Our addiction and alcoholism treatment and recovery staff at Hope By the Sea consists of caring professionals committed to excellence. We work together to provide a safe and confidential environment while communicating with clients one-on-one and in group settings to help them achieve their recovery goals. Our staff utilizes a team approach to ensure that all clients receive a comprehensive, in-depth treatment experience. Each client works with a select group of professionals over the course of his or her treatment to achieve the maximum results. Our staff takes pride in the success of our patients and the many ways our alcohol and drug rehabilitation center benefits their lives.

The staff of Hope By the Sea provides a unique combination of experienced drug and alcohol counselors who have successfully worked the recovery tools, the guidelines of which are found in the Twelve Step philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. These staff members provide meaningful examples of what can be accomplished with sobriety if the steps are made a part of the person's daily routine. In addition, there are trained, professional staff members who have worked with addictions for a combined seventy-five years. These many years of experience have shaped our team’s thorough understanding of the challenges, accomplishments, and needs of patients undergoing drug and alcoholism rehab.

Hope by the Sea’s professional staff includes a licensed clinical psychologist and a licensed marriage and family therapist. All staff members are hired, first, because of their ability to show love and compassion and, secondly, for their professional expertise. Even with this priority, we believe our staff has as much, if not more, experience working with substance abuse as any dual diagnosis recovery program. Our staff members are ready and willing to talk with interested parties about our goals, methodology, and treatment issues. We will never be too busy to explain our role and our philosophy. We will always be available to listen to our clients and their families. In this way, we help patients to stop drug and alcohol abuse and form new and healthy ways to handle life’s ups and downs.

Our staff members believe strongly in our patients’ success. Clients instantly sense our staff members’ genuine concern and dedication to the recovery of our patients. Our belief in every patient’s ability to succeed means a lot to our clients and their loved ones. Our staff understands why patterns of drug abuse occur, why they are difficult for individuals to stop, and what steps anyone can take that will lead to lasting life changes.

Dr. O'Mahony is a licensed clinical psychologist. She has worked in the mental health field for over 13 years. She has worked with all populations and specializes in dual diagnosis. Dr. O'Mahony runs experiential groups to help clients not just talk about their maladaptive patterns but to help them transform them. She received her BA and Masters from Boston University and moved to Los Angeles in 2001. While working as a program director at the Salvation Army located at the West LA VA campus she received a lot of experience working with veterans diagnosed with PTSD and substance abuse along with other diagnoses. She received her Ph.D. from California Graduate Institute at the Chicago School in 2008 and recently has become the Clinical Director of Hope by the Sea.


Penny Carlsen, R.N.
Administrator

Penny is a graduate of Loma Linda University School of Nursing. After graduation she spent the next few years working at Loma Linda University Medical Center on the Neurosurgery, Neurology and Rehabilitation Units. She later served as the business manager for Medical Imaging Specialists, Inc. She has an extensive background in both clinical and administration. She is a warm and loving person and is considered by the clients to be the "resident mom".


Chad Carlsen Director Of Marketing

Chad Carlsen is the founder of Hope By The Sea. He has worked in the field of chemical dependency for 4 years. As a recovering addict and alcoholic he brings his personal experience of triumph thru adversity and is a true role-model to the clients. He has vast experience in the field of health and fitness, with certifications in nutrition and fitness. Not only does Chad serve as the Director of Marketing, he personally works with clients in education of health and fitness.


Cyndie Dunkerson, BAS, CMA
Director of Operations/Intake Coordinator

Cyndie came to Hope By The Sea with many years of experience in the field of chemical dependency. She brings with her a compassion for recovery. As a medical assistant with experience in the emergency room she brings calm to any situation. Cyndie works directly with clients to ensure their well being. She maintains the day to day operations of Hope By The Sea.


Jose Majias, C.A.D.C., N.A.D.C. II

My name is Jose Majias and hope to share a little of my self with you. I have been in the field of chemical dependency since 1981. My focus has been working with clients that suffer from Dual-Diagnosis as well as the substance abuse population. When needed I have worked with the family members, employers and probation department. I have found through the years that substance abuse is not just dealing with the use of mood altering chemicals, it is the underlying issues that need also be dealt with. I am a board certified substance abuse counselor C.A.D.C., N.A.D.C. II and have attended UCLA and USC.


Kelly Carlsen
Director of Human Resources

Kelly, a native of California, has many years experience as an intervention aide to troubled elementary students. She currently works as our Director of Human Resources. She also works directly with the clients in job development skills and as spiritual mentor.


Stephen J Groth, M.D.

Dr Stephen Groth has extensive experience in the field of addiction medicine bringing the NTR System to Southern California as well as additional treatment modalities such as Prometa and Suboxone. Dr. Groth is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School (MD '76), as well as Harvard College (AB '73). He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine, and for over 14 years was Director of Emergency Services at Anaheim Memorial Medical Center in Anaheim, CA. He is an ASAM member and will soon be certified in Addiction Medicine.

Dr. Groth has personal experience with recovery and makes sure that our facilities keep a comprehensive approach to recovery in the forefront of all treatment practices. In his "spare time", Dr Groth is Publisher, Editor, and CEO of "California Together", a recovery-oriented newspaper that serves the broad recovery communities of Southern California: www.californiatogether.com.


Elisabeth Humason, P.A.

Elisabeth Humason, MPC, PA-C is passionate about hands-on care and has been helping change lives for the past several years. She obtained her Master of Physician Assistant in 2005 from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California, and prior to that she graduated in 2003 with honors and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine.

Her clinical training in Southern California clinics and hospitals, included the local Kaiser Permanente system. Elisabeth also works part-time at a non-profit family practice clinic in Santa Ana that serves the needy of Orange County.

As a long time resident of Orange County, she enjoys her free time with family and friends, playing volleyball, or spending an evening at Disneyland or the beach with her husband, Brent.


Karen Sandore, R.N.
(Physician Assistant)

Karen Sandore is a licensed RN and worked for many years as a Labor & Delivery nurse in the Chicago, Illinois area, where she and her husband, Richard, an OB-Gyn physician, raised a family that is now grown up and out of the nest.

Karen has personal experience with the recovery process and brings a much needed perspective to all her client interactions in the addiction recovery field. Her motto is, "in order to keep it, you have to give it away!", and for that she has become an indispensable resource in our practice.

She will lend you her sympathetic ear, give you words of wisdom and encouragement, and generally will provide you with that special support that only someone who as "been there" can provide. And, she's an excellent nurse! You will very much enjoy your time with Karen, and you'll especially love her happy smile and pleasant demeanor. She's great!!


Barbara Huffer, R.N.
(RN and Office Manager)

Barbara Huffer, RN has a wealth of nursing experience, both in bedside patient care, as well as in senior nursing management in several major Southern California hospitals. Her passion is in helping others- and it shows. In her spare time, Barb is deeply involved with her church, and enjoys taking care of her many grandchildren.


Lianna J. Dreyfus, M.A., M.F.T.
(Director, TRIAD Behavioral Services)

Lianna J. Dreyfus has a great knowledge in behavioral services that continue to benefit our team. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado (M.A. '95), and has her MFT from Redding University, 2002. She herself is in recovery and has been a member of AA for 19 years.

Lianna has nearly 20 years experience working in non-traditional treatment settings, and has worked with issues such as domestic violence, childhood trauma, community violence, poverty, race issues, challenges in multicultural families and interfaith households. She works with PTSD survivors, rape and incest. She enjoys working with young people, and especially those afflicted with methamphetamine and other "hard-core" addictions.

She is highly invested in education and lifelong-learning and is well-versed in refocusing those who have left their educational path. Her focus is on patient responsibility, attention to family, and peace in the home. Lianna is bi-lingual in both English and Spanish