Meet Our Team

Through extensive diagnostic evaluations and holistic treatment, Omega Recovery is dedicated to enhancing wellness by offering clarity, direction, and results.

Dr. Nicholas Kardaras | PH. D. | LCSW-R

Co-Founder | Chief Clinical Officer

Dr. Kardaras is an Ivy-League educated psychologist, an internationally renowned speaker, and one of the country’s foremost addiction experts. A former Clinical Professor at Stony Brook Medicine where he specialized in teaching the neurophysiology and treatment of addiction, he has also taught neuropsychology at the doctoral-level and has worked closely in developing clinical protocols with Dr. Howard Shaffer, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of their Division of Addiction.

He has appeared on ABC’s 20/20, Good Morning America, the CBS Evening News, FOX & Friends, NPR, Good Day New York and has written about addiction for TIME Magazine, Scientific American, Psychology Today, Salon, The NY Daily News, and FOX News, and has been featured in Esquire, New York Magazine, VICE, and Vanity Fair. Considered a leading expert on young people and digital addiction, he is the author of “Glow Kids” (St. Martin’s Press, 2016), the seminal book on the clinical, neurological and sociological aspects of Technology Addiction (Smart Phones, Video Games, Social Media, etc.) and has clinically worked with over 1,000 teens and young people during the last 15 years. 

He has been active in advocating that screen addiction be recognized as a clinical disorder akin to substance addiction and has developed the most comprehensive treatment protocols to treat this emerging global problem.

Dr. Kardaras is also the author of “How Plato and Pythagoras Can Save Your Life” (Conari, 2011) and devotes his life to helping others find their path to recovery, healing and a life of meaning and purpose.

Dr. Kardaras is also the creator of Seahab, an intensive experiential form of nature immersion therapy. Based on the very successful evidence-based principles of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH), Seahab has proven to be very effective as an intensive intervention to help addicts shift out of self-destructive and toxic lifestyle patterns.

Dr. Kardaras has also, admittedly, lived a colorful life: he’s a former AAU National Karate champion, a recovering NYC nightclub owner and a coma survivor. Having once owned high-profile NY nightclubs where he had mingled with the likes of JFK, Jr., Uma Thurman and Tom Cruise, Dr. Kardaras emerged from that glamorous-yet-self-destructive world and discovered a healing path to his own recovery from addiction. 

He lives with his wife and twin sons between Austin, TX and Sag Harbor NY and is a frequent presenter and lecturer on the subjects of mental health, philosophy, and both substance and screen addictions.

Jon Obenoskey

Executive Director

Jon has worked in the recovery network of Austin for 17 years. He has a passion for those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, as well as those struggling with mental health issues. Jon leads with respect for the staff and clients, in order to cultivate an environment for healing. 

Cristina Vidaure

Office Administrator

Madison Hamm | LMSW

Clinical Director

Madison enjoys using an integrative and collaborative approach with each client in order to approach their treatment with creativity and individuality. Madison uses a strengths-based perspective in order to incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy along with other modalities including Motivational Interviewing to provide tailored treatment to each client.

Madison is a Licensed Master of Social Work with a focus on mental health and accessibility to health care. Her background in children’s mental health and family work inspired her to continue her career in adult mental health. After working with children and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder, she wanted to expand her knowledge of family dynamics and mental health into adult mental health care and addiction.

Gabrielle Konyak | LPC

Program Coordinator/Therapist

Gabrielle is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Associate who graduated from Villanova University with a masters in clinical mental health counseling. She spent two years working at a drug and alcohol partial hospitalization program providing individual and group therapy. She also has experience running an intensive outpatient program, working with clients with co-occurring mental health and addiction diagnoses. She has knowledge in many different modalities, including dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and motivational interviewing.

Gabrielle enjoys using a collaborative approach to treatment to account for each client’s individuality. She utilizes a person-centered, strengths-based approach. Gabrielle is proud to be part of such a collaborative team at Omega, that ensures each client receives the most appropriate and effective care.

Chandlar Coskrey | LMSW

Therapist

Chandlar Coskrey is a Licensed Masters Social Worker. She received both her Bachelors and Masters from Texas State University before making the move to Austin. Her previous employment position was at Austin Police Victim Services working as a counselor for victims of sexual assault and human trafficking. Her specialties include working with clients in the LGBTQ+ community, women who are victims of sexual assault, and adults who struggle with addiction. She uses the DBT, TFCBT, and strengths-based perspective models for her therapy sessions. She loves teaching Omega’s clients psychoeducational lessons on the neurobiology of their addiction, shame resilience, and self-compassion. She joined Omega because of the passion each employee has for helping our clients, and Omega’s dedication to innovation in this field. In her own words, she says “I am honored to be a part of this team and I know we have the knowledge, skill, and drive to help you or your loved one live a healthy life.”

Hannah Murray | LMSW

Hannah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from St. Edward’s University and a Master of Social Work degree from Texas State University. Hannah implements techniques from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She believes it is important to approach therapy collaboratively and ensure clients feel supported and respected every step of the way. Additionally, with degrees in both psychology and social work, she attempts to see through the lenses of both individual and family systems in addition to taking into consideration the larger social structures that impact the lives of clients. Hannah enjoys utilizing creative approaches where possible and learning more about expressive therapies in the modalities of art, music, dance, and drama.

Scott Melgren | LMSW

Scott Melgren is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). Scott has helped adults, teens, couples and families navigate challenges such as depression, substance addiction, anxiety, trauma, relationship concerns and personality disorders. Scott’s personal belief is that each person is doing the best that they can with the tools they have and approaches the therapeutic alliance from this perspective. Scott enjoys using modalities such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) to help clients develop specific coping skills to build resilience, confront life stressors and overcome emotional barriers.

Scott tailor’s therapeutic dialog and treatment plans to meet your unique and specific needs while considering personal, social and cultural influences. If you have found yourself stuck and desire a way to address your situation, together you and Scott can create that change.

Dr. Shiva Lam, MD

Psychiatry Specialist

Dr. Shiva Lam, MD is a Psychiatry Specialist in Austin, TX and has over 35 years of experience in the medical field. Dr. Lam has extensive experience in Addiction & Substance Abuse and Psychotic Disorders. He graduated from Khazar University, School of Medical Science in 1988.

Ela Born | PMHNP

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Gene Kuntz II | LAc | LMT

Licensed Acupuncturist |Wellness Coach

Gene Kuntz has been in the wellness industry for 12 years. He is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, licensed massage therapist, and meditation, tai chi and qi gong instructor.

Gene pursued his Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with a focus in Medical Qi gong. Early in his TCM practice, Gene worked along side practitioners at Seton McCarthy’s Community Center to develop “living well with pain” and “living well with stress.” It was there that he began to see the astounding benefits that meditation practices and acupuncture can have on one’s well-being. Through group participation in Qi gong and NADA protocol, also known as auricular acupuncture, patients who were completely desperate and hopeless due to their chronic pain were astonished and empowered when they found themselves pain free using these practices.

Gene now uses acupuncture and his experience in meditation to assist Omega clients to achieve their health and recovery goals.

Gabriella Jeffords

Admissions Director

Gabi has worked in the recovery field since 2012. She was previously the Assistant Director of sober living at Hickory Wind Ranch and has a strong background in addiction and eating disorders. Gabi has a bachelor’s in English from Colorado College and graduate-level coursework in counseling at St. Edward’s University. Originally from New York but a Texan transplant for almost 20 years, she brings her heart, intelligence and passion to ensure individualized care for every Omega Recovery client.

Makenzie Sartain

Admissions Specialist

Joe Sheridan

Admissions and Business Development

Joe Sheridan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a football coach’s son, Joe moved around a lot as a kid. He began drinking and using drugs at the age of 15 as a way to “fit in.” His using began to increase as the years went on and he had a difficult time maintaining employment and the relationships with his friends and family began to diminish. His love for football and passion for coaching at the high school level wasn’t enough to keep him sober.

In January of 2018 he attended treatment in Austin, TX. He was introduced to the Twelve Steps and a solution to his drug addiction. Recovery has restored the trust from his family that was lost during his addiction. Joe continues to work the Twelve Steps that he was taught and practices the principles that were instilled in him in 2018.

Today, Joe has been working in the treatment industry for over four years in many different positions. He has worked in direct client care, aftercare recovery coaching, case management and program director, and is now part of the admissions and business development team at Omega Recovery. Joe has a beautiful family consisting of his wife Andrea, and two daughters Annabelle and Scarlett.

Karen McCain

Housing Operations Director

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