The Canyon Team
The Canyon team is dedicated to your lasting recovery. Read more about The Canyon team members below. If you or a loved one has an addiction, contact us at 424.465.5182 today to speak to one of the members of the compassionate The Canyon Staff.
Joel Morris, MD
Medical Director
Though he hails from New England, Dr. Joel Morris completed his schooling in the Midwest, which included extended training in geriatrics and forensic psychiatry. Additionally, Dr. Morris studied acupuncture in New Zealand and China, which he continues to practice. His work with a diverse group of cultures has deepened his understanding and empathy for others. Throughout his psychiatric career, he has worked with people struggling with addiction within inpatient, residential and outpatient settings. In addition to psychopharmacological, he supports the individual to co-create their own life with a strength focus. He believes that to create a ground where addiction no longer has deep roots, one needs to bring in elements of creativity, transcendence, and the possibility of rewriting one’s own narrative. The Chinese symbol for crisis is the same for opportunity. In the same way, each addiction crisis brings about the possibility to deepen and change one’s life in a more meaningful and self-directed way. Additionally, Dr. Morris believes that it is the practitioner’s responsibility to be a model and vehicle for change, meeting the client in dialogue, compassion, and patience.
Antonio Tutor, CADC-II
Executive Director
Antonio is a US Army Veteran with a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management. Through his own personal struggles with addiction and mental health, Antonio has devoted his life to giving back and making a difference in the lives of others. He has served as a volunteer at several local nonprofit organizations, where he has been able to share his positive message, sense of humor, and knowledge to help others on their journey to lasting sobriety.
Michelle King Rayfield, LMFT
Clinical Director
Michelle is passionate about working with individuals struggling with substance abuse disorders and has had experience in the field since 2009. She practices EMDR therapy and uses a humanistic therapeutic approach that integrates cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. She has a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a Master’s in Education from USC. With warmth, kindness, and compassion, Michelle works closely with her clients to support them through all the steps of healing and learning to cope with addiction, helping them maintain sobriety and achieve the goal of creating lasting change in their lives.
Lee Konecke, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Lee is a psychotherapist and performance coach in Los Angeles who has also worked in the recovery community for over 15 years.
Grounded in both western and eastern psychologies, Lee sees his primary work as helping people see who they are beyond their conditioned thought and to use that power and loving nature to create something great in the world.
Some of the modalities that Lee uses are EMDR, brainspotting, breathwork, meditation, “The Work” by Byron Katie, and ACT therapy.
Grant Overmire, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Grant grew up in Los Angeles and feels at peace when he’s by the beach. He has worked in various mental health settings for over nine years, with a specialty focus on substance abuse in the early part of his career. Grant feels the increase in mainstream exposure to mental wellness and substance abuse issues has helped improve the stigma surrounding treatment and hopes his work will contribute to that momentum. Grant utilizes techniques from cognitive behavior therapy and identifies strongly with the fundamental tenets of Gestalt therapy, which focus on the here and now. Grant structures his treatment with these principles in mind and believes everyone can change the plot in their “story” at any given time.
Lara Lisbe, LCSW
Primary Therapist
Lara Lisbe is a licensed clinical social worker who received her master’s degree in social work from the University of South Florida in 2009. She has been practicing as a clinician for more than a decade. She has worked with both children and adults as an individual and group psychotherapist at every level of care, including private practice, intensive outpatient, residential, and inpatient psychiatric settings.
As a clinical social worker, Lara treats each individual from a “person in environment” perspective, considering a range of individual and contextual factors that contribute to well-being while empowering her clients to hone their innate strengths and improve resilience. Her therapeutic style is action-oriented and honest while leaving space for self-exploration and growth in a warm and nurturing environment.
Lara is passionate about addressing and treating the intersection of trauma, mental health challenges, and substance use. She has specialized training in acceptance and commitment therapy, the Trauma Resiliency Model, The Meadows’ Post Induction Therapy, and attachment-focused EMDR.
Kim Gibson, LPCC
Primary Therapist
Kim Gibson is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) and a registered art therapist (ATR) and has been working with clients since 2001. Kim’s clients have described her as creative, kind, resourceful, and effective. She is a strengths-based therapist and has training in art therapy, trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy, ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), dialectical behavioral therapy skills, and mindfulness. Using her training and experience, Kim enjoys helping clients overcome challenges, build healthier relationships, and learn coping tools for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, chronic pain, and everyday stress.
Honey Dubrovsky, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Honey Dubrovsky is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in the treatment of individuals and couples struggling with challenges related to attachment, relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, LGBTQ issues, and substance misuse. Honey combines all aspects of cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapy, Gestalt, Psychodynamic and Client-Centered Therapy. She also uses a variety of techniques in therapy to identify exactly what will work best for her clients.
Gary Berghoudian, PsyD
Primary Therapist
Dr. Gary Berghoudian earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of California, Irvine. He then went on to earn his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. His internship and postdoctoral experiences include serving as an individual, family, and group therapist, psychological assistant, intake specialist, case manager, and clinical coordinator of outpatient services. His experience spans multiple settings, including middle and high school, community college, inpatient hospital, intensive outpatient programs, and private practice. Dr. Gary is a clinical professional who has a genuine passion for improving the lives of individuals in need of mental health and substance abuse services. He truly enjoys helping his clients learn to be comfortable with who they are. During his spare time, he enjoys going to the beach, watching movies, playing basketball, caring for his saltwater aquarium, and spending quality time with his family.
Lindsay Kerr, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Lindsay is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in anxiety, depression, relationships and challenging life transitions.
She utilizes relational somatic practices, which combine mindfulness, body awareness, and emotional intelligence to enhance authentic relationships. In addition to private practice, my experience includes work in residential and outpatient settings, schools and community clinics.
Lindsay completed her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University and pursue continuing education in trauma resolution.
Before becoming a therapist, she created and taught choreography for musical theater productions in schools and studios. Lindsay seeks out music and movement wherever possible, most recently gravitating towards hiking in the local canyons.
Katie Massey, AMFT
Primary Therapist
Throughout Katie’s life, she has always had a passion for working with people and understanding the complexities of the mind and human behavior. As a therapist, she provides support related to spirituality, dream work, substance abuse, addiction, anxiety, depression, complex trauma, relational issues, attachment, and working with the LGBTQ+ community.
Katie obtained a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, where she also earned a specialization in Spiritual and Depth Psychology. She utilizes a person-centered approach that integrates evidence-based interventions such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. She has consistently been committed to pursuing further education, with a current concentration on trauma work.
She believes every human being has a unique story to tell and aims to get to the root of trauma to help healing begin. Prior to becoming a therapist, she earned an undergraduate degree in Education from Texas A&M University and worked with children for over a decade in public schools and on TV shows for networks such as Disney and Nickelodeon. She has a passion for the arts, spirituality, and working with people on their individual healing journeys.
Her ultimate goal is to empower her clients to embrace their journeys with confidence and self-compassion. She believes that each person has the strength within them to overcome challenges and create a fulfilling life. Together, she works with her clients toward a future where they feel more connected, resilient, and at peace. She looks forward to joining them on this transformative path and celebrating their progress along the way.
Casey Strenski, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Casey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and families thrive with a holistic psychological approach specializing in trauma, anxiety, relationships, depression, and mood disorders. Utilizing psychodynamic, cognitive/brain-based, somatic, and client-focused therapeutic modalities combined with Eastern-based practices such as mindfulness and yoga, Casey helps her clients create change. Casey has worked in diverse settings with individuals struggling with chronic mental illness in inpatient hospital facilities and underserved families through non-profit programs and private practice. Through compassion, empathy, and a warm therapeutic connection, Casey empowers her clients to reach their highest potential.
Hannah Bonaparte, LCSW
Primary Therapist
Hannah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with my Master’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles. She has spent many years working in IOP treatment centers working with hundreds of adults struggling to free themselves from the hurt, loneliness, longing, and despair that pushed them to escape into drugs and alcohol. Hannah’s work with clients in individual therapy draws from her years of experience in the addiction field. Building trust comes first. After that, her approach is to calm your mind and body using evidence-based techniques from somatic and mindfulness-based therapies and the world of Attachment Theory.
Stacey Bayer, LCSW
Primary Therapist
Stacey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis – Brown School of Social Work. She specializes in the treatment of trauma, addiction, and eating disorders, addressing not just the presenting problem but the deeper experiences driving it. Her approach is rooted in the understanding that unwanted patterns often serve a protective function—a way of managing pain or surviving experiences that haven’t been fully processed. Trained in EMDR, CPT, and Somatic Experiencing®, she draws from somatic, relational, and parts-based approaches to help clients understand their patterns and build sustainable pathways toward recovery.
Stacey has worked in a range of clinical settings, including community mental health and eating disorder treatment at the residential, PHP, and IOP levels of care, where she also served as Assistant Clinical Director. She currently maintains an outpatient private practice. Her style is compassionate, direct, and grounded, and she believes there is room for curiosity, humor, and genuine connection alongside the hard work of recovery.
Zak Poyo, LPCC
Primary Therapist
Zak Poyo, LPCC, is a somatic psychotherapist based in Los Angeles, California. His clinical work centers on the integration of mind and body and the ways developmental experience, environment, and personal adaptation shape that relationship over time. Through years of practice, he has focused on understanding how embodied patterns influence cognition, emotion, and behavior—and how restoring integration can create meaningful, lasting change. Zak’s work supports clients in breaking longstanding destructive patterns and addressing deeply rooted emotional injuries through structured, integrative therapy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Northridge, and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Webster University in Greenville, South Carolina, and is certified in Integrative Body Psychotherapy (IBP). Zak developed Somatic Integrative Psychotherapy (SIP) as a refinement of contemporary therapeutic models, integrating cognitive and somatic processes into a cohesive framework designed to support durable transformation.
Noha Zaki, PsyD
Primary Therapist
Dr. Noha is extremely passionate about holistic wellness! She received her doctoral degree in Applied Clinical Health Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has a grounded, holistic, approach that is uniquely applied to each person to meet their individual needs.
For clients seeking a deeply fulfilling relationship, a better job, or are just simply ready for a new life adventure, Dr. Noha takes pride in help them accomplish their dreams and goals, and discover a healthier, happier, more balanced you. From clients that have had to deal with hardships or trauma, or struggling with daily dread, anxiety, or depression, with over a decade of experience working in psychology, she has helped many clients develop into the best version of themselves.
Caitlin Payne, LMFT
Primary Therapist
Kristina Cuneo, LPCC
DBT Primary Therapist
earned her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Salem State University in Massachusetts in 2015 and brings 10+ years of experience working in addiction treatment across the full continuum of care, including detox, residential, and outpatient settings. She has extensive experience supporting individuals with substance use disorders, severe and persistent mental illness, anxiety, depression, and LGBTQIA+–related concerns.
Kristina takes a trauma-informed, collaborative, and flexible approach to treatment, recognizing that each individual’s story, strengths, and goals are unique. She incorporates skills and principles from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients build practical tools for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, relapse prevention, and interpersonal effectiveness. Kristina has a strong passion for group therapy and skills training, and she strives to create a safe, supportive space where clients feel comfortable being honest, exploring their experiences, and building meaningful connections.
Kristina believes in each person’s capacity for creativity, meaning-making, and gradual change. Her goal is to help clients develop a deeper understanding of their emotions, strengthen their sense of self, and build confidence in their voice. Through this work, she supports clients in creating meaningful, lasting change, strengthening relationships, and moving toward sustained recovery and a life aligned with their values.
Danielle Kayne-O’Gilvie, LMFT
DBT Primary Therapist
Danielle received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
She is extensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Danielle has more than a decade of experience in a variety of settings, including non-profit and Los Angeles County outpatient clinics, serving children, adults, and families.
She has clinical experience treating patients with varying mental health disorders, including trauma, anxiety, mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder and depression, psychotic disorders, and substance use disorders.
Matt Bradford, RADT
Rock to Recovery
Matt Bradford quit playing piano in the fourth grade because he wanted to play guitar. At 16, he bought himself a guitar; playing it became his life’s passion. After high school, Matt attended the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles. He has worked in studios and been a studio musician for major label artists with Sony and Universal. He toured nationally with artists like Grizfolk and Sam Morrow. His last band, Adorable Addicts, broke up in 2010. That’s when he hit the road as a singer/songwriter in support of his four solo albums. He was on the road until late 2018 when he realized that touring was no longer the dream. A friend suggested Rock to Recovery.
Though he had tried to get sober on his own, Matt could not stay clean until he went to a 12-step meeting. After two years of self-will, he heard in the meeting that he had a problem. Finally, he had the missing piece. He hasn’t taken a drink or drug since that day in 2013. Matt now loves his work because he gets to play music without taking himself too seriously. He also enjoys watching people who are struggling open up and embrace their recovery. The feeling of connection he has in those moments is what the work is all about.
David Wiss
Nutrition in Recovery
Nutrition in Recovery is dedicated to the promotion of both physical and nutritional wellness as primary components of recovery from behavioral health challenges. We are a team of specialized registered dietitian nutritionists who work with challenging cases but also help many people who do not identify as being “in recovery.” We believe in the functional medicine approach which considers the entire dimension of wellness. Our work is “trauma-informed” as well as culturally sensitive, using an integrative biopsychosocial approach.
Ira Lane, CADC
Recovery Coach
Ira earned his Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University. He is a California State Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. In his sixteenth year of personal recovery, Ira has been dedicated to his work in the recovery and mental health community. Ira has also worked as a recovery coach and sober companion over the past thirteen years.
Ira is a compassionate person and is dedicated to his work. His personal experiences in recovery led him to help others address alcoholism and drug addiction. Feeling very fortunate to work in the recovery community, Ira is grateful for the opportunity to assist and guide individuals in developing the necessary tools and life skills of empowerment, self-confidence, and the ability to change the trajectory of their lives to achieve long-term recovery.
In his free time, Ira likes golfing, skiing, hiking, and enjoying time with his family and friends.
Fawna Asfaw
Recovery/Life Coach
Through her own backbreaking work of auditing what worked and what was holding her back from her highest purpose and joy, Fawna’s life goal became to help other’s find their own power and create empowered, meaningful lives in recovery. Whether in Beverly Hills or speaking to women in prison, Fawna is at home coaching, writing and building creative ways for people to recover.
Meaningful and motivating coaching and workshops to help others achieve what she herself, thought was only a dream. Fawna is here to offer her experience and knowledge so that everyone can life the life of their highest good and highest joy in and out of recovery.
Kelani Jacoby
Recovery Coach
Coming Soon
Keiko Schnelle
Recovery Coach
Keiko is a recovery-focused mental health professional passionate about supporting individuals on their healing journeys. With lived experience in eating disorder recovery and sobriety, she brings compassion, authenticity, and trust to her work. Keiko is a group facilitator, Certified Life Coach, and RADT, specializing in addiction, codependency, and eating disorders. She uses motivational interviewing, active listening, and evidence-based, holistic approaches to help clients identify barriers and move forward toward sustainable recovery. Keiko believes healing should be accessible to everyone and creates a safe, grounded space for honest, meaningful conversation.
Outside of her work, Keiko enjoys gardening, cooking, watching The Great British Baking Show, and exploring books on spiritual psychology.
Michaelis Jacoby
Recovery Coach
Michaelis is a Recovery Coach with over 20 years of sobriety. After living in Bali for 7 years, Michaelis has dedicated his life to taking as many people as possible through the Recovery Principles using the process shown to him for the last 12 years. He wrote a book for non-addicts and non-alcoholics based on the recovery big book process and which a purpose of helping all people with the human condition/spiritual malady.
Ronnie Powers CADC-I
Recovery Coach
Ronnie Powers, originally from Detroit, Michigan, has made California his home since 2006. Seeking a fresh start in his own addiction recovery, he relocated to California and found his calling in the substance abuse treatment field. His journey began in 2007 at a renowned Malibu treatment facility, where he dedicated over eight years to helping individuals pursue lives free from alcohol and drugs. In 2010, Ronnie furthered his commitment to this field by becoming CATC-I certified, solidifying his decision to make addiction recovery his life’s work. Since then, he has worked as a group facilitator and sober coach for numerous private clients, bringing a wealth of experience and compassion to his roles. Ronnie is deeply admired by his colleagues at Avalon Malibu for his dedication, outgoing personality, and unwavering willingness to help others. Ronnie firmly believes that individuals seeking recovery should be met with empathy and understanding, right where they are. He advocates for providing support that is grounded in shared experiences, guiding clients through their struggles and helping them forge new, healthier paths. Ronnie’s commitment to this compassionate approach makes him a vital member of the Avalon Malibu team, where he continues to inspire and support those on their recovery journeys.
Rick Hagaman
Recovery Fitness
Recoveryfit is an expertly crafted group fitness program presented in alignment with the 12 principles of recovery. This innovative program elevates the emotional well-being of clients through activity, movement, and exercise, consequently increasing the chances of long-term recovery. Recoveryfit centers on the often-neglected and underrepresented physical component of recovery, providing the valuable tool of fitness for people struggling through the early months of the recovery process.
Safe and effective exercise is universally beneficial for all who do it; however, Recoveryfit’s comprehensive program is especially beneficial to those individuals seeking a life in recovery.
Rick Hagaman and his team have provided fitness and wellness services to individuals & corporate groups since 2006. He has utilized this success and experience, along with over 24 yrs. of active recovery, to create the Recoveryfit program.
Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp
Breathwork for Recovery
Nathaniel Hodder-Shipp, B.Msc, CADC-II, is President and Founder of Breathwork for Recovery and has worked as a professional healer for almost a decade. Using an arsenal of techniques with a special focus on breathwork, Nathaniel has helped thousands of people process trauma, disarm negative thought patterns, and maintain healthy and happy relationships with themselves and loved ones. Nathaniel’s client base ranges from those seeking relief from everyday anxiety to people suffering from severe emotional and physical trauma and desperate for help. His specialty includes working in addiction treatment facilities to help accelerate clients’ journey to recovery. Nathaniel was trained to facilitate breathwork professionally and has completed the David Elliott Healer Training series multiple times. He also is the founder of The Recovery Circle, a weekly support group led by trained breathwork professionals to offer an effective alternative to traditional 12-step programs.
Wendy Adamson, CADC-II
Recovery Coach
Wendy Adamson is a certified drug and alcohol counselor and a recovery coach. With over twenty-two years of personal recovery, Wendy has worked in the field for more than seventeen years. Also a dedicated philanthropist, Wendy has used her creative marketing and strategic planning to assist in the development of Hav A Sole, a charitable organization that delivers shoes to the homeless and less advantaged. She continues to serve as a founding board member for the charity. With a passion for writing, Wendy is a published author of many articles and is currently working on a book that chronicles her own extraordinary journey from despair to a life of recovery and hope.
David Morin
Neuro-Art Therapist
David is a trauma-informed practitioner with a background in psychosocial studies and visual arts, supporting individuals experiencing trauma, addiction, and emotional distress. Integrates creative practices, Neurographica, hypnosis, NLP, mindfulness, and applied neuroscience within a neuro-integrative approach that promotes emotional regulation, resilience, and personal growth. Known for creating safe, supportive environments where individuals can process experiences, develop coping strategies, and build greater stability and independence.
Chris Howard
TMS Coordinator
Chris Howard has been working in the mental health field since 2010 after seeing the long-term effects of mental illness within his own family. He is a graduate of UCLA where he received his B.A. in Psychology. Having worked closely with those struggling with addiction, Chris considers the concept of community to be an essential part of treatment and advocates for wellness approaches that integrate both leading conventional therapies, as well as holistic practices like yoga and meditation.
Richard Burr
Spiritual Direction and Counseling
Utilizing mindfulness, and incorporating a spiritual sensibility, Richard has developed a unique guided mindfulness meditation. Richard works with families, couples and individuals using his own life experience to bring thoughtful guidance, mindfulness, meditation and spiritual solution into daily living. In 2007 Richard released “A New Beginning” a half hour guided mindfulness meditation CD and in 2010 he released “In This Moment”, a CD including five individual meditations addressing the specific topics of anxiety, the positive self, and sleeplessness.
Sadie Hopkins
Director of Operations
Sadie has an extensive history of customer service and administrative roles. She earned a BFA at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and brings creative problem-solving to The Canyon at Santa Monica. She works closely with each client to ensure a smooth admission process and experience during their programming. Her hobbies include cooking, going on hikes, and watching the newest movie release.
