Meet Our Team

Clinical Director

Director of Operations

I have been in the field of mental health treatment for over 17 years. I started as Support Staff and within 10 years worked my way up to National Director of Operations. In that role I opened 6 treatment centers, finding the facilities, acquiring state licensing and joint commission accreditation, interviewed, hired and trained all operational staff, created an Operations Staff Training Manual, instituted bi-monthly on-going training, oversaw the annual budget, and a fleet of over 300 vehicles.

I am in this field because I have genuine compassion for people who struggle with mental health issues. I am grateful to be able to be a part of such an important field and most importantly to be present for people that are suffering and need care, concern and empathy.

Program Manager

Director of Admissions

Marc Gallagher has been working in admissions for substance abuse and mental health diagnosis since 2013. His professional journey started in a non profit organization where he assisted families without resources to stabilize their family member, friend, or colleague in a safe environment. His innate ability to identify with each case individually has aided both the client and the families going through the recovery process with empathy and integrity. Marc has since worked in renowned treatment centers in Malibu and San Diego, California and has worked with the most respected doctors, therapists, and healthcare professionals in this field. Marc has the understanding of exactly how the admissions process works that provides the client and the loved ones with the information they need to execute and make informed decisions in a timely manner. Mental illness holds a special place in Marc’s personal life having a family member battle a severe mental health diagnosis for 35 years.

Marc holds a space for both the client and the family, friends, or colleagues of the client to express their needs and concerns since the impact to each party is unique inside the recovery experience. Marc is a big proponent of family healing and believes that mental health issues are a family issue not an individual issue. There is sense of fulfillment personally and professionally in guiding clients, family members, and referring professionals through the admissions process and facilitating a qualified safe place so one can begin the recovery process.

When Marc is not working, he enjoys being with his wife and three children traveling through beaches, mountains, desert, and the rainforest.

Chief Psychiatrist

Yalda Safai MD, MPH completed her undergraduate degree from University of California Los Angeles and went on to do a dual MD, MPH program. She completed a Master’s in Public Health along with her medical degree in order to pursue a career in global mental health. She did her training at New York Medical College and currently practices in CA/CT/FL/NY.

She is a medical reviewer for HealthLine and Medical News Today. She has also been a contributor to multiple news outlets including ABC News, Good Morning America, Fox News, NewsNation, Dr. Phil and others.

In addition to the practice of medicine, she dedicates her time on delivering accurate medical information to the public.

Director of Neuropsychological Assessment

Laura Natta, PhD is Director of Neuropsychological Assessment and is responsible for the individually-designed, comprehensive assessment of all Bridges to Recovery clients.

She obtained a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University. Her dissertation work was conducted as a joint effort of the Palo Alto VA and Stanford School of Medicine and she has presented research at regional and national conferences. She has been working with mental health and addiction-compromised individuals for over 15 years in a variety of settings, including residential, inpatient, acute, and specialty clinics.

Dr. Natta has been with the VA Healthcare System since 2009 and has received specialty training in assessment of trauma, behavioral sleep medicine, traumatic brain injury assessment, cognitive rehabilitation, and pain. She serves as Associate Assessment Faculty at various psychology programs in the Bay Area, is a Supervising Assessment Clinician at El Camino Hospital, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Northern California Neuropsychological Forum.

Therapist

Paria is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles, and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of California, Irvine. Paria has extensive experience working with adolescents and families in residential treatment and assisting clients and families through crises. Additionally, Paria worked as a Trauma Therapist at a non-profit community mental health agency focusing on the maltreatment of children and adults. She also worked as a victim advocate at California State University, Northridge. Paria carries over her trauma-informed, collaborative, and strength-based approach to her work at Bridges to Recovery. She is passionate about empowering clients with PTSD, relational trauma, mood disorders, and adjustment issues and their families to overcome challenges and develop resiliency. She helps motivate patients to establish goals, gain self-confidence, and participate in work, school, and social interactions, in order to improve their overall life satisfaction and achieve a more purposeful and meaningful life. Paria primarily employs a combination DBT, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, narrative, solution-focused, mindfulness, and trauma-informed treatment in her work.

Therapist

Dr. Jody Trager is a Licensed Psychologist with over 30 years of experience specializes in Attachment Focused EMDR, traumas, depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief & loss, LGBTQ+ and
severe mental illness across diverse cultural/religious populations. She works on an intensive level with clients throughout their treatment process to heal, build resilience, and develop new more effective coping skills. Dr. Trager is a Parnell Trained AF EDMR therapist. She utilizes EMDR skills in her trauma-based practices as well as in her general practice with clients to build resiliency, self-soothing and transformational self-compassionate healing. Dr. Trager’s extensive experience of treating trauma and her specialty in EMDR is well suited to our residential setting here at Bridges to Recovery.

Dr. Trager received her doctorate from University of Southern California and has continued her intensive training, and practice in the Los Angeles area. Dr. Trager is very passionate about her work with women particularly in the areas of trauma and the mind/body connection. Her infectious optimism, enthusiasm, dedication, and compassion put clients at ease so that they can do the necessary work to heal and thrive.

Prior to joining Bridges to Recovery Residential Treatment Center, Dr. Trager was employed as a Primary Therapist and Program Director at a women’s residential treatment center Promises Malibu Vista. In addition, Dr. Trager has worked in IOP and PHP treatment settings performing Diagnostic Assessments, Intensive Individual and Family Therapy including trauma focused, somatic based, solution-focused and intensive transformational psychotherapy. Dr. Trager has a private practice in the West Los Angeles area focusing on EMDR, Crisis, Grief and Life Transformational therapy with adults and adolescents.

Therapist

Livon is a primary therapist and group facilitator at BTR. She completed a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Michigan State University in 2018, with an emphasis in psychosis. In 2021, she completed a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University where she focused more on honing her therapeutic skill. She has extensive experience working with severe mental illness, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal difficulties in a clinical setting. Livon works collaboratively with her clients in developing a treatment plan and pulls from several different treatment modalities (ie. DBT, CBT, Solution-Focused, Narrative, Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, etc.) Livon provides clients with a non-judgmental and empathic atmosphere to confidently tackle their therapeutic goals.

Nurse

Client Care Coordinator

Personal Trainer

Mike is a Certified Fitness Instructor specializing in fitness lifestyle management. He enjoys teaching clients how to maintain regular and consistent exercise as a way to increase fitness level, self esteem, and overall wellness.

Senior Admissions Advisor

Jeffrey joined Constellation Behavioral Health in 2019 and has spent over 15 years working in the care and treatment of clients with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. In that time, Jeffrey has enjoyed working with some of the most well-respected clinical professionals in our field and has served in positions of admissions coordinator and admissions director for programs in Florida and California. Jeffrey’s approach to admissions is compassionate, client-focused and collaborative.

As our senior admissions counselor Jeffrey uses his wealth of experience to work closely with clients, their families, and our internal treatment teams to help determine the best program to fit for each client’s personal needs and goals. He takes great pride in representing both Alta Mira and Bridges to Recovery and strives to provide a seamless, compassionate and world class experience for those seeking help.

Admissions Advisor

Mallory has worked as an admissions advisor in the behavioral health field for over 15 years. She has a tremendous passion for providing an empathetic and nonjudgmental ear to all those seeking treatment. Her role at Bridges to Recovery is to guide clients, family members, and referring professionals through each step of the admission process with compassion, understanding and the utmost respect.