Professional Addiction Detox Team in Orange County

Courtney brings a wealth of professional experience ranging from project management, branding, program development, corporate executive coaching, training, strategic initiatives, team building, quality analysis of systems, business process flows, auditing, and more to support us during this transitional and exciting time.

After working on her own personal trauma, Courtney pursued psychodrama training and certification then she completed a two-year mentorship and certification program with Five Sister’s Ranch, PIVOT, and Ultimately The Glass House. She also pursued an ICF accredited coaching credential and is a CLC (Certified Life Coach), CRC (Certified Relationship Coach), and a Master Pivot Advocate (Master Relationship Coach Certificate) with PIVOT and Lori Jean Glass.

Along with co-founding in 2017—and serving as the marketing and admissions director for—The Glass House, Courtney conducted individual and couples/family sessions and private intensives for The Glass House and PIVOT for more than three years.

Courtney has successfully been a part of and managed six start-up companies/divisions over the last 14 years. Her professional management career spans two decades, and in her spare time, she created a wedding and event business to further her success as a corporate event planner. Courtney brings to our growing company a unique blend of skills along with a diverse operational and leadership background.

Her ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems as well as deliver results while simultaneously building strong relationships will be key in continuing our growth, but most of all, we are grateful for her huge heart and love for others that she brings to our team.

Katy Alexander holds the Vice President of Admissions role at Saddleback Recovery and Story Wellness. Bringing with her over 25 years of leadership experience. Katy began working in addiction treatment in 2005. Her passion and dedication to helping others comes from her own personal battles with overcoming addiction. Katy believes her personal experience has given her the unique ability to understand what those struggling with addiction or mental health are going through as well as connecting with the families that love them. Katy is a true advocate for family healing and recovery.
Katy has held various positions over the years in admissions, utilization review, billing, outreach, and executive leadership, which has equipped her with the knowledge and ability to fully understand the inner workings of a successful treatment program. Katy has built lasting relationships with partners in the community and strives to maintain those relationships. She understands the value of our community working together to fully help an individual and families in their recovery journey. Katy is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor; in addition to this, she has received additional training in clinical intervention, crisis management, leadership, and has attended several self-empowerment workshops for personal and professional growth.

This has prepared Katy to successfully lead a team with integrity, ethics, and mission-based goals by providing support, identifying strengths, and creating strategic plans for the overall succession of the team. A Southern California native, Katy values time with her family and enjoys spending time outdoors with them. She believes she has been gifted a second chance at life through her recovery and is called to help other families receive that same gift.

Shannon Eustace, a native of Huntington Beach, California, has several years of experience working in Addiction Treatment and holds the position of Program Manager at Saddleback Recovery.

Shannon is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, CADC-II; she is involved in all clinical aspects of the program, from individual counseling, facilitating groups, and participating in treatment and discharge planning to create a continued care plan that will allow each client to be successful in their recovery. She brings a wealth of crisis intervention, counseling, direct client care, operations, and supervisor experience to her role. Shannon oversees our case managers and care coordinators providing training and support to the team to ensure quality care is provided to each client and family. She believes that workplace culture truly sets the example for the standard of care; she strives to create a safe and effective work environment for staff and clients, exampling kindness, compassion, listening, and education.

Shannon’s desire to help others find healing through recovery comes from her own personal recovery experience. Shannon is passionate about allowing each person their own experience in early recovery and nurturing them through the process. Shannon believes that addiction is a “family disease” and has extensive knowledge and experience working with families to guide them through their own recovery process.

When Shannon is not working, she loves to spend time with her family and attend events with her grandchildren. She believes these are the “gifts of her recovery.”

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A native Californian, Dr. Hirst grew up in the Bay Area before attending Stanford University for her dual undergraduate degree. She experienced two East Coast winters while teaching high school science outside of Boston, then returned West to attend medical school at UC SanDiego, where she earned honors for leadership, academic accomplishment, and patient care.After graduation, Dr. Hirst completed a dual residency in Family Medicine and Psychiatry at UCSan Diego — and founded the UCSD Maternal Mental Health Clinic during her third year of training.
Dr. Hirst soon became a regional expert in the field of Reproductive Psychiatry, caring for women with anxiety, mood disorders, and psychosis during pregnancy and the postpartum period. While serving on faculty in three departments at UCSD School of Medicine, Dr. Hirst delivered local and international lectures, wrote a teaching curriculum, published articles, supervised trainees, and developed the first Maternal Mental Health Intensive OutpatientProgram in the Southwest United States.

Hirst developed an opioid addiction following the births of her children via C-section in 2008and 2011 and left academic medicine to seek treatment in late 2013. Before returning to work in2016, Dr. Hirst developed a personal mindfulness meditation practice, even completing teacher training. Today she is proud to incorporate her strong knowledge of psychological theory withmind fulness meditation practice in her work at BOLD Health.Since returning to practice at BOLD Health in 2016, Dr. Hirst has pursued specialized training in psychotherapy and addiction medicine. She now serves as Medical Director at three local residential treatment facilities, supervising a team of providers to help patients detox safely and comfortably and receive treatment for substance use disorders. Dr. Hirst’s work with individual patients at BOLD Health includes psychotherapy, medication consultation, and management(when indicated).

In addition to her expertise in Addiction Medicine, she continues to specialize in Reproductive Psychiatry, including pre-conception planning, infertility treatments, pregnancy, and postpartum.Dr. Hirst balances her rewarding work with personal time devoted to recovery, family, and friends. She and her family are avid explorers of National Parks, and she is an enthusiastic indoor cyclist and (slow but steady) runner.

A proud native of Detroit, Michigan, Neethu Jacob joined the team at BOLD Health with two years of experience as a Physician Assistant specializing in the field of Psychiatry. Her interest in mental health grew from a very young age, when she was introduced to the field by her mother, a renowned social worker. Upon graduating from PA School at Barry University, Neethu moved to Chicago and gained proficiency working in the community clinic, private practice, long-term care and rehabilitation settings. She has served a wide range of populations, ranging from children in the foster care system to adults with challenging and complex mood disorders.
Neethu’s primary goal is to help her patients feel at ease when discussing, exploring and managing their mental health. She encourages her patients to understand that treating our brain is really no different than treating high cholesterol or a broken bone. She employs a holistic approach with treatment, focusing on whole-body wellness in tandem with mental well-being.

In her free time, Neethu loves exploring her beautiful new home base of San Diego. She is thrilled to experience all that California has to offer with her husband, Kevin and their cherished dog, Rylee. She also enjoys reading, live music and trying out new and delicious restaurants.

Megan obtained her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University where she worked in a lab focusing on aerobic activity’s effect on mental health disorders. This inspired her to pursue her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Arcadia University and work towards breaking the stigma surrounding mental health care. Prior to joining the BOLD team, Megan worked in an outpatient psychiatry clinic in Chicago treating patients of multiple different socioeconomic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
Megan’s goal is to act as a patient advocate and ensure her patients receive the best care possible. She strives to create relationships based on mutual respect and trust by providing an environment that is free of judgment. Megan believes in holistic medicine and treating the entire person through lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and pharmacologic treatment. She is committed to utilizing evidence-based medicine and empathetic listening while working with her patients to determine the ideal treatment plan.

When she is not practicing medicine, Megan can be found attending a hot yoga class, reading a new book, or at the dog beach with her beloved Samoyed, Augusta. She is known for being an avid MSU Spartan sport’s fan and will be cheering her teams on from afar each season.

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Brandon Owens is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Brandon obtained a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2011. Since completing his education, Brandon has gained exceptional experience as a therapist in a residential and outpatient treatment setting. Brandon is experienced in treating clients that struggle with both mental health and substance use disorder for the past 8-years.

In addition, Brandon has established a private therapy practice treating adults, adolescents, families, and couples. Brandon currently holds the position of Clinical Director at Saddleback Recovery. Brandon’s experience in treating clients in the behavioral health field has given him a unique insight into the clinical needs of our clients in early-stage recovery. Brandon’s goal is to create a safe space, build report, and provide support to each client as they work to meet the therapeutic goals of their treatment plan. Brandon has an authentic ability to connect on a real level with our client’s, has a genuine desire to see each client succeed in recovery, and works effectively with his team for quality of care, we are so honored to have Brandon as part of the team at Saddleback Recovery.

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As outreach admissions coordinator, Tayler serves as the bridge between our community, outreach, and admissions team. She has worked in a myriad of roles in addiction and mental health treatment since 2017, including project management, utilization review, admissions, and case management. Beyond that, she has experience working in hospitals and for various insurance providers. Working in the mental health and substance abuse field has enabled Tayler to cultivate a skill set that makes her as adaptable as possible; she has learned that working in this field requires one to be able to work quickly and efficiently to ensure clients and families are receiving the care they need.

Tayler currently holds a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Concordia University Irvine and a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration as of 2022. Tayler understands that addiction is a family disease, her ability to support those struggling with addiction or mental health in early recovery, but also to support the family to better understand their loved one and find their own recovery path, is such a unique gift and makes Tayler such an integral part of the Saddleback team.

Jack Peterson is a seasoned professional in the field of behavioral health, currently serving as the Admissions Manager at Saddleback Detox. With a passion for helping individuals navigate their journey towards recovery, Jack brings years of experience and expertise to his role. He is dedicated to providing compassionate support to those seeking assistance with addiction treatment, ensuring that each individual receives the care and guidance they need to embark on the path to healing.

Jack’s commitment to excellence, coupled with his empathetic approach, makes him an invaluable asset to the Saddleback Detox team. Outside of work, Jack enjoys spending time on his motorcycle and playing with his dog Hoagie.

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With over two decades of professional experience in the behavioral health industry, Dustin Frei founded Saddleback Recovery and Story Wellness Mental Health Outpatient Program. Dustin is a driving force in the movement of high quality, ethical services across the spectrum of addiction and mental health treatment.

His passion for meticulous, evidence-based and compassionate addiction/behavioral health treatment, as well as his experience leading teams, developing marketing strategies, and driving revenue expansion—then ensuring the integration of all aspects of organizational efforts—give him distinct insight and combine to make him an exemplar, leading the way in the realms of behavioral health and addiction treatment.

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