Wendy Ashley, Psy.D, LCSW, Clinical Director

Dr. Wendy Ashley manages Soba clinical programs and the supervision of clinical staff. She has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Ryokan College, a Masters in Social Work from University of Southern California, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Dr. Ashley has nearly 20 years of experience in mental health, addiction and recovery. She has experience in academic institutions, community mental health clinics and behavioral health organizations. She has specialization in working with trauma, identity issues and relational problems.

Dr. Ashley has authored several articles and has been asked to present at conferences nationally.

Jessica Clark, LMFT, Primary Therapist

Jessica Clark provides individual therapy to participants of residential and outpatient programs at Soba. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Jessica graduated from Pepperdine University with a Masters in Clinical Psychology. While completing her Masters degree she received clinical training working with individuals with opioid dependence. Following completion of her degree, she worked as the Program Coordinator for a Los Angeles Department of Mental Health program for 6 years and served on the programs Co-Occurring Disorders Committee. She has acted as supervisor to students from University of Southern California and Mental Health America, Los Angeles’ Jump Start Program. Jessica also runs a multi-family group for family members of those affected by mental illness. She recently wrote a guest blog on the topic of Gratitude and Substance Use Recovery.

Wendy Doucette, PsyD, LCSW, Primary Therapist

Dr. Doucette brings over 15 years of clinical experience to her work with clients at Soba. She has trained at The Payne Whitney Clinic at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and at Cedars Sinai in the Home Hospice program. Extensive clinical training and practical life experience have proven just how painfully destructive addiction can be. Utilizing an integrative and holistic approach, Dr. Doucette works with clients and their loved ones on both changing distressing behavior and improving overall well-being, targeting immediate concerns first. Dr. Doucette’s work stems from a core belief that people do the best they can, given the story of their lives and the supports available to them.

Dr. Doucette received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University and earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Ryokan College. Currently, she is training to become certified in Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT). It is her fundamental belief that for deep healing to occur we have to appeal to both the logical and emotional aspects of the mind. RRT techniques are designed to quickly shift the way mind has been processing past experiences and ultimately get to a more beneficial understanding of what occurred. Dr. Doucette is beyond excited to bring this new knowledge to her clients at Soba to work even more effectively and efficiently than ever.

Her biggest accomplishments are her two sons, Jake and Remy, who continue to amaze, teach, and amuse her every single day.

Sherry Gaba, LCSW and Life Coach

Sherry Gaba, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and life coach who has helped hundreds of people cope with lifelong addictions, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, single parenting and divorce. Sherry specializes in individuals, couples, family, and group therapy. In addition to her monthly gig as a guest expert on Dr. Drew Pinksy’s radio show, Sherry was also seen in action on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab 2 and will be on its subsequent show, Celebrity Rehab 3.   She also facilitated life coaching on their subsequent spin off Sober House. During filming of the series, which debuted in October 2008, Sherry used her trademark sensitivity and compassion to help troubled cast members as they transitioned into their new sober lives with psychotherapy and life coaching tips.  Sherry most recently appeared on CNN Headline News as a guest expert, as well as Inside Edition, where she spoke about Mackenzie Phillip’s who was on Celebrity Rehab 3.  In addition, she appeared on KTLA Channel 5 as an expert on eating disorders and Fox San Diego discussing Celebrity Rehab.  She is presently writing a book for HCI Publications about recovery from addictions and alcoholism, one of her specialties, which will be out September 2010.  Sherry has also been published in both Cosmopolitan Magazine and the New York Daily News.

With over thirteen years of experience as a clinician, Sherry has worked at some of the top rehabilitation centers around such as the famed Promises Treatment Center and presently Malibu Horizons.   Though she continues to work as a consultant for several of Malibu’s most high profile rehab facilities, Sherry currently dedicates most of her time to her private practice in Agoura, CA and her media career. Sherry is passionate about helping her clients with a supportive approach to help them resolve problems and change long-standing patterns.

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys), California, Sherry had to learn the art of problem solving at a young age. At 26, she became a single mother.  She had just graduated from college with a Journalism degree and was not able to pursue her passion for television and radio news to focus on raising her daughter. Once her daughter was old enough, Sherry made the choice to go back to school and entered a master’s program and received her Masters of Social Work from the prestigious University of Southern California. The success of Sherry’s coaching program has made her Dr. Drew’s go-to expert when it comes to matters of life coaching. Sherry is also an expert and published author on the subjects of parenting, single parenting, divorce, and relationships.  She is a contributing author to the book “Conscious Entrepreneur” which highlights how a person can follow their dreams and succeed as Sherry has; as well as most recently,  a contributing author to the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People” which highlights her struggles from single parenting to a successful media expert, psychotherapist, and life coach.

For More information about Sherry Gaba go to www.sgabatherapy.com or contact her at sherry@sgabatherapy.com.  

Crispin Kitto, MFTi, Primary Therapist

Coming soon..

Leila Mesghali, LMFT, Primary Therapist

Leila Mesghali is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been licensed for over 15 years, and has worked in a wide range of settings including inpatient hospital for severe psychological disorders, private practice, and primarily in the field of substance abuse and addiction. Leila is an integral part of our clinical team at Soba, wherein she facilitates individual, family and group therapy.

Dr. Bruce Rays, PsyD – EMDR Therapist

Dr. Bruce Rays is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Marriage & Family Therapist. He has worked at the UCLA Medical Group-Malibu for almost two decades. His specialty is in the field of Dual-Diagnosis and he is a Certified Doctoral Addictions Specialist. Dr. Rays’ educational and clinical background encompasses empirically validated methodologies including: Interpersonal, Cognitive-Behavioral and Psychodynamic Therapies. In an effort to bring best science to best practice for his clients, he has combined these time proven modalities under the one roof of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy. He was trained by the EMDR Institute under the direction of Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. EMDR is grounded in psychological science and is informed by both psychological theory and research on the brain. With successful EMDR treatment, upsetting experiences are worked through to "adaptive resolution". Dr. Rays is experienced in treating a wide variety of disorders including: anxiety, couples and family counseling, depression, eating disorders, grief counseling, phobias, stress management, sexual abuse recovery, panic disorders and psychological assessments.

Carder Stout, Marriage and Family Therapist

Carder is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 6 years of experience working in recovery. Carder specializes in the treatment of addiction and helps SOBA Recovery Center clients separate themselves from the powerful forces of alcoholism and chemical dependency.  Carder firmly believes that treatment needs to be customized to address the needs of each individual, accounting for all contributing factors. Often people use drugs and alcohol in an attempt to relieve the pain of other issues. Carder works closely with his clients to help them understand the origins of their addictive patterns. He helps them take back their lives by creating structure, accountability and hope.

Carder is highly versed in treating the underlying causes of addiction, not only the symptoms. He focuses on SOBA clients’ family issues, trauma, psychological factors and co-occuring disorders such as anxiety and depression. Carder firmly believes that a commitment to self is essential to the recovery process. He is deeply committed to honoring the origins of modern psychology and also staying current with any advances in the field. He incorporates many different techniques into his treatment style to ensure that clients receive the best care possible.

Carder is currently earning his Ph.D. in Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. He received his Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Southwestern College. Carder has worked in a variety of settings including community mental health clinics, outpatient and residential treatment centers. He currently has a private practice in Brentwood, California.

For more information about Carder Stout go to www.carderstout.com.

Miriam Stone, MSW, ASW, RYT-200, Primary Therapist/Yoga Instructor

Miriam Stone is a Primary Therapist and Yoga Instructor at Soba. She has a Master of Social Work from California State University, Northridge and is registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Social Worker. She is additionally accredited by The Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200). Miriam has years of experience as a therapist for individuals struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring mental disorders. In addition to providing individual and group therapy, she also instructs many yoga classes a week for our clients. Miriam provides a warm, compassionate and sensitive approach to healing the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of self. Miriam firmly believes in the power of mindfulness, authenticity and connection in healing addictions and other mental disorders, and brings strength and insight from her own personal life experiences into her joy of helping others.

Jeanine Alberto, Case Manager

Jeanine Alberto is a licensed attorney who, after just a short time practicing law, decided to switch careers and work in addiction treatment. She absolutely loves working with clients and in May will complete the certificate program in Drug and Alcohol Counseling from Loyola Marymount Extension School and will take the exam for CAADAC Certification. She eventually plans to return to graduate school to become a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT).

Michelle Murphy, Art Group Leader

Doron Sears, Nutrition Group Leader

Shahla Modir, M.D. Independently Affiliated Physician

Dr. Modir is one of the most recognized and respected physicians in the addiction recovery field, and is known for the effectiveness of her holistic approach to treatment. he completed residency training in Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and sub-specialty training in Addiction Psychiatry at the UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Modir is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology for Addiction Psychiatry, and has extensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Dr. Modir is also a licensed buprenorphine provider.

Andrea Ellis, Nurse Supervisor

Andrea graduated from Los Angeles Southwest College, with an Associate Degree in Nursing. Her number one priority at Soba Recovery Center is our clients and their recovery. She works closely with admissions and and the physicians to insure that the clients receive a thorough and safe admission, as well as, discharge.  Her extensive experience includes clinical out-patient care, acute care, sub-acute rehabilitation, and detox treatment. Her passion is to ensure that the clients at Soba Recovery Center understand that she is their advocate for recovery during treatment. She is currently working on becoming licensed as a Certified Alcohol Treatment Counselor (CATC).

Paula Nobles, Nurse

Veronica Merrick, Nurse

Lucy Sechrest, Nurse

Robert Fergurson, Nutrition and Fitness

Robert Ferguson is a former U.S. Marine, clinical nutritionist and fitness expert with a masters in counseling psychology. Prior to creating the Food Lovers Fat Loss System Robert made a difference in the lives of women through his rape and assault prevention organization, which set the stage for his continued outreach and shift to the wellness and weight loss profession.

Robert has spent nearly 15 years teaching people from all walks of life the simple secrets that will let them lose fat fast without giving up the foods they love. Because of his effective and innovative approach to blending fitness, nutrition and motivation – Robert has captured the attention of major television network executives and producers.

A former professional athlete himself, Robert Ferguson has also built a national reputation as a nutrition, conditioning and weight loss coach for some of the top professional athletes (e.g., Fernando Vargas, Sergio Mora, Samuel Peter, Stevie Forbes, Lucia Rijker, Maureen Shea) in the country who routinely appear on such networks as HBO, Showtime and ESPN to name a few. He is also a doctoral candidate in sports psychology, former U. S. Marine and holds certifications in personal training and performance nutrition.

Most recently, Robert Ferguson was appointed to National Medical Association's (NMA) Presidential Task Force on Obesity. In his spare time he writes books, runs a popular diet blog and is the President and CEO of Diet Free Life.

Greg Hannley, CEO/Founder

Greg Hannley is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Soba Recovery Center. His vision to provide a safe, sober environment for those suffering from the disease of addiction developed into an affordable full-service treatment facility. Greg leads the Company daily through his hands-on approach and dedication to provide a tailored recovery plan for each of our clients. He is a proven successful entrepreneur in many industries.

Jenn O’Hara, CFO

Jenn O'Hara graduated from the University of Southern California and is a certified public accountant, who has served in practice for the last ten years. Her experience in financial consulting extends from multi-billion international corporations to small businesses. Jenn joined Soba Recovery Center to bring her expertise to a company that is centered on being of service to those in need. She oversees the administrative functions within the Company such as accounting/finance, human resources, payroll and marketing. She works closely with upper management to develop future goals for growth, marketing and sales. In addition to her role as CFO, Jenn also oversees the operations of our social model recovery community.

Christine Keller, Clinical Quality Assurance Coordinator

Christine is a graduate from Pepperdine University, receiving her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Through her traineeship, internship and as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Christine has gained much practice and experience working in the field of addiction and recovery. She has worked for many years in residential rehab and outpatient settings addressing issues including substance abuse, dual diagnoses, depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD and other relational struggles. In addition to her clinical work, Christine is also responsible for quality assurance of documentation and continuity of care with our clients. Christine coordinates and assists Soba Recovery Center in the compliance of JCAHO and ADP accreditations. She oversees the maintenance and improvement of documentation, training of staff, and implementation of an electronic health record system. She facilitates groups and provides consultation and assistance in the treatment and care of individual clients, including assessment, treatment planning, client crises, transition planning and other client care needs.

Justin Pitts, CADC-I – Billing / Insurance

Justin Pitts grew up in Memphis and has lived in Los Angeles since 2007. In his current role he works closely with our clients and their families at the treatment center, and is typically one of the first individuals our clients meet upon arrival. Justin has a certificate from UCLA in alcohol and drug counseling, and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. 

Eamon O’Hara, Operations Director

Eamon O’Hara is the Director of Operations for Soba’s sober living communities. A Soba Living alumni himself, Eamon brings a wide array of skills and experiences to this position. He understands the day-to-day challenges residents face in early recovery, and takes pride in providing a wonderful environment to change their lives. Utilizing a caring, well trained staff, his team provides support on a continuing basis throughout a residents stay. “A comfortable, structured and supportive living environment is an essential part of maintaining long term sobriety. At Soba, we take pride in our long term care. The hope is that it will give our residents the time and skills necessary to learn how to achieve a great foundation for a sober, happy life.”

Erin Thorley, Operations Manager

Erin Thorley assists in managing daily operations for the Villas and West Channel sober living communities. She has a certificate in addiction studies. She has worked in treatment since April 2004, assuming various positions in all levels of the treatment field from direct care staff to directing numerous facilities. She also has extensive experience regarding medication and medical care. Erin is a member of the recovery community and has been sober since 2003.

Debbie Brown, Tech Supervisor

Debbie is a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAARR) with advanced experience working with various substances abuse disorders. She provides a full continuum of addiction support services and spiritual development. She facilitates multi-topic groups and conducts one-on-one sessions. As a Crisis Management Counsel at Promises Addiction Treatment Center in Malibu, she managed and facilitated the daily operations, as well as the Alumni Coordinator. At the Salvation Army Harbor Light/Safe Harbor Center, she developed various treatment plans for both dual diagnosis cases and veterans. Her compassionate and trusting personality gives our clients and their families the confidence and comfort they seek.

Harry Dixon,Tech Supervisor

Doug Minder,Tx Center Admin

David Breitman, Tech

Deb Norton, Tech

Randi Keiper, Tech