Dr. Mednick is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in a unique blend of various methodologies to offer her clients the deepest possible healing. Dr. Mednick has received her Psy.D, MFT from Ryokan College and has Master’s degrees in both Applied Psychology as well as Counseling Psychology and her undergraduate work was at the University of Southern California. Her studies in Spiritual Psychology frame her point of view that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. This unique perspective permeates into Dr. Mednick’s further studies. Dr. Mednick has also received an additional degree in the field of Consciousness Health and Healing. This concentration allows her a deep understanding of the most severe addictions and traumas, and to assist in finding ways to help trauma survivors and sex addicts heal on all five levels of consciousness: Mental, Physical, Energetic, Emotional and Spiritual. Dr. Mednick has built her practice with clients worldwide. Through trauma, illness and addiction therapy, she transitions clients with the identification of living as “victims” or “survivors” all the way to that of living as “thrivers.” She offers her clients complete healing to find deep meaning in past occurrences, and to take the “silver lining” in it all and view their issues as blessings in disguise. Dr. Mednick strives to bring her clients completion in the trauma/addiction/illness cycle, and to move them from pull into the trauma vortex (pain and chaos) towards easily and consciously choosing the healing vortex (calm and relaxed). Dr. Mednick took ongoing training in advanced EMDR techniques such as the Strategic Developmental Model for EMDR, is certified in Brain Spotting, and trained in Sensory Motor Psychotherapy and Somatic Therapy. This assisted her most extremely traumatized clients and addicts process their issues much more easily, and without undue distress. Dr. Mednick believes in the importance of the Inner Journey and how best to support her clients in reconnecting with that which is inside. Dr. Mednick had also undertaken twelve further years of study with world-renowned Energy Medicine specialist Christine Schenk. She was a member of the first US graduating Master’s class. Dr. Mednick is one of the few people in America trained in the CHRIS®-Technique, and as a part of the services she offers, Dr. Mednick blends these techniques into her work at Serenity Trauma Healing Center. The addition of the CHRIS®-Technique to all the psychotherapeutic education has helped Joanne to assist her clients in reaching higher levels of inner peace, connectedness in their body, and achieving a sense of wellness in their lives. Through her many years as a therapist and her deep commitment to cutting-edge education, she has learned to pinpoint even the most resistant clients’ deepest issues and help them to change their destructive patterns. Dr. Mednick believes it is her life’s purpose to help others move along their own path towards full and complete healing. We treat dual diagnosis clients with emphasis on underlying psychological trauma.
Dr. Raskin is a leading board certified internist and Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Treating patients in his private practice since 1996, Dr. Raskin has earned a reputation for exceptional patient care and effective individualized treatment. Today, through cutting edge and compassionate techniques, Dr. Raskin helps his patients maintain and regain their health. Dr. Raskin contributes regularly to local and national television broadcasts. Most recently he has appeared as a medical expert on Good Morning America and Nightline.
I believe everyone has a wound and everyone has a gift, something within each of us that waits to be shared. One of the great challenges in sharing this gift is to discover a language that expresses our uniqueness and originality, a language that gives us a sense of being at home in the world.
Licenses: LPCC10547 | ATCB13-004
Retta is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Registered and Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) with over 12 years of clinical experience in a variety of treatment settings throughout the country. Retta received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), and a Master of Science degree in Art Therapy and Counseling Psychology from Avila University. She has worked with all ages with a wide range of presenting concerns including trauma, eating disorders, substance use and addiction, anxiety and mood disorders, psychosis, behavioral and developmental disorders and more. After working on the San Carlos Apache reservation in 2010, Retta learned about the perpetual and pervasive impact of historical trauma on multiple dimensions of wellness in indigenous populations. Since then, Retta has sought further education on these issues and is passionate about raising awareness in order to bring about positive change. Having worked with individuals on conservatorship due to severe mental illness, Retta is also familiar with complex trauma resulting from patterns of mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, institutionalization and victimization. She has helped grow and develop art-based and psychosocial programs across multiple locations. She has served in leadership roles providing clinical art therapy supervision and facility supervision in rehabilitation settings. She has advocated for the profession of Art Therapy throughout her career.
She is passionate about reducing mental health stigma and maintaining a holistic and person-centered approach to treatment. Additionally, Retta has facilitated trainings and interactive workshops on the benefits of Art Therapy. Retta’s diverse experience guides her in providing an individualized, creative, and culturally sensitive treatment approach.
Z Zoccolante, LMFT, is originally from Hawaii and brings over 10 years of experience in somatic bodywork and cognitive processing, connecting the body, mind, and soul through massage, coaching, esthetics, acting, and travels.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Z utilizes her creative background in her specialty with trauma and addiction recovery blending cognitive and creative modalities as well as brain based EMDR, Brainspotting, and CRM to fiercely and lovingly move through things that keep us stuck in trauma loops and old stories that no longer serve us.
She’s the author of Throwing Up Rainbows and the study guide (Amazon), for eating disorder recovery support, as well as the podcast Throwing Up Rainbows found on iTunes and ThrowingUpRainbows.com. She’s passionate about assisting others in their personal empowerment to create expanding possibilities of feeling free, happy, healthy, and whole. She’s currently in a PhD program in Depth Psychology.
Micro-current Neurofeedback Clinician
Nutritionist and Functional Wellness Coach
Certified Yoga Instructor
You deserve to feel at home in your body. As a certified micro-current neurofeedback clinician, nutritionist, and yoga instructor, Stephanie works to make this belief a reality. Her educational journey began at San Francisco State University where she studied psychology, holistic health and functional nutrition. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Behavior from Ryokan College. During her studies she edited scholarly materials that explored the impact of extreme trauma on the human psyche. This led her to investigate the most effective treatments for trauma-induced disorders and eventually to neurofeedback, which she used to help regulate her own central nervous system and alleviate her anxiety. Stephanie received her MCN certification through Mind Body Revolution in Los Angeles, CA. As a clinician she provides micro-current neurofeedback treatments to support clients in healing a variety of health concerns, catering every session to meet the unique needs of each client.
Stephanie has also worked as a certified yoga instructor specializing in trauma-informed and restorative practices, developing a blend of mental and physical exercises to facilitate embodiment and relaxation by utilizing principles of meditation, breathwork, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Her aim with these sequences is to emphasize deep, intuitive listening while encouraging relaxation and body positivity.
As a nutritionist and functional wellness coach, Stephanie supports clients in meeting their health goals by helping them identify root cause issues that perpetuate illness i.e. underlying gut infections, nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, and mental blocks. She believes that it’s important to develop collaborative plans with her clients in order to facilitate lasting change. Stephanie is an all-around embodiment enthusiast who has made it her purpose to help, heal, and nurture all who cross her path.
A Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Amanda trained in SE with the global organization formerly called The Foundation for Human Enrichment, currently called The Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, graduating the program in 2007.
In addition to being an SE Advanced Level Session Provider and Assistant at the SE trainings worldwide, Amanda is trained in Trauma Informed Touch work, Developmental Trauma, NeuroAffective Touch, Eye of the Needle near death and surgery trauma, Syndromes, is a Licensed Bodyworker, has a BA in Psychology, is a Birth Doula, and was first a Child Development Specialist and Preschool Teacher in her previous career. Put together, Amanda is able to provide clients with all the body-oriented tools necessary to enhance their success on their journey through trauma.
At Serenity, Amanda offers SE Sessions and Education. When appropriate, she provides gentle informed therapeutic touch work. These sessions help guide clients to a deeper sense of autonomic regulation.
She teaches and guides you to an understanding of what your Nervous System is informing you of when you feel the effects and symptoms of trauma, and guides you gently through the process of returning from that traumatized state back to a sense of being yourself again.
“Once we are Somatically Literate and truly understand the language of our sensations, then we are capable of allowing the natural physiological processes of returning to a sense of wellbeing and functioning without fear. In some cases, we may be developing this sense of wellbeing and function for the first time.
SE work and education tends to be a missing link for many clients therapeutic journey, connecting what they know in their mind is true, such as knowing a particular traumatic event is in the past, to having their body, which otherwise keeps responding as if there is still a threat of danger or risk, begin to respond to the fact that the event is over and in the past, bringing body and mind together again, thus resolving PTSD symptoms, often permanently.
SE work helps you help your body move through that sense of danger or risk so you can be fully embodied and present with what is true for you now; that you are safe, that you survived, and that you are ready to thrive.”
~ Amanda on SE in practice.
Terry Adamson, JD is a certified life coach specializing in helping people through life transitions, using skills and insights to help people navigate through emotional pain. She specializes in helping clients who have gone through trauma and grief reignite their passion for life, discover their resilience, and regain inner peace. Terry has gained exceptional compassion for others and mentoring skills from her 18 years as a Malibu Superior Court Commissioner, and an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, mentoring and coaching students since 1993. Terry has been studying spiritual and positive psychology since 2010. She is a certified Wayfinder Life Coach through Martha Beck Inc. She has also completed two Mastermind spiritual psychology courses with renowned life coach Robert Holden.
Terry uses techniques including meditation and exercises, such as affirmations, ideal day visualizations, metaphor and dream analysis, developed to access the right brain, to guide clients to discover their own intuition and resilience. She is passionate about helping clients to flourish, reignite their passion for life, and experience inner peace. Terry’s coaching methods have proven to be effective in helping clients reduce their emotional and physical pain, using spiritual psychology to help create healthy neuropathways. Terry’s own experience of overcoming severe trauma and grief and discovering post traumatic strength has inspired her to dedicate her career to helping others experience more joy in their lives.
Alma is certified in Somatic Psychotherapy and Practices and has worked in Somatic Experiencing for 7 years in Latin America and The United States. Alma has a B.A in Psychology, is registered in the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and has complementary studies in Western and Eastern practices, emotional intelligence and Neuro-Psycho-Education. In 2015, Alma founded Body-Mind Center in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, being a pioneer in the field using Body Movement techniques, to embody emotions and bring about body awareness. Alma is a certified Personal Trainer in Latin America and Europe, Reiki practitioner and Yoga Instructor (Inbound Yoga) and initiated as Kriyavan (Kriya Yoga). Alma had observed in her own healing experience, how the movement of the body could not only release tension from a traumatic or stressful event, but also speak up for the emotions.
As a Rock Climber and yoga practitioner, Alma was able to find the Body-Mind connection and consciousness and bring that experience to her clients. As part of Alma’s career, for 8 years, she worked as Forensic Expert and was the author of published researches in the subjects of Suicide, Domestic Violence and assault. “Climbing the pinnacle of life, one rock at the time. We start on the ground until we get to the top of the hill we want to climb”. Alma.
Life Skills Therapeutic Training
Yoga & Mindfulness
Rochel Klein is a mental health professional—a Health & Wellness Optimization Consultant & Coach who is certified in Somatic Experiencing trauma healing and certified as a yoga & meditation teacher for mental & physical health. Rochel started off her career by obtaining a B.S. and M.S. in Occupational Therapy (OT) specializing in mental health care. She started her career working on the dominantly physical side of OT in a variety of hospitals. Her goal was to maximize patients’ independence, regardless of co-occurring challenging diagnoses, such as, pre- and post-heart transplants, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Parkinson, Cancer, Spinal Cord Injuries, post-stroke, etc.
It became apparent to her that patients’ mental health care needs weren’t being adequately addressed. She then led a research study regarding the interplay and effects of dementia in individuals with multiple co-occurring psychiatric conditions.
The patients’ lack of access to care and mental health services inspired her to begin providing mental health transitional services and recovery coaching for eating disorders and Addictions. Additionally, she became certified in Somatic Experiencing for trauma healing and as a Yoga teacher for body image healing, improving mental and physical fitness, and addressing anxiety and depression from a whole-persons approach. Rochel’s goal is to provide higher quality body-mind healing modalities for her clients.
Rochel’s mission is to treat ALL clients as human FIRST (with diagnoses on back burner & only to guide treatment), with respect, kindheartedness, compassion, & empathy to provide a safe & comfortable healing environment for everyone who walks into her door. She works with clients as a guide to help them prepare for, get in touch, hone, and effectively use their innate biological capacity for healing which we are all born with!
Ale is a Certified Massage Therapist registered with the California Massage Therapy Council. She has been in the healings arts for over a decade. Her journey began working in tandem with chiropractors in a clinical setting assessing the needs of patients by utilizing an interdisciplinary holistic approach. She has extensive experience in meeting the needs of clients who have a broad range of conditions including pain, trauma & illness. Ale loves to connect meaningfully with people of various backgrounds. Her passion is to transform the lives of humankind through the healing power of touch, sound & aromatherapy. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring nature. Ale takes pride in how instrumental the staff at Serenity is in providing the utmost wellness for each client.
Tiffany is a certified yoga instructor interested in the therapeutic potential of yoga. She holds an advanced certification in SmartFLOW yoga, studied yoga therapy at Loyola Marymount University and is certified in the Yoga Tune Up® methodology. She Integrates traditional yoga postures along with functional movement, self-massage with therapy balls, breathwork and meditative techniques to alleviate tension in the body, promote strength and balance the nervous system to support healing.
For the last 8 years, clients of Serenity can all attest to the mood lifting and stress relieving benefits of having our Therapy Dog Joey around. Joey is the embodiment of unconditional love. Always there for anyone who needs her support she is blessing to the center and to all who encounter her loving spirit. Therapy pets like Joey are different from service animals. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, in the United States, “A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.” Therapy animals are a way for people in lonely, stressful, or traumatic situations that might not be able to own pets to share in the health benefits. Joey does her job with enthusiasm and a wag of the tail for all.
Serenity Trauma Healing Center is state- and JCAHO-accredited to provide a multitude of proven psychotherapy services to clients with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Our programs include weekly evaluations and start at two weeks long but can continue for timeframes recommended by our licensed experts. We accept many insurance plans. To discuss your situation and learn more about our treatment options, contact us immediately online or at the numbers below.