Your Allies in Recovery
The road to recovery is not one that anybody can walk alone. At Alter Health Group, you or your loved one will be able to lean on a compassionate team of addiction therapists and clinicians throughout the recovery process. Our interdisciplinary team closely works with each and every client to establish goals and develop a truly personalized treatment plan.
Every member of our staff is committed to our mission of providing the highest level of personalized care. Whatever fears you may have about tackling struggles with drug or alcohol abuse, at Dana Point Rehab Campus, you can count on our dedicated team to support you through every step of this journey.
Our Corporate Team
Our Clinical Team
Team Members
Sanjai Thankachen, MD
Medical Director
Dr Sanjai Thankachen completed his residency in psychiatry in 2008 from Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in New York, where fifty percent of his rotations were at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. After his residency he worked at Ventura County, Medical Centers in an adult out-patient setting and now lives in Orange County, California.
Dr. Thankachen’s mission at Dana Point Rehab Campus is to provide world-class treatment that sets a high standard with science-based practices to treat mental and behavioral health issues. In addition to substance and alcohol abuse treatment, Dr. Thankachen is highly qualified to provide an array of care for secondary disorders, including depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia, anxiety, and dementia related problems.
Dr. Loren Martin, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Martin is the lead data scientist in Alter Health Group’s new initiative in mental health research and treatment analysis. While research into treatment for individual mental and behavioral health disorders is constantly advancing, there exists a gap in providers application of this research. There remains a particular need for further analysis of best practices for treating chronic and co-occurring conditions through long-term care. Alter’s position as both a mental health care provider and research institution position it to study this relationship between neuroscience and on-the-ground implementation. Dr. Martin’s research will support a new artificial intelligence model designed to continuously improve patient care and outcomes by leveraging the intelligence shared between cutting-edge psychological research and customized treatment protocols.
Niloufar Nekou, LMFT
Clinical Director
Niloufar Nekou is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with several years of experience providing psychotherapy to adults. Niloufar believes every individual is unique and it takes a very hands-on approach to work with each individual. Her specialties include working with depression, anxiety, all types of trauma, substance and alcohol abuse, cultural diversity, and handling life’s transitions. She has completed training in EMDR and uses this technique to supplement the talk therapy, as needed.
Modalities that guide her treatment are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and solution-focused therapy. Niloufar received her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Charleston. Niloufar’s therapeutic approach is to create a compassionate and non-judgmental space to address the difficulties that bring clients to therapy.
Dr. Ryan Roemer, PhD
Clinical Director Virtual & Continuing Care
Dr. Ryan Roemer is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Healthcare Administrator with over 7 years of leadership experience in Mental Health and Substance Abuse treatment services and clinical programs development. He has worked across the spectrum of clinical settings from traditional outpatient clinics, tertiary medical centers and emergency rooms, and acute psychiatric hospitals and post-acute clinics. Informed by his training in University Medical Centers and research experience, he has created and administered clinical databases to track program outcomes and monitor KPIs for clinical and business targets and championed the use of reports and visualization tools to leverage clinical data to guide treatment planning and promote patient engagement.
John Biroc, PHD, LMFT
Therapist
Dr. Biroc has been a college professor, Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor for recovery centers in Southern California. He has also been a consultant for the film industry and a motivational speaker for major corporations. When he initially started to run groups in addiction treatment centers, he noted that some key, engaging components were missing from the group requirements and he began to add some of his training and studies to enhance the empowerment and experience of the clients with a focus on improved outcomes.
He holds two master’s degrees (theatre and psychology) and a doctorate from USC in Psychology. Dr. Biroc blends the concepts of intellect and creativity in his approach to recovery and has taught at UCLA, California State University, Northridge, and Antioch University. In addition, he has worked as a contract therapist for mental hospitals in California. With a background and passion for theatre, he also worked with rock bands, has been acknowledged in articles in the Los Angeles Times, Boulder Times, the London Sunday Express, Toronto Star, Baltimore Sun, and the Orlando Sentinel, and appearances on MTV and radio shows around the country. He is pleased to be with Dana Point Rehab Campus and is helping to innovate and advance addiction treatment practices.
We’re Here For You
Sometimes talking over the phone is easier. We’re here to listen to your questions and help get you answers.
Our mission is to provide care for substance abuse and behavioral health issues to help people live full, happy lives. Anyone can thrive with the right support, and every day we commit to proving this idea. We combine evidence and a personal touch with compassion and understanding to help people recover, grow, and build a better life than they had before. To that end, we provide a diverse array of treatments and services by which we aim to promote holistic healing.