Our Team
Meet our Team
Lucy Minassian, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Director
Lucy is an interactive, solution focused therapist with over 18 years of experience in the mental health field. As a licensed clinical social worker, her work history consists of working with individuals across the age spectrum in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Applying various evidenced based approaches, she encourages family involvement as a major part in the recovery process. A firm believer in systems theory, she sees the family unit as complex and ever changing. Thereby challenging and empowering families to grow and thrive in order to meet the demands of the family unit.
Specializing in treating adolescents, adults, couples, and families struggling with addiction, co-occurring disorders, relationship issues, anxiety, and depression. Lucy takes an action-oriented, collaborative approach to promote change in both individuals and their families. Along with compassion and understanding, Lucy utilizes the therapeutic relationship to explore the underlying causes of addiction in order to successfully move through pain and trauma to develop healthy coping skills.
Along with compassion and understanding, Lucy utilizes the therapeutic relationship to explore the underlying causes of addiction in order to move through pain and trauma while simultaneously developing healthy coping skills.
Courtney Markowitz
Primary Therapist
Courtney Markowitz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 6 years of experience working with adolescents in various settings.
She previously worked with children and adolescents in a school and home based setting providing intensive therapeutic and behavioral support. She also has experience working with adolescents in psychiatric hospital facility. She completed her master’s degree in Educational Counseling Psychology option in Marriage and Family Therapy at California State University Northridge.
Courtney enjoys working with youth in crisis using modalities including; Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. She uses her genuine personality and more humorous approach to connect with youth and create an effective therapeutic relationship.
Artis Carhee
Program Director
Artis Carhee III is very excited to start his new role as program administrator. Artis has been working with kids in the mental health field for the last 16yrs. It give him great joy to see the change in client and to see them grow and get better mentally phsysically emotionally. He looks forward to helping the staff under him grow and become better as they grow in the field.
Roz Razzaghmanesh
Therapist
Roz is a graduate of Phillip Graduate Institute and had completed her hours working with children as MAT assessor for DCFS and working with teens and adults dealing with co-occurring issues. Roz is a licensed clinician and her theory of orientation is family dynamic and narrative therapy. Roz is able to connect with families and children compassionately and assists families in forming a healthy connection with each other.
Jessica Galindo
Office Manager
Jessica has had a lifelong passion for helping those with mental health issues.
She is currently working towards a degree in Psychology and with hopes of establishing a career in the mental health field as a Marriage and Family Therapist.
She has had the pleasure of working with adolescents with substance abuse and mental health issues as a caregiver, tutor, and Program Assistant at Beachside Treatment Center.
Jessica’s goal is to be a positive role model and to continue making a difference in the lives of those who are struggling.
Mark Paladini
Director of Education
Mark Paladini brings 12 years of experience teaching at the university level where he was celebrated for his curriculum design and lesson planning for undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to heading the undergraduate program that he co-created at Regent University, he also developed and ran a highly successful online master’s program for high school teachers. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and is a graduate of the Los Angeles Teaching Fellows Program. Mr. Paladini also served on the recruitment team during his time at the university which gives him a unique advantage to help students prepare for what is needed to get into college.
Prior to teaching at the university level, Mr. Paladini taught and developed courses for UCLA Extension, taught middle school English for LAUSD, and mentored students at a National Blue Ribbon Elementary School in Los Angeles. He also has extensive experience in the entertainment industry (Fun Fact: Mark Paladini is an award winning Casting Director!) and brings his theatre skills into the classroom to create an engaging atmosphere where students enjoy the process of learning.
Christina Garst
Director of Nursing
Christina Garst is our Director of Nursing at Beachside Treatment Center/Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center. She graduated from an accredited nursing program, Career Care Institute, and has been a Licensed Vocational Nurse since 2016. She began in healthcare in 2014 as a Certified Home Health Aide assisting clients with Alzheimers and dementia, this is where her love for psychiatric care began. After obtaining licensure, she started working in a Skilled Nursing Facility followed by pediatric ventilator-dependent home patients. In 2018 she began working in a psychiatric hospital and has remained in acute and post-acute psychiatric nursing since. Her experience also includes working at other mental health residential treatment facilities and aiding in the development of their nursing department.
She is currently working towards her Bachelors of Science in Nursing with hopes of continuing to provide positive changes in the medical field. Her policy for the Nursing department is for clients to have continuous access to an open-communication and judgment-free safe place to receive medical care. The best client-nurse relationship is one with mutual trust and honesty.
David Schwartz
Clinical Staff
David Schwartz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and author of two books, Relationship Held Captive: Free Yourself for True Intimacy and, Your Career, Your Rules: Living the Life You Want. He works with adolescents, adults, couples and families in the Los Angeles area. In addition to his therapy practice,
David has worked as a professional writer and television producer for over 25 years, including work in the animation industry and advertising projects.
David has also authored various articles for Psychology Today under his series titled “Adolescents, Explained: How to understand teenage brain.”
– How the Word “No” Can be Harmful to Children and Adolescents
– Teenagers Don’t Know Everything
– The Power of Commitments
– Disrespectful Teenagers
Cameron Mooney
Music Therapy
Cameron Mooney lives in Los Angeles and serves the greater L.A. and Ventura county areas. After graduating with a B.A. in music therapy from California State University Northridge in 2013 he went on to work in settings serving developmentally disabled adolescents and adults. Over the past 4 years he has continued his work in music therapy in a wide variety of settings, focusing primarily on Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation, one-on-one work with individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Tracy Opp
Equine Therapist
Tracy is a certified alcohol & other drug counselor with CADTP, working in the substance abuse/recovery field for over 23 years. Tracy graduated from her UCSB certification program in 1993. In 1998, she was hired by PDAP of Ventura County as a CATC for the intensive supervision juvenile department, serving the probation and entrenched gang population until 2011 when she was offered the head counselor position at a community recovery center. She currently serves as the Alcohol & Drug counselor at several middle schools in Oxnard, CA, focusing on prevention, intervention, and recovery. Tracy’s passion for helping others, along with her lifelong love and knowledge of horses, has driven her to launch her equine assisted counseling services. Tracy runs groups at A Wildwood Recovery, as well as weekly equine assisted therapy group programs to benefit the clients in their recovery. Tracy owns her own horses andlives in Thousand Oaks with her husband of over 18 years and two daughters.
Liam Anderson
Fitness Instructor
Liam Anderson was born and raised in Santa Monica. He grew up studying classical theater and playing Club soccer. He played Varsity sports at Malibu High, and graduated with a recognition of outstanding hours given towards community service.
Liam attended Santa Monica College and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London for Classical Theater. Liam now works in Malibu as a full time Youth Development coach and mentor for various sports and strength training courses. He also plays in the UPSL soccer division in the greater Los Angeles area, at the Semi Professional level.
He holds accountability, punctuality, and a having a positive attitude at the utmost importance in all categories of life.
Alfonso Arroyo
Executive Chef
Alfonso Arroyo began his career in the culinary arts in 2006. Alfonso attended culinary school at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. As a chef, he has worked at multiple restaurants, a large hotel corporation, and an assisted living community for the aging population. Alfonso comes from a large family who all share a love for creating and cooking meals together. He enjoys exercising, days on the beach, and spending time with friends and family.
Rey Carungcong NSSIA-Cert
Clinical Staff
Rey Carungcong majored in Music Therapy with a minor in Psychology at California State University Northridge, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. Working as a Certified Music Therapist, as well as a Behavioral Therapist with individuals with special needs since 1995, Rey gained extensive experience in the Behavioral and Mental Health Fields. He also obtained certification as a NSSIA Master Level Surf Instructor.
Rey has been facilitating Adaptive Skills Surf & Social Skills groups since 1997, and officially opened Shaka Surf Club in 2006. As a co-founder, Rey brings his impeccable educational and clinical background in Psychology, ABA, and Music Therapy to the Club. Over the years, Rey developed a unique experiential therapy program in Surf Therapy that utilizes and blends the modalities and theories of Neurophysiology, Kinesiology, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Sensory Integration Theory, Cognitive Development Theory, and Social Development Theory.
Lindsay Audette
Group Facilitator
Lindsay has been acting since she learned to talk and she fell in love with comedy when she moved to Los Angeles from the Midwest. She is originally from Chicago where she graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Theater Performance. After completing the Conservatory Program at Second City Hollywood, she co-created a comedy group called “LA Ugly” that performs improv and sketch comedy around LA. She works for the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles and does auto shows for Volkswagen.
Maureen Ganz
Group Facilitator
After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2006, Maureen worked in the entertainment industry while cultivating her love of improvisation at Second City. She quickly realized how incredibly useful improv is for people from all walks of life. While writing and performing gave her great joy, she found that teaching was actually her greatest passion. She is thrilled AdLib LA helps so many diverse groups and individuals reach their full potential.
Danny Lobell
Group Facilitator
Danny Lobell is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and talk show host, and is known for his quirky storytelling style. Danny has traveled the world performing comedy shows in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Spain, and Holland. He has been featured on This American Life and recently presented a TEDx in Phoenix AZ. Danny coordinates the MediaExpressive Group at Beachside Treatment Center, where our clients are encouraged to express themselves on a podcast forum in a recording studio. This therapeutic session facilitates a form of non conventional talk therapy, all in a safe environment with our clients using pseudonyms to respect privacy and protect confidentiality. Danny’s passion for his work has proven to be a highly successful healing modality that is aligned with the trend of our times.
Paola Ucelo
Group Facilitator
Paola Ucelo is from Phoenix, Arizona. She obtained an Associate degree in Business Communication, and is actively pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University. Paola is a seasoned leader. As a 2nd degree black belt under the Ucelo Martial Arts Academy in Arizona, she has mentored over 300 students in discipline and self-defense tactics. Paola is also a strong minded individual with an approachable personality, enabling her to be an important asset at the Beachside Treatment Center facility.
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