Meet Our Team

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.

For years, Michael was in and out jails and institutions. He tried programs, treatments, counselors, and medications, but to no avail. He was forced to drop out of school, he could not keep a job, and his family and friends began to lose hope. He felt hopeless and helpless until he was finally able to give himself completely to a simple program of action. Today, Michael has regained the trust of his family, is a productive member of society, and has taken an interest in spiritual philosophy.

At Omega, Michael uses his experience to encourage and inspire the next generation of recovering addicts and alcoholics. He considers it an honor and a privilege to pass along the essential tools, strategies, and attitudes that shaped his own journey in recovery.

Sarah spent two years working in acute psychiatric hospitals and has extensive experience in assessing and treating severe mental illness. She graduated from the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social work with a specialization in clinical social work with academic honors as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. She has led a team of therapists as the Clinical director in an acute psychiatric hospital and worked to coordinate services, care, and interventions in accordance with state regulations and best practices.

As the Clinical Director at Omega, she is using her extensive knowledge of addiction and mental health to lead our clinicians in offering exceptional evidence-based services. She coordinates with the entire Omega and Bridgeway team to provide clients with a unique experience, unlike other programs. Sarah is a lifelong learner who is motivated to continue to update the programs at Omega to reflect the most up to date evidence-based treatments while keeping sight of the client experience.

Caileigh is a Licensed Master Social Worker and has experience working with survivors of domestic violence and treating co-occurring mental health and substance misuse disorders at a residential treatment facility. She previously worked as a researcher in the field of social work and uses her research skills to provide an innovative therapeutic approach with clients. 

Caileigh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health and Substance Misuse from the Ohio State University. 

Born and raised in Houston TX, Alex grew up in a dysfunctional home. Childhood trauma haunted her into her teen years until finally, at age 14, she found a way to numb the pain of anxiety and depression with alcohol and drugs. Starting out with an occasional drink on the weekends, by 21 she found herself with an insidious heroin, meth, and Xanax addiction. On March 14th, 2019, after countless trips to jails, psych wards, and rehabs, she found herself on the floor of a prison cell for the last time.

Wesley was born and raised in Jackson Mississippi. He grew up alongside his two loving older sisters making him the youngest. In his adolescence, Wesley was profoundly dedicated and hard working. In the years leading up to high school he became an Eagle Scout and was committed to his love of playing sports. Although determined, he experienced several highs and lows throughout his high school and college careers. Wesley soon realized he had the same drive for partying as he did playing sports, which was a recipe for disaster.

Wesley began using daily and barely scraping by in college. Although he received his degree in Psychology, it was not the easiest journey. He received two DUI’s, flipped his vehicle into a ditch, and was arrested more than once. He was unreliable, couldn’t keep relationships, and lost himself as he rapidly reached the depths of his addiction. With the help of his family and an interventionist Wesley realized he could no longer continue living the way he was and decided to seek treatment in Austin, Texas.

After completing treatment, Wesley felt his quality of life had improved, but something was missing. It wasn’t until Wesley discovered his passion for helping others by sharing his experience, strength, and hope that he felt complete. Helping others see the light at the end of the tunnel throughout the journey of recovery has given Wesley purpose and helps keep him sober. Wesley truly feels that through helping others we can ultimately help ourselves and that is the true beauty behind recovery.

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.

Her love for yoga inculcated a deep appreciation of the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that yoga can provide in the modern age. In her classes, she combines the principles and ideas of 12 step programs with the benefits of yoga. Yoga helps alleviate some of the modern afflictions many of us suffer from: overworked, poor posture, text-neck, anxiety, addiction and over-stressed bodies, minds and spirits. She combines many aspects of Hatha Yoga and the deeply calming and relaxing benefits of Restorative Yoga in her classes.

Her deepest desire is to impart a life-long love of yoga, foster a joie de vivre–that zest for life–and to inspire hope in people’s lasting journey of recovery. Lucy has experienced the gifts of the 12 Steps over the last 18 years of her sobriety. She is forever grateful to 12 Step fellowships as well as to her amazing yoga teachers, Rodney and Colleen, whose expertise continually guide her. Some of the wisest words ever uttered by Rodney continue to echo in her mind today, “Don’t get weird” he once said…except… if you’re in Austin!

Shea always had a fondness for alcohol, and it also got her into a lot of trouble. Though things weren’t bad yet, alcohol definitely wasn’t adding any ease to her life. She jumped jobs and tried relocating, thinking those were the problems that was causing the dissatisfaction she was feeling.

Eventually, her alcohol use got the better of her, having mishaps causing hospital visits, a car wreck, two DWI’s, and in time, the loss of her job.

She attended her second treatment program, sober date 4/10/2018, completed successfully, and moved to Austin into a sober living home associated with Omega Recovery. Some months later, she was asked to manage the sober house and she also found a position as an Administrative Assistant at a furniture manufacturing company. Wanting to be a part of something bigger and aid in helping others, she joined the Omega team as Office Manager in 2019. Today, she wears many hats at Omega as Office Manager, Human Resources, and Compliance Officer.