ABOUT

Our Mission

To provide inclusive, effective and dynamic evidence-based trauma-focused treatment that incorporates community and service as integral relational healing elements.

Our Vision

To create an inclusive, diverse, community-conscious, evidence-based treatment, that will effectively facilitate trauma and addiction recovery and will integrate clients back into the community while also benefiting the community as a whole.

FAQ

COMING SOON

Our Staff

Dr. Georgina Smith

Founder/Clinical Director

Georgina K. Smith, PhD is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, EMDR clinician, addiction and trauma specialist, and public speaker. Dr. Smith brings a warm, dynamic, supportive, and direct approach to her therapeutic work. She utilizes an integrated approach with a relational focus that emphasizes IFS parts work, somatic and narrative methods, and interpersonal neurobiology.

Dr Smith has worked in many diverse treatment settings, including Didi Hirsch, the Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma’s Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, the Institute for Girls’ Development in Pasadena, and dual diagnosis residential treatment centers throughout Los Angeles. She is a clinical supervisor for Connections in Recovery, maintains a full time private practice in Santa Monica, and is the founder of Revolve Recovery, a groundbreaking trauma and addiction IOP in Marina Del Rey.

In 2018 Dr. Smith was honored with the Sylvia Fogelman Founder's Award for her role as a foster and adoptive parent and for her desire and action to keep siblings together, and her role as an Ambassador for the foster- care and adoption agency 'Extraordinary Families' in Los Angeles.

Eric Chagouri, MD

Medical Director

Dr. Eric Chaghouri is a 2007 graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned his B. A. in Biology with Summa Cum Laude honors. While at UCLA, he helped the men’s varsity volleyball team earn a National Championship in 2006. He was named the UCLA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007.

He earned his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine in 2011. He completed his internship training in 2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the remaining three years of residency in general adult psychiatry at the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. He served as the Chief Resident in psychiatric emergency services during his fourth year of residency. He also served as Resident Clinical Instructor and Volunteer Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine.
After completing residency, Dr. Chaghouri accepted a fellowship position in forensic psychiatry at the prestigious USC Institute of Psychiatry and Law.

Since completing his forensic psychiatry fellowship, he has established a successful and thriving psychiatry practice in Los Angeles, California, focusing on treatment of dual diagnosis psychiatric disorders, addiction medicine, trauma, and various other mental health conditions. He works in an array of capacities with attorneys, courts, and other parties in actual or potential litigation. He also has extensive experience consulting and providing opinions on psychiatric issues for major television networks.

Dr. Chaghouri’s interests include addiction medicine, substance use disorders, forensic psychiatry, medical ethics, psychological autopsy, gender wellness, and evidence-based treatment of psychiatric conditions.

Katie Sarkarati, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Katie earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007. She returned to UCLA to complete her Master's in Social Welfare with an emphasis in mental health in 2012. Katie completed a year long internship with Harbor UCLA in their outpatient DBT program. There, she was trained intensively in DBT, CBT and TF-CBT techniques while working with clients in individual therapy as well as co-leading skills groups centered on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness skills. She also completed training in Seeking Safety and Crisis Oriented-Recovery Skills to further support clients in crisis and trauma-activated states.

Throughout her 10 year career, Katie has worked in a variety of settings from high-acuity community mental health and case management to dual diagnosis treatment centers. While working at several treatment centers throughout Los Angeles, she worked with clients experiencing trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders and eating disorders. Katie worked as a lead clinician in a dual diagnosis facility and in this role served as an individual and group clinical and oversaw a team of clinicians. Additionally, she created and executed group curriculum and assisted with program development.

In 2017, Katie transitioned to outpatient mental health at UCLA Behavioral Health Associates where she ran a weekly DBT skills groups for clients as well as individual, couple and family therapy. She also served as a primary clinician for eating disorders and substance abuse, training and advising staff on effective interventions to support clients in moving through the stages of recovery and returning to their true selves.

Katie also runs a private practice where she addresses eating disorder behaviors, mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, existential issues and spirituality. She utilizes somatic and mindfulness techniques and operates through a trauma informed lens when applicable, and also employs CBT, DBT, narrative and psychodynamic therapies. In this work, she connects with clients to unlock their internal strengths and voice, utilizing music, art and body movement. Believing knowledge is power, she educates clients on the impact of trauma on the nervous system and helps them understand how their bodies have learned how to cope and survive through painful experiences.

Katie believes in working with clients through a holistic lens that addresses the complexity of the individual, with a focus on the impact of significant life experiences and trauma, psychobiology, temperament and spirituality. She believes in supporting clients in fostering and finding a deeper connection within the self, which promotes spiritual expansion, authenticity, and connection.

Through warmth, compassion, nonjudgmental and curious perspectives, she strives to foster a safe and meaningful space for clients to explore, self-discover and heal. Trust and rapport are of primary importance and held sacred in supporting clients through their journeys of recovery.

Matt Porter, LMFT

Program Therapist

Matt Porter, LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, having received his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, California.

Matt is passionate about helping his clients to heal, utilizing EMDR therapy to help address and resolve underlying trauma and attachment wounds, while teaching practical skills of Mindfulness and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) to assist with managing the symptoms of trauma, depression, anxiety, addiction and relational functioning. Matt has worked as an EMDR trauma specialist in a variety of mental health and addiction treatment centers, an intensive trauma treatment center, and has provided clinical supervision for mental health staff in a variety of treatment settings over the past 20 years.

Matt has taught general and developmental undergraduate psychology courses as well as trained mental health staff in DBT, CBT and Mindfulness therapy approaches. Matt enjoys conducting groups, family therapy, and individualized trauma-focused therapy sessions and believes in the power of healing, recovery and personal growth within a supportive, caring and empathic community.

Matt enjoys the arts, yoga, meditation, hiking, dancing, reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with his partner and his therapy dog, Darla.

Sam Miller, AMFT #124234

Program Therapist

Sam Miller, AMFT is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in human development from DePaul University, as well as a master’s degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy from Pepperdine University.

Sam’s approach is compassionate and straightforward as she helps clients focus on growing self-consideration as they navigate issues such as relational struggles, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, grief, sexuality and gender identity, trauma, and more. Sam is an EMDR trained and IFS informed clinician and continues expanding her training in trauma-informed interventions. She provides a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to bring up what may feel unfamiliar to vocalize, and support clients as they approach their own experiences with curiosity and compassion. Sam’s goal is to be a source of support as well as to challenge clients gain insight into their inner selves, and develop self-care and flexible strategies to allow for healing, increased self value, regulation, and empowerment. She believes that showing ourselves deep consideration and allowing space to wonder freely is when healing can truly begin.

Sam’s previous experience includes being an early childhood educator as well as practicing psychotherapy with a psychodynamic approach at a non-profit community therapy facility with both individuals, families, and group therapy. Her approach is rooted in a psychodynamic framework, while also integrating emotion-focused therapy, trauma focused approaches, and CBT techniques.

Sam believes that the establishment of the relationship between client and therapist is an integral piece to allow meaningful work to take place. To honor your process, she will approach discussions with warmth, empathy, realness, with the intent to challenge you as space is created to truly face your experience of the world. Her therapeutic approach is integrative and relational, and rooted in the idea that our past experiences influence our reflexive responses the world around us as we continue to grow. Through working together, focus will be on the present and past to discover and adapt what hasn’t historically worked for you, as you navigate relationships, life stressors, and change.

Sue Dinner, CPCC

Group Facilitator

Sue Dinner has lived a colorful life. She takes great pride in having been an organizer and

participant in the anti-apartheid movement, working for several non-profit, human rights

organizations in both South Africa and the United States.

Her political activist roots later allowed her to flourish as an Event Coordinator, producing

events large and small for leading-edge thinkers, entertainment professionals and charities alike. She was a cast member of the Walt Disney Company, facilitating some of the most magical events the corporation ever produced.

Having met and worked with so many people over the years, Sue realized her passion for helping others on a deeper level and pursued training at The Coactive Training Institute (CTI), recognized as the most rigorous and respected training and certification in the industry. She became a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) in 2015. This work has changed the trajectory of her life.

While she remains on the frontlines of her community, supporting her fellows in need,

Sue now brings her skillset to a much wider audience. She is available for one-on-one coaching, on-demand coaching, group coaching, group facilitation and case management where she blends her own personal growth and recovery of over 25 years with her training as a coach and her community organization skills

to help others find and maintain freedom.

With a vibrant personality and an ability to call it as she sees it, Sue creates light-bulb moments that people have often worked a lifetime to achieve. Her motto is, “It is an abundant universe with more than enough for everyone,” and it is the cornerstone of her work.

She truly believes that every human being is naturally resourceful, creative and whole and she delights in being a

witness to her clients discovering this truth for themselves.

Sue is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), American Group Psychology Association (AGPA), Group Psychology Associate of Los Angeles (GPALA), and Women’s Association of Addiction Treatment (WAAT).