Staff

- Winner of the prestigious Writer’s Guild of America Award and Emmy Nomination
Stuart Birnbaum has been in recovery for 32 years and is founder, CEO and Executive Director of the Lakehouse Recovery Center and Recovery Advocates.
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Practicing for over 28 years, Dr. Taylor is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice who has provided care to addiction, forensic and geriatric specialty populations in addition to treating patients in general adult psychiatry.
He graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 1991, completed his internship in general surgery at University of California, San Francisco, and then returned to Stanford University Hospital to train in psychiatry where he served as Chief Resident. He is the former VCBH Medical Director for the Ventura County Health Care Agency and Past Chief of Staff at Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC). He previously served as the VCBH Quality Medical Director, Medical Director for both Hillmont House, a mental health rehabilitation center, and the Anka-Ventura Crisis Residential Treatment center, as well as Chief of the VCMC Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Taylor is a recipient of the 2015 David Fainer, M.D. and Leo Tauber M.D. Behavioral Health Professional of the Year Award and has also been recognized by both Top Doctors Magazine 2019 and by the Consumers' Research Council of America 2015 as one of America's Top Psychiatrists.
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Laura is the Program Director, Therapist, and Group Facilitator in Lakehouse Recovery’s Intensive Outpatient program.
Laura’s vocational experience includes working as Program Aide for Visions Adolescent Treatment Center mentoring adolescents recovering from addiction, at New York Center for Living as the Intake Coordinator and Individual Therapist, and Hazelden Betty Ford’s New York City Intensive Outpatient. Laura’s training at Hazelden Betty Ford’s New York City Intensive Outpatient facility facilitated experience working with dual-diagnosis adults and young adults, personality disorders, family systems, and trauma-related issues. Laura utilizes several modalities (DBT and Mindfulness, CBT, attachment, MI, and ACT) in order to create a more tailored therapeutic setting for her client’s. Laura works collaboratively with her clients to create a safe environment where client can move towards alleviating symptoms, change in behavioral patterns and negative thinking, transform family-of-origin dynamics, and improving interpersonal relationships. She helps clients develop insight, identify their values, and gain tools to better manage their substance abuse and mental health symptoms.
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Lindsey is Clinical Director of the Lakehouse Recovery Center; she runs her own local private practice and works as a clinical supervisor.
strong background in addiction and mental health recovery work.
Lindsey is an individual and family therapist, group
facilitator, and administrator at numerous inpatient and outpatient
treatment facilities. She works with adults, adolescents, families and
couples. Her specialties include the treatment of substance abuse,
anxiety, depression, personality disorders and trauma.
Lindsey is an East Coast native, and received her undergraduate
degree from Barnard College of Columbia University. She received her
Master of Social Work degree from California State University,
Northridge.
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John Herrera studied at Sober College School of Addiction Studies and is credentialed as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor through CCAPP.
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Brian has a unique understanding and way of working with people of all ages.
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Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp, B.Msc, CADC-II, is President and Founder of Breathwork for Recovery and has worked as a professional healer for over a decade.
Nathaniel was trained to facilitate breathwork professionally and has completed the David Elliott Healer Training series multiple times. He also is the founder of The Recovery Circle, a weekly support group led by trained breathwork professionals to offer an effective alternative to traditional 12-step programs.
To learn more about Nathaniel, please visit http://breathworkforrecovery.com
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Ben began working in the addiction and recovery field five years ago, hoping to help others find their voice using techniques from drama therapy and playback theater.
In addition to working in the recovery field, Ben is an actor with a BFA from NYU Tisch. He's performed on London’s West End and on stages across LA.
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Lindsey earned her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles and her BS in Sociology from Mount St. Mary’s University.
Lindsey uses an eclectic approach when working with clients, often incorporating DBT and mindfulness, narrative therapy, family systems, attachment-focused, and object-relations. She takes an empowerment approach when working with clients and believes that humans are always seeking to develop and heal.
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Spencer has earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.
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Elysse earned her B.S. in Health Science from California State University, Channel Islands.
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