this was the best program thus far” thank you Embark!

Embark has a beautiful modern layout and qualified dedicated staff. Tony gave a great tour. Embark is my go-to referral place for my adolescent clients that are in need of a higher level of care.

Loved Embark. Tony was great.

“Create Joy and Heal Generations” is the core purpose of Embark Behavioral Health located in Berwyn, PA. I’ve had the pleasure to attend events and network with Embark staff. This premier mental health facility for… teens and young adults offers OP, IOP, virtual therapy, and long term residential. If your child is struggling with anxiety, depression, bullying, ADHD, PTSD or self injurious behavior- please reach out to Embark and begin your journey of healing! The best of the best.

I had a wonderful experience at Embark. All of the staff was amazing but I especially connected with my therapist Jessica Moore. She was able to challenge me in ways that were so crucial to my overall growth and journey… with my mental health. I am grateful that I was able to have such an amazing experience at embark. I would not have been able to make so much progress if it wasn't for Jess and everything she taught me. I graduated from the program in May of 2023 and I still use all the skills I was taught and reach out to my supports when I need them. I love embark!!!

Tony is really cool

If you are reading this review, you are probably a parent who was where I was - distraught, scared, unsure and lost. And to cut to the chase, I would not hesitate to send your precious child to Embark. Our teenage son… had struggled with mental health and had a pretty disastrous first PHP experience at another facility. We had no other choice but to find another PHP and based on the reviews and a very positive phone intake process, we decided to give Embark a try but with apprehension. As soon as we entered Embark, it felt different. Though it’s a very small place, it was warm and inviting unlike the clinical and stifling environment we often find in mental health institutions. We met with Matt, the executive director and Tony, the clinical director, to learn more about the program. Matt sounded confident that my son would benefit from their 6 week PHP but that he is required to attend every day. I was a bit skeptical that my son would make it through the 6 week PHP when he refused to attend the 2 week PHP. To my surprise and whatever magic Embark had, he attended the program fully. What I also appreciated was that they ask the child and parents to fill out a survey every other week so that the progress can be measured. I couldn’t get the other PHP to tell me what the goals and plans were, let alone some evidence based results. Embark PHP also requires family therapy which I we benefitted from tremendously because I don’t know how you work with children without addressing the system they are part of. My son was not in a good place with us so these sessions gave us a safe place for us to dialogue with the help of his therapist. I can only share my experience but after 6 weeks of PHP, my son was able to manage his anxiety and depression enough to return to school to finish the school year. We continued with the outpatient with Embark and the day my son came home after discussing the results of his most recent survey and said “Mom, I’m not clinically depressed anymore!” I bursted into tears. I experientially knew that he was getting better but it was another confirmation to see a number tell us that. I attribute much of his progress to Embark PHP and his therapist. I understand that every therapeutic experience is different, and the fit of a program/therapist and your child can’t be predicted but I can say if you are in a crisis with your child, definitely reach out to Embark. You will be able to tell the caliber of the staff immediately with their warmth, knowledge, professionalism, care, and commitment to the welfare of the children. I extend warm compassion to every parent/caregiver needing to read this review.

After several experiences with various programs, and levels of care, I am so grateful we found Embark. In a warm, comforting, safe, and inviting environment we finally found the place for my teen to heal and grow. The… staff gives their hearts to these kids, and their families. My child’s therapist is amazing and has frankly brought them back to me, and to themselves. After months and months of disappointments and frustrations experienced throughout the broader mental health system I could not have been more impressed with this program - Embark is doing it right everyday for these kids. They feel like family now.

We went to Embark at absolute rock bottom and five months later have a child that has interests, socializes and smiles now. We tried other programs in the past and they do not compare to the well rounded, immersive… experience you will find at Embark Berwyn. They deserve a million gold stars in my opinion. They helped our child find a lot of reasons to keep living. We are grateful!

If you're a parent reading these reviews, I can relate. I did the same thing when we were "shopping around" for a place that could help our teen. We had experience with other places and were sorely disappointed so when… I say we were all in when we read these reviews, I really mean it. Embarks program provides group, individual and family therapy and in my non professional (parent only) way, it's the trifecta to making long term improvements. Don't get me wrong, it's not foolproof. The family needs to put in the work in addition to the patient. And the Embark staff are there to help support, offer advise and provide words of encouragement. My teen was not happy the first few days and wanted to quit. There were some other tough days too. But, they stuck it out, put in the work, and has graduated from the program. We're not done though - we still work as a family to make sure our teen is supported and heard. They still work on the coping skills they learned at Embark. It's a process that we learned from the talented staff at Embark. As one parent said to me on day two when I didn't know if this was going to work, Trust the Process. We did and we cannot thank the Embark team enough!