Ellenhorn New York is happy to introduce our new National Director of Referral Relations: David Werbeck. Dave, a native of Seattle, spent the past 20 years in Nashville before relocating to the suburbs of New York City in August with his wife, Kristin, and their two-year-old daughter, Scout, in order to join the Ellenhorn team. Back in the day, Dave, who earned a diploma in sound engineering from the SAE Institute in Music City, worked with a number of well-known country-music artists. At the age of 25, however, he took his first position in behavioral health care — and has never looked back. In the years since, he has progressed from admissions counselor to treatment placement specialist to director of clinical outreach. Now, let’s learn a little more about Dave and his new role at Ellenhorn.
Let’s start at the beginning: You traded perfecting audio for top-selling country artists to manning the phones as an admissions counselor for those seeking behavioral-health support — why the drastic switch?
“That first job in the field appealed to me since, like many others, I have had family and friends who have sought help and often ended up going through multiple programs before finding one that was an actual fit and could truly provide the care they needed to move forward with their lives. To be honest, I also took the job because it provided me with health insurance and three days off in a row during which I could continue working in the studio. After just a few months, however, I left the music industry completely — I found helping people to be much more rewarding.”
How have you seen behavioral health care change in your 15 years in the field?
“Unfortunately, I’ve seen this industry develop into one that is often more focused on a treatment facility/company’s financial success at the expense of the client’s success — and this concerns me greatly. Ellenhorn, on the other hand, is a refreshing change of pace. We offer a truly unique treatment option that is created around each client’s specific needs and goals. We build a treatment team of highly skilled providers around each individual’s unique situation vs. pooling clients into a group environment based on their primary diagnosis.”
What drew you to join the Ellenhorn team?
“I’ve never heard of a treatment option quite like Ellenhorn and that excites me. I want to be part of a program that offers an alternative to conventional care. I love the concept of Ellenhorn being a ‘hospital without walls.’ I love the PACT approach. Ellenhorn is also not owned by a larger corporation and I really like that small-team approach. I don’t want to lose the focus that ‘I’m here to help,’ and Ellenhorn strongly supports me in this.”
What is it about the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) model that you believe makes it such a success?
“PACT is all about the ability to adjust to clients’ needs in ‘real-time’ in the real world. It doesn’t force anyone to exist within a ‘bubble,’ as is the case with many residential programs. Each and every Ellenhorn client’s PACT team is ‘boots on the ground,’ so to speak. We go to our clients in their home and their community in order to help them meet their goals. I recently spoke to an Ellenhorn counselor who even sweated through training for a triathlon alongside their client. It’s an incredibly flexible model — and incredibly impactful in changing lives.”
You are a certified ARISE® interventionist. How do you see your clinical skills helping with your new role at Ellenhorn?
“My background as an interventionist has taught me how to best work with a family and/or a client hands-on. I don’t see myself as a traditional marketing rep, but more of a ‘relationship builder’ and ‘guide’ for anyone seeking help for themself or a loved one. I’m here as a resource and to be a part of your team. I want to be the client’s advocate from the first call and throughout the entire process, as long as that may take.”
Email: dwerbeck@ellenhorn.com
Phone: (615) 476-5607
