The Summit Malibu Team
The Summit Malibu treatment team includes some of the most dedicated and experienced practitioners in the field.
Integrating the best aspects of traditional approaches with science based care requires expertise that comes from both training and experience.
The following individuals have brought their high-level of training and their considerable experience to the development of the Summit Malibu program.
William Oswald, Executive Director and Founder
Over the past 30 years William Oswald has established himself as a pioneer in the alcohol and addiction recovery field. At the Adult Substance Abuse Program of Southern California (ASAP) he was one of the first to expand the scope of addiction treatment into mainstream medical facilities. In 1988 he founded Avalon Treatment Centers at Van Nuys Hospital, the first center to provide a broad range of social and therapeutic treatments that significantly reduced relapse rates. In the 1990s he established Lumax Mental Health, a company specializing in day treatment programs for dual diagnosis patients at area hospitals, and went on to direct business development for New Seasons Behavior Health Center, one of the first centers to utilize neurocognitive treatment for addiction. Mr. Oswald was also instrumental in creating Cocaine Anonymous, a 12-Step fellowship that has helped thousands.
Steven Booth, Founder
Steven earned his B.A. from the University of Santa Barbara, California in Economics. Before helping to co-found Summit Malibu Steven worked in both private and public accounting. Like many others, Steven has seen first hand the destruction that addiction can inflict on family and friends. He has also witnessed the extraordinary changes that can be made when addicts receive the necessary treatment.
Shahla Modir, M.D. Independently Affiliated Physician
Dr. Modir is one of the most recognized and respected physicians in the addiction recovery field, and is known for the effectiveness of her holistic approach to treatment. he completed residency training in Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and sub-specialty training in Addiction Psychiatry at the UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Modir is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology for Addiction Psychiatry, and has extensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Dr. Modir is also a licensed buprenorphine provider.
Walter Thomas, M.D. Independently Affiliated Physician
Dr. Thomas was born in South Africa and is an internationally respected medical professional. He received his Medical Degree from the Stellenhorsh Medical School in 1973. He is board-certified in Family Medicine as well as certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Dr. Thomas has held several hospital appointments during his career and his clinical practice of 35 years has covered the areas of Dual Diagnosis and Addiction Medicine.
Karen Hylen, Ph.D. Primary Therapist
Dr. Hylen is a Primary Therapist at Summit Malibu and the facilitator of Summit’s Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills training program. She received her Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology, with a depth perspective, from Pacifica Graduate Institute, focusing her internship training on working with persons diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Hylen has over 15 years experience providing therapy to individuals dually diagnosed with symptoms of both addiction and mental illness. She is adept at creating a validating environment that conveys acceptance, while aligning with the client in working toward the effective changes needed for sustained healing and recovery.
Lisa Powell, Ph.D., CADC II Primary Therapist
Dr. Lisa Powell is a Primary Therapist at Summit Malibu and the facilitator of Summit’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) skills training program and Summit’s Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) program. She received her Doctorate degree in psychology from Capella University with a focus on family and addiction. She went on to receive additional training in Brief Strategic Family Therapy at the University of Miami’s Family Studies Program, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy/Cognitive Behavior Therapy 5 (MET/CBT5) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Having witnessed the struggles of addicts seeking recovery, particularly with feelings of guilt and shame with respect to their families, Dr. Powell made the decision to specialize in understanding family dynamics and helping all family members heal from the massive affects of addiction and alcoholism.
Bonnie Scaife, M.A. Primary Therapist
Bonnie Scaife is a Primary Therapist at Summit Malibu and the facilitator of Summit’s Effective Communication Skills program. She received her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Ryokan College, and completed extensive additional studies in communication practices pioneered by McKay and Davis. She has worked in the addiction recovery field for over a decade, and believes that effective communication is the key to evolving the dysfunctional individual and family processes that support the disease of addiction.
Satya, Yoga for Recovery
Satya has studied the sacred science of Kundalini Yoga, as taught by Yogi Bhajan, since 1990, healing a serious personal injury through this ancient tradition. She is an internationally certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, a certified healer in the Sat Nam Rasayan Tradition, and holds a Masters degree in Psychology. She draws on these qualities and on her background as a professional athlete to make her classes reach the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. Satya’s Yoga classes are very meditative in nature, designed to gain strength, increase flexibility, promote healing, and deepen your spiritual practice. The gong and crystal bowl meditation at the end of each class takes you into a state of deep relaxation. Visit Satya at http://www.soulyoga.net.
