Success In Rehab
I’m happy to say we do have many success stories here at our Malibu rehab center, and we make a concerted effort to follow up with people on a long term basis, as well as in the short term. We’ve had so many wonderful successes, and it’s thrilling when we get calls or follow-up feedback. Well, one in particular that stands out to me is a very successful businessman that had been in rehab—I want to say at least ten times before.
This last time was absolutely pivotal for him. He has been sober and straight, and has felt really, really positive for several months now. It’s just wonderful to see him blossoming—and his marriage is more intact now. His relationships with his children are also blossoming once again. That’s the success story that stands out to me the most right now.
Treatment Philosophy
The recovery philosophy here at Seasons seems to be very congruent with my own personal philosophy, and that is “Patients are first.” We believe in the power of treatment. We believe in healing and a shame-free environment, a very positive psychology approach. The power of each individual person to reclaim who they truly are at heart—that’s what we endeavor to do at our luxury rehab center.
Effective Addiction Treatment
I believe that our most effective resources and programs here, things that really stand out for the patients, are: number one, the art therapy program. Whether you’re artistically inclined or not, we find that art gets you in touch with that joyful infant we all once were, and you’re able to explore your own creativity, which naturally leads to healing. I’ve rarely seen that fail.
I personally offer hypnosis, which is another great tool that is a natural, simple way for getting in touch with the subconscious patterns that we are endeavoring to change here, so we bring them into our conscious awareness to make healthier choices.
Between the other wonderful programs there is the free time. The residents get to choose what they do in their free time at a Malibu recovery center. We have all sorts of programs where they get to go out in the community. They do fun things. They do miniature golf. They work out. They play tennis. They go surfing. They have all sorts of recreational activities, which, of course, are naturally healing. We have them sometimes go to the zoo to explore all other facets of nature, which is naturally healing for all of us.
The one-on-one therapy is also critical for healing, as is the family therapy. We all believe in a family systemic method here, so exploring all of that in conjunction with all of these other activities and programs is imperative. Every person’s package is different, shall we say, and they sort of self-design theirs, if you will, which leads to their path of healing.
Staff Profile – Dr. Nancy B. Irwin Psy.
I’m Dr. Nancy Irwin, and I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. I’m also a certified hypnotherapist. I use hypnotherapy for therapeutic purposes only. I’m not trained in stage hypnosis, even though I do have a background as a professional stand-up comic.
I’m not from here originally. I moved here because Hollywood needed more blondes. I made a re-invention into mental health because, as I always say, the road from comedy to mental health is very short indeed. I had a volunteer job in the community, and I absolutely fell in love with it. It waked up the healer in me, and that prompted me to go back, re-invent, and I couldn’t be happier with my career.
Path of Recovery
I think the most valuable tool that patients leave Seasons in Malibu with is the absolute awareness of the path that brought them here. We go for cause, rather than just treating symptoms. We have found, when we’ve done so, that our residents are empowered to stay on their path without being dependent on us or any other professionals in the future.
Entering Rehab
So, if someone is suffering, and they’re looking for an initial entry into the world of recovery, the first way to get there is certainly to reach out. Community resources and support, especially when it comes to the treatment level, is essential.
Often those individuals who are interested in coming in for treatment will first reach out to our admissions and treatment team, who are able to provide the applicant with information, as well as an understanding of what kind of approach might be best for them, the kinds of personalized care we offer, and what to expect when coming into treatment at our center.
Those types of things are really dictated specifically by what the client’s needs are. Those needs can vary from person to person. What we typically do is encourage them to stay in connection and contact with our admissions program so that, upon entry, they can be getting their needs met exactly as they had imagined.
Substance Abuse Counselor Dr. Mark Stahlhuth, PhD
My name is Dr. Mark Stalhlhuth. I have a PhD in clinical psychology, licensed in California. I’ve been here for about five years. I’m the clinical director here. I’ve been in the field of addiction treatment since 1981, and I’ve worked at some other facilities as well as this one, and have found this to be one that excels in the treatment of addiction compared to some of the other places that I’ve been. And that is basically because of the fact that the quality of staff here is outstanding, number one.
The number of one-to-one sessions that people get here is bar none the best, and there’s a huge emphasis on family work here, so that the people leave with a real understanding of how to make their families work more effectively when they leave, comprehensive psychological assessment that also helps them to get a real idea of what’s going on with them diagnostically.
Recovery Philosophy from Dr. Sheila Shilati Psy.D
The Seasons Malibu philosophy really focuses on the system. But what I mean by that is the way that an individual has come to use drugs and alcohol as a way of coping. It’s not just something someone wakes up one day and says this is what they want to do with their life.
It’s really looking at the causes, the triggers, the conditions, the family support system, and everything comprehensively in a way where the client can truly understand how to integrate adaptive coping to move through the next stage of their life.
Residential Treatment Should Never Feel Foriegn
You know, a lot of people ask me, a lot of times, “What really makes you guys different?” The first thing I respond to them is I say, “Just come and take a tour. Take a walk in and see how you feel.” The bottom line is treatment doesn’t and never should feel foreign to you. In walking through the doors, you’ll get a sense of the community, the outreach, and a connection to the providers that are going to be here to serve you.
I encourage anybody to come in and they say, “What’s your sell? What is it that you guys do?” I said, “You know what? Just come on in because when you step in and you feel the level of trust and connectedness you can with this program, I promise you that you won’t want to leave.”
Affordable Luxury Rehab
The luxury of rehab doesn’t have to come at a price. I think people get this idea that they are gonna be spending their mortgage for a year to come in and get this level of care. What we proudly offer here at seasons is a variety and methodologies by which you will be able to finance your treatment. One of those ways is that we are proud partners with a variety of private insurance companies.
So if you have the benefit and are able to utilize that benefit, we gladly use it as a resource to be able to have you admitted to treatment. Other ways that we provide care are variety enhancements within your program. So you do have different levels so that you can have core understanding of what those needs will be, all the way to being able to give you a comprehensive and enhanced program with a private room.
