Helping Others Heal

Their paths to mental healthcare looked different, but their purpose was the same.

The road to a career in mental healthcare wasn’t the same for Amber (McFarland) Buzick and her husband, Bobby Buzick. Amber, a 2005 social work graduate, always imagined herself one day owning a therapy practice. Bobby envisioned a career in law enforcement.

Today, the couple combines those experiences and passions through Beyond Therapy ND, the Grand Forks practice they founded in 2023.

“If you had told my 18-year-old self I’d become a therapist, I’m not quite sure I would have believed you,” Bobby, ’05, ’16, said. “My generation’s message was, ‘You don’t talk about your feelings; if you are feeling depressed or anxious, rub some dirt on it, drink some water, and suck it up.’”

From Soldier to Social Worker

After serving four years on active duty in the U.S. Army, Bobby enrolled at UND at age 22, where he met Amber. Following graduation, he moved to Texas to begin his career in law enforcement, but soon returned to North Dakota to continue their relationship.

Back home, a friend encouraged him to explore opportunities with the North Dakota Army National Guard.

“Staying in the military for 20 years was the last thing I had planned to do,” he said. “I joined the North Dakota Army National Guard on a one-year contract, and I ended up loving it.”

Amber and Bobby married in 2007, and as Bobby began thinking about life after the military, Amber suggested social work. At first, he dismissed the idea. 
Years in the military changed his perspective.

“I realized how imperative mental health services are, especially after seeing the difference they made for my Soldiers throughout my career,” Bobby said. “Amber was absolutely right. I think my calling has always been to help people through law enforcement, the military, and now as a therapist.”

He earned his Master of Social Work from UND in 2016 while serving, and retired as a first sergeant from the National Guard in 2021.

Amber’s path was more traditional. After college, she joined Marshall County Social Services in Warren, Minnesota, where she spent a decade working in child protection, mental health and disability services before earning her master’s degree in 2021.

Building Beyond Therapy

The Buzicks launched Beyond Therapy ND in 2023. In just three years, the practice has surpassed 7,500 therapy sessions.
Their partnership shapes their business.

“We know each other’s strengths and naturally gravitated to the roles that fit us best,” Amber said. “We’ve lived a lot of those same ins and outs as our patients, so helping people strengthen their relationships, become better parents and employees, and pursue their own passions and goals is incredibly rewarding.”

Many of Bobby’s patients are men hesitant to seek counseling. 

“Some of them are reluctant to consider therapy as an option,” he said. “But once they do, they realize talking about what they think and how they feel is a sign of strength rather than a sign of weakness.”

Amber often works with women seeking a healthier work-life balance, something the parents of three sons understand firsthand.

Lessons That Last

Amber credits her UND education with a lesson that continues to shape her work. Social work professor Steve Kraft’s answer to nearly every classroom question was simple: “It depends.”

“He told us it was never a textbook answer,” she said. “You always had to consider each person’s experiences, background, and circumstances before deciding how to help.”

For Bobby, the connection to UND remains just as strong.

“We chose to base our practice in Grand Forks because of our passion for UND and the Grand Forks and East Grand Forks communities,” Bobby said. “If I wasn’t a therapist, I’d probably want to be a UND recruiter.”

Care From Anywhere

Beyond Therapy ND also offers telehealth services, helping connect people in rural communities across North Dakota and Minnesota with care they might otherwise struggle to access.