Meet Brandy Vandermark, MS, CASAC
After completing graduate school at Canisius College, Brandy Vandermark, MS, CASAC, knew she wanted a career where she was working with adolescents.“At first I wanted to be a school counselor,” Brandy explains. But as luck would have it her career led her to Horizon Health Services where she began at the Boulevard Counseling Center as an addictions counselor.
While there Brandy became interested in developing curriculum for group sessions specifically for women and adolescents and was soon given the opportunity to do just that. She worked to incorporate new information in every session so that they would continue to be interesting and fresh for her clients.
After spending four years at the Boulevard Center, Horizon offered Brandy a new opportunity – one that would allow her to continue working on her career goal of working with adolescents and family members impacted by addiction. Brandy was transferred to the newly opened Family Recovery Center, a location specializing in adolescent and young adult recovery.
Brandy’s primary interest at the Family Recovery Center is doing individual counseling sessions where she works with teens and their families. She makes sure the family stays in the forefront and actively engages them in the process while teaching them how to cope with a family member going through recovery.
“Horizon is a place you get opportunities to grow as an individual,” says Brandy. She sees many opportunities to move forward and now enjoys a new aspect of her position, working with mental health counselors so they can treat the whole individual. Realizing her dream is just the first step in what she hopes will be a long career at Horizon.
If you or anyone you know might benefit from speaking to one of our knowledgeable and caring addictions counselors, like Brandy, please call us at 716.831.1800.