Meet Our Team

Executive Director

Melissa has been working in the field of behavioral healthcare since 2004. She began her career as a mental health technician within a locked psychiatric hospital in Connecticut, supporting all three units of child and adolescent, adult psychiatric, and detoxification and addiction treatment patients. It was this experience that solidified Melissa’s passion for providing compassionate, client-centered care in the mental health, addiction, and co-occurring treatment field.

After relocating to California from New York in 2005, the first few years led Melissa to serve various treatment programs in Los Angeles, Malibu, and San Francisco. Over the years, Melissa’s roles have included Residential Counselor, Case Manager, Primary Therapist, Program Director, and Clinical Director. Melissa has also supported the creation and development of various local treatment programs in the Los Angeles area that continue to serve clients and families today.

In addition to having a passion for building strong clinical programs utilizing evidence-based practices for clients and families, Melissa has done extensive work providing direct client care as a facilitator of individual, group and family therapy. These experiences of providing direct client care as well as program development, program leadership, and clinical supervision have culminated in her current role as Executive Director at Bridges to Recovery.

Melissa obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Fairfield University in Connecticut and Master of Social Work (MSW) with a primary focus in mental health and substance use disorders from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Clinical Director

Dr. Alexander Bacher has dedicated his life to helping others and bettering the world, one patient at a time. After earning an undergraduate degree at Georgetown University and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, Dr. Bacher went on to work at some of the world’s most renowned mental health and addiction treatment centers, including The Kusnacht Practice AG in Switzerland, Passages Malibu, and Promises Malibu‐‐treating some of the most famous, successful and powerful people in the world. Beyond his practice, Dr. Bacher developed a fascination with diverse cultures, belief systems, and ways of life, through exploring over 100 countries. During his travels, he has cultivated a global perspective that helps to inform his conceptualization and treatment of mental health conditions. He is the author of the book Being Human: Reclaiming our True Power and Potential, and founder of the Being Human Movement, whose goal is to better the world by bettering ourselves.

Director of Operations

Margaret began working in behavioral health in 2014 and has traversed the field, carrying several different key roles. Each role has given her a unique perspective on what it takes to properly care for clients — running a smooth daily operation and executing important behind-the-scenes necessities like licensing, finances and quality of treatment.

Starting off as a resident advocate in a co-occurring program, she soon found out how passionate she would become about helping people get well. She was quickly promoted to housing manager, overseeing the day-to-day operations of three houses by the end of her time there.

Over the course of her career she has held positions of Manager of Residential Services, Director of Operations, Director of Quality and Compliance and most recently Executive Director before joining Bridges.

Her biggest shift came three years into her career in behavioral healthcare when Margaret began working at a facility in Malibu, CA., that treated both mental health and substance abuse. This opportunity opened the door for Margaret to gain more experience and knowledge in mental health treatment specifically.

She especially loves seeing the change that occurs over the duration of each client’s treatment, whether it’s a subtle shift or even something more obvious.

Program Manager

Program Manager

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

Stephen began working in the mental health field in 2010, when he was afforded the opportunity to work as a counselor at a six-bed residential treatment center for dually diagnosed teens. After some time in that direct-support role, he was promoted to Operations Manager of their brand-new facility, a position which allowed him to serve as a positive role model for both clients and staff alike. In the years that followed, Stephen worked at several other treatment centers in the Los Angeles area, in the capacities of Housing Director and Admissions Manager, to name a couple. He is also well-versed in behavioral health, serving as both a Crisis-Behavioral Counselor in LA and Program Director of a crisis intervention team in the Bay Area, providing care and support to individuals who are developmentally disabled.

Stephen received his B.F.A. in theater arts from NYU and his Master’s in Transpersonal Psychology from Sofia University (former Institute of Transpersonal Psychology) with a concentration in transformative life coaching.

Psychiatrist

Dr. Eric Chaghouri is a 2007 graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned his B. A. in Biology with Summa Cum Laude honors. While at UCLA, he helped the men’s varsity volleyball team earn a National Championship in 2006. He was named the UCLA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007.

He earned his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC in 2011. He completed his internship training in 2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the remaining three years of residency in general adult psychiatry at the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. He served as the Chief Resident in psychiatric emergency services during his fourth year of residency. He also served as Resident Clinical Instructor and Volunteer Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine.

After completing residency, Dr. Chaghouri accepted a fellowship position in forensic psychiatry at the prestigious USC Institute of Psychiatry and Law. His scholarly activities included publishing in Legal Digest and presenting research findings at the Keck School of Medicine annual conference.

Since completing his forensic psychiatry fellowship, he has established a successful and thriving practice in West Hollywood and Century City, California, focusing on treatment of co-occurring psychiatric and addictive disorders. He works in an array of capacities with attorneys, courts, and other parties in actual or potential litigation. He also has extensive experience consulting and providing opinions on psychiatric issues for major television networks. Dr. Chaghouri’s interests include addiction medicine, substance use disorders, forensic psychiatry, medical ethics, psychological autopsy, gender wellness, and evidence-based treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Psychiatrist

Dr. Harris received her medical degree from Drexel University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and completed her training in adult psychiatry at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute. She pursued fellowship training in integrative medicine and has advanced training in anti-aging and preventive medicine. She is board certified in both adult psychiatry and addiction medicine.

Dr. Harris has worked in a variety of clinical settings, providing psychiatric consultation services to community mental health organizations as well as serving as an attending physician at the UCLA Dual Diagnosis Program. She maintains a private practice in Brentwood, California where she specializes in women’s integrative mental health and personalized lifestyle medicine. She has been with Bridges to Recovery since 2014.

Psychiatrist

Dr. Lifshitz specializes in Neurology and Psychiatry. He graduated from the Weill Cornell Medical College in 1989 and completed his residency at UCLA Medical Center.

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

Meena is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has a variety of approaches to work with clients. Along with working with clients of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, Meena has spent time working as an Adjunct Professor at USC.  Her approach consists of looking at environment, family bonds as well as other aspects that have shaped clients’ lives.  Her goal is to bring about change and shifts to thinking for healthier coping.

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.

Art Therapist

Naomi Tucker is a registered Art Therapist (ATR) and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Adjunct Professor at Loyola Marymount University’s Department of Marital and Family Therapy. Naomi facilitates art therapy groups for teen moms at LMU’s Helen B. Landgarten Art Therapy Clinic and also supervises students and interns. In her private practice in West Los Angeles, she utilizes mindfulness and art therapy to provide expansion-focused therapy for individuals, couples and groups.

Nurse

Nurse

Personal Trainer

Michael has been an ISSA certified personal fitness instructor for over fourteen years. His passion for personal training started while working with physical therapy clients at Beverly Hills Physical Medicine. He since then has become proficient in Circuit training and Boxing instruction. He is very happy and grateful to have been part of the Bridges to Recovery staff for over seven years.

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.

Yoga and Meditation Instructor

Lotem is a yoga and meditation instructor and a 3rd degree Reiki practitioner. She has been teaching in yoga studios, retreat centers, corporations, treatment centers, and mental health facilities internationally and currently here in Los Angeles.

Lotem has been studying and teaching for over 10 years and has completed 500+hrs of Yoga Alliance certified trainings. She received her BA in Psychology and Sociology in 2012 with and has been delving into various holistic healing modalities since. Lotem has studied with teachers such as Tracee Stanley, Joan Hyman, Diana Lang and Shiva Rea, at schools and centers such as YogaWorks, Samudra Global School of Living, and Esalen along with several other teachers and trainings that have encompassed a range of modalities. 

Lotem incorporates mindfulness practices, trauma-informed yoga techniques , Yoga Nidra (aka deep relaxation) in her classes. Her studies and teachings also include a fusion of Vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar, Yin and Restorative Yoga. She guides through practice of asana, meditation, pranayama (breath-work), and philosophy. In her creative and dynamic sessions, she blends an energizing flow with a calming fusion of Restorative, Yin & Reiki. For her, yoga has been a source of healing to restore mental, emotional, spiritual and physical balance. 

Her goal is to create a safe space for students to unwind, receive, and enjoy themselves through cultivating self-awareness and compassion. Lotem feels that through attention, time, movement and breath we each have the capacity to heal ourselves from the inside out. She aims to help people connect internally to their body, breath and heart in an uplifting and gentle way.

Admissions Director

Born and raised in Southern California, Tonda Williams completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She worked as an administrator in the Los Angeles educational system before transitioning to UCLA’s outpatient chemical dependency program as the Admissions Director. Her love for mental health and respect for those in suffering lead her to join Bridges to Recovery in 2007.

As the Director of Admissions, Tonda works closely with the client, their families and outside treatment team to help determine the best program to fit the client’s personal needs and goals.  She takes great pride in representing Bridges to Recovery and strives to provide a seamless, compassionate and world class experience.

Admissions Advisor

Kelli received her Masters degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and has spent the latter part of her career as a Case Manager at a gender specific transitional living facility in New York City. Her time on the east coast was also spent as a Psychotherapist in group private practice. Kelli’s experience allows her to take an approach to her work that is insight oriented and client-centered. 

Kelli’s passion for helping clients and families obtain the best possible treatment has led her to the Los Angeles area as an Admissions Advisor with Bridges to Recovery. 

Admissions Counselor

Jeffrey has over 15 years of experience working in a variety of admissions and management roles in the behavioral health field.

With ethics and compassion, he utilizes a collaborative and engaging approach to working with clients and their families. Jeffrey prides himself on creating a safe space for clients to engage in the healing process and strives to furnish those seeking help with an extremely high level of communication and customer service.