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
Araz Tawfique, MD
Medical Director / Psychiatrist
Dr. Araz Tawfique, M.D. is an award-winning, Board Certified psychiatrist in La Jolla, CA with over ten years of experience working with people with of diverse needs. He pursued his true passion for psychiatry and completed his psychiatric residency training at the University of Reno, Las Vegas, A San Diego native, he returned to Southern California to receive additional training in mental health, and start his private practice. His specialties are psychiatry and psychotherapy, which are techniques that facilitate a better understanding of thoughts, feelings, and motivations. His approach explores the interplay of biology, psychology, and sociology in shaping individuals and their relationships.
Dr. Tawfique’s experience includes delivering comprehensive addiction treatment at substance abuse centers in San Diego County, work as the Medical Director of Consultation/Liaison Psychiatric Services at Sharp Coronado Hospital, providing psychiatric emergency evaluations at San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital, and private practice experience.
Stacy Dawish, PMHNP
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Stacy is compassionate, patient-centered, and a highly dedicated professional with extensive experience as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). She graduated from Saddleback College with an Associate Degree in Nursing and went on to gain a Masters of Science at Walden University.
Stacy brings to Alter the ability to assess complex medical cases, improving quality care, and develop consultative strategies for superior patient outcomes and case efficacy.
She provides health education and essential emotional support to patients’ families. As an articulate communicator and team player, effective at building positive relationships with patients, family members, and professionals of all levels, she is a welcome addition to the Alter team.
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.
William Lemme
Operations Manager
Will graduated from Fresno Pacific University with his bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management. Will has worked in a variety of different industries, from banking to human resources, but found his passion in serving others. Before being a part of the Alter team, his work for a non-profit amplified his desire to help others facing addiction.
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.
California Rehab Campus LLC DBA Alter Addiction Treatment – Dana Point
Alter Mental Health LLC DBA Alter Mental Health – Mission Viejo
Cambridge Mental Health Management LLC Alter Mental Health – Irvine
Altignis Campus LLC DBA Alter Mental Health – San Diego
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