Our Staff
Being on the cutting edge of improving addiction treatment has allowed Seasons to attract a professional staff at the top of their game. The Seasons medical, psychiatric and psycho-therapeutic staff are amongst the best in their fields and are well known nationwide by reputation and through media and academic publications. We strive for excellence when it comes to our treatment methods and management styles, so our Malibu rehab staff is comprised of the most experienced and advanced addiction recovery professionals.
Dr. Sheila Shilati Psy.DChief Operating Officer
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Dr. Mark Stahlhuth, PhDClinical Director
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Dr. Raskin, M.D., Internist
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Dr. Shahla Modir, M.D., Psychiatrist
Dr. Modir is an Integrative Medicine expert. She is certified by UCLA to perform medical acupuncture and has completed a 2-year Clinical Ayurvedic Medicine Specialist Program. She was a Bravewell scholar and completed the Associate Fellowship at the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine, headed by the famous and well-respected expert Dr. Andrew Weil. She worked as a lecturer with Dr. Deepak Chopra and as an integrative medicine specialist at the Chopra Center. She wrote a chapter for the textbook, Integrative Cardiology, edited by Jack Vogel, M.D., on Ayurvedic approaches to cardiovascular disease. Additionally, she has made guest appearances as an Addiction Expert on the Dr. Oz show, Channel 7 News, and Dr. Drew Lifechangers. |
Larry Amal Norman, RASDirector of Client Services
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Dr. Deanna OlivasPsy.D, Psychologist
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Jennifer Brady MSW LCSWPrimary Therapist
She implements a wide variety of techniques tailored to each client, including art and poetry therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, Gestalt Family Therapy, and the 12 Step Model of AA. She assists clients in transforming their lives from within using motivational interviewing and compassionate reflective listening. At Seasons she provides clients with a weekly Expressive Art Therapy Group, a Women’s Empowerment Group, a Writing and Process Group, as well as individual and family therapy focused on successful recovery from addictive disorders as well as co-occurring disorders. |
Laura McLauchlin, M.S.MFT Registered Intern
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Todd BrazeePractitioner, REIT Specialist, RASi
Todd has found that R.E.I.T. dramatically reduces the amount of time required for therapy. His work focuses on those who suffer from PTSD, sexual violence & abuse, anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and grief & loss. Todd was asked to affiliate as an adjunct therapist to a well known program at Duke University using the R.E.I.T. technique. Throughout his five years of working at Duke University, Todd treated hundreds of patients suffering from severe post traumatic disorder, self-violent behavior, and food addiction with extraordinary results. |
Justin Leitstein, MFT InternPrimary Therapist / Associate Director
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Audrey HopeSpiritual Therapist, RASi
Audrey’s Spiritual Counseling is a unique process that takes one beyond the limited concepts of the mind and the boundaries of traditional therapy into the deeper soul, where true healing happens. The goal of the journey is full transformation in the physical, emotional and spiritual body. “one must work with an alchemist, one who knows how to go down into the cave with you and solve the riddle of the soul, at the ‘root of the root of the root.’ When you unlock the keys, transformation is possible and life becomes a miracle of free creation.” |
Darryl SeskindDirector of Admissions / Interventionist
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Marty Steckdaub, RAS CCPGCase Manager
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Anastasia Savko, B.S.Intake Coordinator
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Dr. Sheila Shilati has been in the recovery field for over 10 years. She has served as an international ambassador and participant in two separate medical and relief expeditions overseas in the Middle East and Africa; working directly with victims of natural disasters and HIV/AIDS. Most recently she was asked to develop a self-sustaining integrative mental health program for Swazi youth in the kingdom of Swaziland. She has lectured at various university settings including California State University Northridge, Pepperdine University, California Lutheran University, and Oxnard College. She has been asked to present at conferences and workshops on a variety of topics including Teenage Suicide, Dual-Diagnosis, Family Process and Addiction. Previously, Dr. Shilati was a co-owner and program developer at Vantage Point Recovery and Counseling Center, an Outpatient facility located in Westlake Village, CA. Doctor Shilati now serves as Chief Operating Officer at Seasons Recovery Centers, providing leadership and oversight to this dynamic and influential residential treatment program which specializes in co-occurring disorders. She is known for her ethics and prides herself on integrating the most cutting edge evidence based and holistic interventions for treatment.
Dr. Mark Stahlhuth, born in Michigan, and raised throughout childhood outside of Denver, Colorado and then on to Southern California before entering UCLA, has been working in the field of addiction since entering graduate school at California School of Professional Psychology, where he obtained his doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 1988. After 14 years of working with adolescents in residential treatment settings, which included directing programs in drug abuse treatment as well as in childhood physical, emotional, sexual abuse and trauma, Dr. Stahlhuth went into private practice in Thousand Oaks, California in 1995. There, he continues to work with teens as well as adults and their families in the areas of addiction and trauma. Additionally, during the last five years, Dr. Stahlhuth continued his work in treating addiction and trauma at Passages, an adult addiction treatment center in Malibu. He became Clinical Director for Seasons Recovery Centers in July of 2009. During a period spanning 29 years, Dr. Stahlhuth has also specialized in conducting psychological assessments both on an in-patient basis and in residential and outpatient settings, an experience which has its foundation in several years of graduate study in psycho-diagnostic assessment, graduate teaching assistantships, internships and work at agencies specializing in psych-diagnostic assessment.
Dr. Damon Raskin, Board Certified in Internal Medicine, received his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and graduated with distinction from George Washington School of Medicine, Washington DC in 1993. He did 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 and a lab, and holds privileges at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Raskin has extensive experience in helping patients with detoxification from alcohol, opiates, and other drugs.
Shahla Modir, M.D. completed residency in Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and an additional 2 year Sub-Specialty Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Modir is double board certified. This is a rare qualification in the treatment of dual diagnosis. She is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology for Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.
Mr. Norman is a Registered Addiction Specialist, Certified Life Coach and Storti trained Interventionist. Larry has worked for more than 10 years in the Treatment Industry and has been in Recovery himself since October ’92. Larry’s basic instinct and judgment reflect a caring for each client’s success in sobriety and his no nonsense capacity to keep people inside the boundaries of safety allows the real work to get done. Larry is constantly thinking about ways to improve treatment and engage clients in the recovery process.
Born and raised in Texas, Dr. Deanna Olivas relocated to Los Angeles to further her education and received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2008 from The California School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Olivas is experienced as both a clinical supervisor and as a psychotherapist, treating a broad range of mood disorders inclusing psychosis and addiction. She specializes in trauma utilizing Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Neurofeedback. Dr. Olivas can also connect with a broad range of clients as she is bi-lingual, speaking both English and Spanish.
Ms. Brady obtained her degree in psychology from the University of Michigan in 1991. She received her Master of Social Work in 1994 from the University of Southern California. Her focus of study was children and families as well as school based social work.
Ms. McLauchlin started her training working extensively with the mentally ill, homeless population in NYC where she received her BS at New York University. She established meditation and drama groups at Bellevue Hospital’s program for homeless men. Through her research, clinical and personal experience, she has developed a thorough understanding of, and compassion for people dealing with eating disorders and addictions. She integrates a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy framework to assist clients in understanding and ameliorating their depression and anxiety. Her previous clinical experience includes the California State University, Los Angeles therapy clinic, where she received her MS in Marriage & Family Therapy. She counseled couples, adults, teens and children. She is supervised at Seasons by Dr. Mark Stahlhuth, PhD.
During the course of his professional experience, Todd has developed a technique for treating emotional trauma, called Respiratory Emotional Integrative Treatment. This technique is a combination of respiration, visualization and intuition. The R.E.I.T. technique changes the pattern of respiration and causes a release of the emotional tension from the nervous system.
Justin studied addiction, culture, and identity at the New School, where he received undergraduate and graduate degrees. He has lectured at many schools and universities on the subjects of culture and addiction. He has extensive experience with personal advancement in recovery as a mentor, providing individualized guidance and motivation. Justin specializes in the development of physical wellness, spiritual awareness, and cognitive-behavioral function to support goal-oriented therapy. He is well respected as a personal counselor for sober lifestyle integration. At Seasons, JJ provides 1-on-1 counseling as a primary therapist, systemic family education, and aftercare support. He also teaches a weekly group focusing on intention and self-realization. Justin completed a second masters in counseling psychology with World University in Ojai, where he continues to study Thanatology, while working towards an MFT.
Audrey Hope is a Spiritual Intuitive Healer and Addiction Expert with many gifts of insight, perception and healing. Audrey served for 8 years as Director of Spiritual Counseling at a popular rehab center in Malibu. Her revolutionary techniques of transformation have been lauded by people from all walks of life, and from all around the world.
As the Director of Admissions, it is my goal to welcome you into recovery by being your first contact person from the moment you pick up the phone to call us. Together, we will explore the different ways in which you can both attain and sustain your sobriety within the scope of our program. Not only do I work in addiction recovery, but I live it. My personal and professional experiences with the disease have motivated me to help others free themselves from the clenches of this powerful condition. I am always here to assist you, both during your treatment here and after you have returned home.
Marty Steckdaub has been a R.A.S. with the Breining Institute since 1999. He has been in the field of professional recovery since May 1980. Before coming to Seasons, Marty Steckdaub owned and operated SouthWest Family Counseling Center in Temecula, California coordinating State and County contracts for mental health. He has certificates and training in Anger Management, Chemical Dependency, Compulsive Gambling, Men’s Sexual Addiction, Interventions, and Parent Instruction. Marty Steckdaub is a father of 3 children and has been in recovery himself for over 34 years. At Seasons Malibu, Marty is a case manager having weekly contact with his client and conducting an Anger Management group using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and communication skills.
Anastasia is a California native that grew up in Oregon. She graduated from Pacific University in 2003 with a degree in Social Work. After completing a social work internship in Ecuador at a women’s mental health facility, Anastasia worked for several years with the Southern Oregon Child Study and Treatment Center as a Case manager and Intake Coordinator for youth with mental health and substance abuse issues.|
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