David Semanco, MS, MAC, CAADC, CSAC, CAC-AD
Clinical Director
The Freedom CenterDavid Semanco is a Master Addiction Counselor specializing in the application of complementary therapies to enhance the addiction treatment and recovery process. He transitioned into the addiction treatment field in 2002 following successful careers in information technology and music. He continues to incorporate technology and music into clinical practice as evidenced by his work with neurofeedback and music therapy. He is dedicated to minimizing the stigma of addiction and is an ardent proponent of innovative treatment methods which are underutilized in conventional treatment settings but which have demonstrated success through evidenced-based research. David has worked in a hospital, residential, and outpatient settings providing direct care, leading clinical teams, and developing programs for adolescents and adults. David is President of the Virginia Association of Addiction Professionals (VAAP) and has served on the Board of Directors of VAAP since 2010. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Summer Institute for Addiction Studies (VSIAS), one of the premier training venues for addiction professionals in the Mid-Atlantic, and served as Chair of that organization in 2015 and 2017. He also sits on the Board of Directors for NAADAC, the international Association for Addiction Professionals and for the R1 Foundation, which provides financial assistance for recovery learning and technology tools, community connections, and housing scholarships. As a noted speaker, David has presented training sessions and workshops for a variety of organizations, including United Airlines, West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Virginia Counselors Association, George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine, Chesapeake Health Education Program, George Mason University, and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. David holds a Master of Science in Human Services with an emphasis in Addiction Treatment. He has studied under neurofeedback pioneers Sue and Siegfried Othmer of EEG Info (Woodland Hills, CA), Dr. Richard Soutar of the New Mind Center (Atlanta, GA), and Bill Scott of BrainPaint (Pacific Palisades, CA).