Treatment for Physicians

Born in Michigan and raised outside of Denver, Colorado, Dr. Mark Stahlhuth relocated to Southern California as a young adult, after which he began studying at UCLA. He has been working in the field of addiction since entering graduate school in 1980 at California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, where he obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology.

Before going into private practice in 1995, Dr. Stahlhuth spent 14 years working with adolescents in residential treatment settings, which included directing programs in drug abuse treatment as well as in childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and trauma. Today he continues his private practice work with teens as well as adults and their families in the areas of addiction and trauma.

For more than three decades Dr. Stahlhuth has conducted psychological assessments on an in-patient basis as well as in residential and outpatient settings; the foundation for this work includes several years of graduate study in psycho-diagnostic assessment, graduate teaching assistantships, and internships and work at agencies specializing in psycho-diagnostic assessment.

In July 2009 Dr. Stahlhuth became Clinical Director for Seasons Recovery Centers, where he utilizes his extensive experience to orchestrate the cutting-edge clinical programs for which Seasons is known.

Originally from Atlanta, Dr. Nancy Irwin moved to New York City in 1985 to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. She worked all over the country and abroad, and moved to L.A. in 1994 when she heard that Hollywood needed more blondes…

Dr. Irwin experienced an epiphany when she began volunteering for Children of the Night, a shelter for sexually abused children in Los Angeles. This experience awoke the healer in Dr. Irwin, prompting her to pursue a doctorate in psychology at California Southern University with a specialty focus on the prevention and healing of sexual abuse.

Dr. Irwin graduated from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in Tarzana, California, in 2003, with honors and the Director’s Award. She has frequently been called upon to provide her expertise on numerous radio and TV shows, including CNN, CNBC, Fox, and MSNBC. She is a member of the American Hypnosis Association, the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, the California Psychological Association, the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, and she is a Diplomate in the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Nancy also serves on the Education Committee of the California Coalition on Sex Offending, and she treats more than 100 emotional and behavioral issues, including addictions, phobias, and sexual abuse trauma.

A certified practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line Therapy, and Emotion Free Therapy, Dr. Irwin tailors each client’s treatment to effect the most rapid transformation possible. Dr. Irwin’s academic accomplishments, life experience, and personal approach together enable her to provide clients with a unique treatment experience. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from California Southern University, and has a background as an opera singer and stand-up comic—this unique combination of skills enables her to inject heart and humor into her healing. A powerful keynote speaker, she insists: “Change does not have to be scary and hard. It can be creative and fun.”

Dr. Irwin is also the author of YOU-TURN: Changing Direction in Midlife (2008), a collection of “over 40 stories of people over 40” who made amazing transitions in midlife.

Dr. Ashley Benjamin graduated from medical school at the University of Kansas and completed his residency at Wright State University/Wright Patterson Air Force Base while on a prestigious U.S. Armed Forces Medical Scholarship. Dr. Benjamin served a total of 21 years (8 years active, 13 years in reserves) as an Air Force psychiatrist, during which time he served as both the medical and administrative director for the Tinker Air Force Base Substance Abuse Program.

Dr. Benjamin’s experiences have helped shape his philosophy of minimizing medications and their doses to the greatest extent possible, as he believes military medicine is truly about helping patients achieve maximum functionality.

He retired at the rank of a Lt. Colonel and proudly served as part of the mental health flight during the devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma City in 1998. His military career culminated in the receipt of the prestigious Reserve Physician of the Year award.

Having worked in numerous settings, Dr. Benjamin has tremendous versatility, yet he takes exceptional pride in his work as the medical director for the Oklahoma City VA Iraq/Afghanistan return program and as the consulting psychiatrist for a dual diagnosis program aimed at helping mothers abstain from substances, with the goal of reuniting with their children.

Prior to completing medical school, Dr. Benjamin graduated as valedictorian with a B.S. in journalism from the respected William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. He then received an M.A. from The Ohio State University in exercise science. His track and field and cross country coaching experiences at KU and OSU helped shape his philosophy of seeing each patient as an “athlete,” with the goal of helping maximize their potential as part of a multidisciplinary team. He utilizes this concept when working with every patient at Seasons/Serenity. In addition to his 30-plus publications in various areas of mental and non-mental health topics, he is the lead co-author of the book, The Student Athlete’s College Recruitment Guide,which focuses on helping high school athletes find the best ethical, academic, and athletic fit at the college level. Dr. Benjamin is also a certified IGMCA Mental Game Instructor and Life Coach.

Dr. Damon Raskin is board certified in internal medicine and received his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University. In 1993 he graduated with distinction from George Washington School of Medicine in Washington DC, after which he completed his residency at UCLA.

For the last 16 years, Dr. Raskin has been specializing in preventive and addiction medicine. He has a full-service office with X-ray, cardiac stress testing equipment, and a lab, and he holds privileges at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Raskin has extensive experience helping patients safely detoxify from alcohol, opiates, and other drugs.

Born in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, John Pustaver studied music at DePaul University in Chicago and Temple University in Philadelphia, and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at Arizona State University in classical guitar performance.

John went on to study theology at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California, earning a master’s degree in theology. He was ordained and served as a member of the Roman Catholic Los Angeles Archdiocese clergy until 1997. During his years in the priesthood (1987-1997), John was invited by Patrick Carnes, Ph.D, to serve as a spiritual director of the Sexual Dependency Unit at Del Amo Hospital (1992-1999). John also studied psychology at Phillips Graduate Institute during those years and was hired to facilitate professionals groups at the Betty Ford Center in 2002. In 2005, he was invited to assist Garrett O’Connor, M.D., in the Betty Ford Center’s Clinical Diagnostic Evaluation (CDE) program, where he learned the intricacies of evaluating licensed professionals.

Among John’s responsibilities as a member of the CDE team were collecting collateral information, collating the diagnostic information from the team’s neuropsychologist, psychiatrist and addiction medicine physician, and preparing the team’s final report. John was later appointed to direct the Betty Ford Center’s CDE program and to coordinate the treatment of professionals requiring treatment.

In 2015, John joined the Seasons team as Director of the Seasons Professionals Treatment Program.

James McNinch earned his master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. There he researched the origins of traumatic stress related to childhood attachment style as a Fulbright Scholar Candidate. James holds an associate clinical license, is trained in evidence-based treatment modalities by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), and has received training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) trauma therapy.

James brings extensive experience in the field of addiction and mental health in his role as a Case Manager at our Malibu drug rehab center.

James began his career working for a recovery-based publications company, and by serving as a peer counselor for two well-known treatment facilities in Arizona. He later worked as a crisis interventionist and social worker at the University of Arizona Medical Center. His clinical skills include resourcing and client referral, exit planning, facilitation of DBT groups, and working with clients on issues related to dual diagnosis, process and chemical addictions, and family systems therapy.

Dr. Melissa Chisari-Noori is a licensed clinical psychologist, specializing in treating residents in individual, couples, and family therapy. She obtained her doctoral degree in psychology from California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. She has worked in the field of addiction and recovery for many years in a variety of clinical settings, including residential treatment programs, intensive outpatient programs, university counseling centers, and private practice. Dr. Noori specializes in treating adolescents, adults, couples, and families struggling with addiction, co-occurring disorders, relationship issues, anxiety, and depression.

Dr. Noori takes an action-oriented, collaborative approach to address each client’s specific needs, working towards identifying and changing negative patterns in a safe, compassionate environment. Dr. Noori feels truly honored to support each client on their transformative journey.

April Mollner graduated from Antioch University with a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She is a nationally-recognized anti-bullying advocate and keynote speaker at psychological conferences throughout the country. Specializing in addiction and recovery treatment, her mental health and wellness work runs the gamut — from working with transgender youth in the heart of Hollywood to leading individual therapy and groups for marginalized populations throughout Southern California.

April employs a unique variety of narrative and systems practices, applied community psychology, and art therapy work to help individuals, families, and communities realize their authentic and preferred potential.