STAFF
Sober since she was just 16 years old, Becky Gatdula has dedicated her life to helping other women achieve sobriety. Her commitment to those suffering with substance abuse began with a volunteer position in 1996. She then went on to work full time in the substance abuse field beginning in 2003. In 2005, Becky earned her Chemical Dependency Counselor certification. With over two decades of experience in the field, Becky has opened, designed, supervised and operated numerous treatment programs. Her deep devotion and loyalty to this community inspired her to found Rising Roads Recovery Services for Women, LLC. Rising Roads Recovery has become a benchmark in the gender specific treatment world; a place where women can address their issues and take positive steps forward to build happy, meaningful lives. With a team of trustworthy and skilled professionals by her side, Becky is delighted to lead Rising Roads Recovery.
Kimiko Miller is a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist who has specialized in substance use disorders and mental health issues for over 7 years. Kimiko received her Masters of Arts from Fresno Pacific University. She has extensive training in Expressive Arts Therapy, Psychodrama, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral therapy), and love and sex addiction recovery. In her spare time, Kimiko also leads workshops for R.A.D Team Building which aims to empower and activate individuals to their highest potential. Kimiko provides an authentic and safe space for clients to experience and explore emotions in greater depth and to begin their journey by fulfilling their deepest hopes and dreams.
Christina is a Certified Trauma Professional (CTP). She is also certified in Somatic Trauma Resolution, is a Reiki Master and has completed certification with Spirit2Spirit Healing. Christina uses Somatic modalities including Psychodrama and Psychodramatic Bodywork to help her clients heal from varying types of abuse, traumatic injury, abandonment, grief, loss or other events that results in the traumatic “overwhelming” of the nervous system. Her extensive work with trauma survivors has evolved to helping individuals with addiction and abuse issues, eating disorders, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Christina’s holistic approach to the recovery process is augmented by her passionate energy, creativity, intuition and natural healing talents. Her work in individual sessions and as a group facilitator brings her clients hope and dramatic, healthy changes.
Sarah is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL and holds a B.S. in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. Sarah’s warm and inviting style allows her to successfully implement a psychotherapeutic bond with clients. Her areas of focus are addiction and trauma and the effect these issues have on relationships. With nearly ten years of experience in the field, Sarah has successfully treated individuals with a variety of emotional concerns and psychosocial challenges and takes a special interest in couples and families who have been affected by these issues.
Sue Gauthier-Pin is an Expressive Arts Clinician who specializes in working with women to nurture their recovering inner artist. Sue utilizes an arts-based integrative approach that blends traditional evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with the healing power of creativity. She guides the women at Rising Roads Recovery through their emotional and spiritual healing process with explorative techniques, including intermodal expressive arts, dreamwork, sandtray and psychodrama. By engaging in intentional creative activities, the women at Rising Roads Recovery are given an outlet to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences for which they “have no words.” Sue earned a Master’s of Counseling Psychology specializing in Expressive Arts Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies and is delighted to further explore the intersection of spirituality, creativity, emotional wellness and addiction at Rising Roads Recovery.
Katy’s passion for art and her desire to have a fulfilling career helping others led her to pursue Undergraduate and Graduate school at Notre Dame De Namur University where she earned a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and in Art Therapy. Years of working with autistic non-verbal children in Northern California had given Katy the skill to meet any situation with grace and compassion. Having close family members fall victim to alcoholism and drug addiction, she has personally witnessed the success and peace of recovery. She is a registered Alcohol and Drug Trainee and is thrilled to bring her unique set of skills to the community of Rising Roads Recovery.
Lisa Bahar is licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional clinical counselor and a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Lisa Bahar provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families and specializes in treating addiction, mood and personality disorders.Lisa Bahar specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and works to provide clients the most comprehensive care based on their clinical needs and goals. Lisa Bahar serves as Adjunct Faculty for Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy; which is a program designed to serve those interested in counseling individuals, couples, and families as a marriage and family therapist as a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in California.
Susannah Johnson is an experienced health educator and Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist. With a demonstrated history of working in the health, wellness, recovery, and fitness industries, Susannah specializes in health coaching, weight loss, strength training, digestive health issues, and drug and alcohol addiction recovery. Her authentic and educational approach to nutrition brings a sustainable healthy lifestyle within everyone’s reach. Susannah has been sober since July 2003.
Read her story at: www.susannahjohnson.com/about
With over five years of experience working in treatment compliance and insurance coordination, Nicole is a true asset to both Rising Roads Recovery staff and the family members of clients. Her tremendous knowledge and compassion arm her in her role as advocate for our clients and their families with the insurance companies. Nicole’s goal is to help families feel comfortable and secure in their decision to pursue treatment, and she strives to make the insurance and financial process as stress-free as possible. Nicole is also responsible for our licensure and compliance, ensuring Rising Road Recovery up to date with all city and state regulations.
Michael is a board-certified psychodrama practitioner and Certified Experiential Therapist as well as a drug and alcohol counselor. He has worked in various addiction treatment settings for over five years and has been facilitating residential and outpatient psychodrama groups for over three years. Much of his experience has been in treatment programs for women with a history of trauma as well as addictions, including eating disorders and codependency. During his training as an addictions counselor, Michael was profoundly affected by his first exposure to psychodrama—an action method based on the principle “don’t tell me, show me.” He recognized its power to create a sense of safety in groups, build deep connections among group members, unblock frozen feelings, foster creativity and spontaneity, help people embody new roles, and accelerate personal growth and transformation. Michael is especially interested in the use of experiential and somatic approaches to healing shock and relational trauma. In addition to its therapeutic benefits, Michael appreciates how the spiritual foundations and fundamental principles of psychodrama align with his engagement in 12-step recovery.
Sara Badrtalei Sanchez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in addiction, trauma, women’s issues, cultural issues, and dual-diagnoses. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at the University of California, Riverside. She also completed a Master’s Degree in Psychology at Chapman University, emphasizing in Marriage and Family Therapy and received her Doctoral Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. While completing her internship, Dr. Sara obtained extensive experience working in community-based mental health clinics, counseling a diverse group of individuals, couples, families, and children. Since beginning her MFT Internship practice, she also had the unique opportunity to work in Residential and Outpatient Programs with both adolescents and adults. Dr. Sara honors each and every client and is deeply committed to providing a safe space for women to heal from their experiences and resolve underlying issues. With a lifelong love of music, she has found that integrating creativity and exploring one’s talents can be extremely beneficial for ongoing growth. She maintains a successful private practice in Newport Beach, treating individuals of all ages and their families to restore healthy and balanced lives. She also offers continuity of care for those who transition from Inpatient to Outpatient settings to maintain the therapeutic relationship and continue to work on each client’s growth.
Dr. Hisham Korraa, M.D. is a UCLA trained psychiatrist specializing in psychotherapy and medication management for adults and adolescents. With a heavy emphasis on addressing the individual, Dr. Korraa’s treatment focuses on variables that would impact the individual’s development and coping patterns over the course of the years.
Dr. Korraa developed a special interest in helping individuals overcoming their chemical dependency issues and addressing underlying core struggles to focus on growth and health. Dr. Korraa works well with several different chemical dependency programs in Orange County, including PACE Recovery Center, and he maintains a strong relationship with his patients well after their acute recovery period.
Dr. Korraa completed his undergraduate training at University of Houston. He later graduated from Texas Tech School of Medicine. He then specialized in Psychiatry at the reputable UCLA/Sepulveda Training Psychiatry Program. Being exposed to several different facilities in the Los Angeles area (with much exposure to veterans in the greater LA VA and Sepulveda VA program), Dr. Korraa became well versed in PTSD and chemical dependency. In addition to psychopharmacology and individual therapy, Dr. Korraa is one of the very few physicians who also specializes in both the transcranial magnetic treatment of depression and deep brain nerve stimulation for obsessive compulsive disorder.
Dr. Korraa has been awarded multiple awards over the course of the years. He has been recognized by his patients with the “Patient’s Choice Award” and “Compassionate Doctor Recognition” several times over. He has also been recognized as among the best rated doctors in the area.
Kristen has always been passionate and enthusiastic about helping people. With the objective of blending her business and people skills, she earned a degree in Business Marketing from Texas Christian University. After working for an advertising agency in Houston for two years, her family and friends recognized her disease of alcoholism and she checked herself into treatment. As she created a new life rooted in recovery, Kristen realized her marketing background and personal experience could be valuable assets at a treatment center. Kristen is delighted to have a career in an industry that helps not only the individuals in treatment but also their friends and family. Kristen has brought her expertise in marketing and outreach to the recovery industry since 2003. She has also spoken at national conferences on best marketing practices and the importance of corporate culture in addiction treatment centers. Her vivacious personality reminds the community at Rising Roads that sobriety can be fun.
Jordan is a native of Seattle, Washington. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Marshall School of Business. After earning his degree, Jordan worked in business development and sales in industries including software and international product sourcing. While in college, Jordan began an 8-year battle with alcoholism and addiction that affected every aspect of his life. After getting sober in 2011, Jordan discovered a passion for helping people struggling with addiction find recovery. He began as an intern and rose to Chief Development Officer at a well-known men’s extended aftercare program. Jordan is delighted to further his work with women’s extended care. After experiencing the benefits of long term recovery first hand, he believes that if an addict learns to love her life in recovery, anything is possible.
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