The Pointe Malibu Recovery Center holds a simple but essential belief: healing happens in relationship, through safety, accountability, and the courage to face what is true.

In a field as complex and deeply human as behavioral health, we are continually called to listen, reflect, and evolve. Individuals and families arrive with layered histories, and their experiences, both affirming and challenging, invite us to remain thoughtful, responsive, and committed to growth.

At the same time, our responsibility is clear: to provide care that is structured, ethical, and grounded in clinical integrity. We are not hesitant to hold boundaries that support health and wellbeing. Our approach is collaborative and attuned, while also anchored in the understanding that luxury does not mean looseness; it means intention, consistency, and care.

 

A Clinical Environment, by Design

The Pointe Malibu is intentionally designed for individuals navigating trauma, substance use, and chronic pain, whether experienced independently or as interconnected conditions. Our work is immersive, relational, and highly structured.

Clients engage in:

• Approximately 35 hours of clinical programming per week, inclusive of individual, group, medical, holistic, and psychiatric care.
• 8–12 individual sessions per week, depending on clinical need and individualized treatment planning.
• A polyvagal-informed framework emphasizing nervous system regulation, accountability, and relational repair.
• 24/7 staffed support within a consistent and predictable daily structure.

This level of care is complemented, not replaced, by a range of community-based recovery meetings and connection opportunities, including access to curated wellness space that extends treatment into the broader community.

Set against the backdrop of the Malibu coastline, our oceanfront environment offers natural elements, open air, and the steady rhythm of the sea. The Malibu breeze, the sound of waves, and the sensory experience of the outdoors are integrated thoughtfully into treatment, supporting regulation, presence, and connection.

Inside, our spaces are intentionally cared for, clean, grounded, and designed to promote a sense of safety, calm, and belonging. The environment, both inside and out, reflects the same level of attention and integrity that we bring to clinical care. It is beautiful, but never casual, every element serves a purpose.

 

Chef Juan Euan (in background) and Chef Jorge Salazar

 

Clients are supported daily by a dedicated culinary team providing chef-prepared meals that are both nourishing and relational. Our chefs are attentive to dietary needs while also offering opportunities for learning, engagement, and inspiration, bringing food into the recovery process as a point of connection and care.

 

Depth of Training and Clinical Integration

Our clinical team reflects a strong commitment to both foundational training and ongoing development. Across licensed and associate clinicians, we integrate:

• EMDR therapy
• Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
• Polyvagal-based principles and a certificate through the Polyvagal Institute
• Evidence-based and practice informed strategies, thoughtfully integrated to support individualized, responsive, and effective care.

We maintain close collaboration with the Pain Psychology Center, incorporating pain reprocessing approaches for individuals navigating chronic pain.

Dr. Les Aria

Dr. Mel Pohl

Our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mel Pohl, and Chief Psychological Officer, Dr. Les Aria, provide ongoing weekly supervision, supporting depth, consistency, and interdisciplinary integration across care. Additionally, The Pointe Malibu Recovery Center is a Yale affiliate, promoting ongoing learning and development via our collaboration with Dr. Christopher Cutter, our Senior Consultant, Research and Assessment. He supports clinical excellence in areas of trauma, substance use, and chronic pain through research-informed assessment, program consultation, and ongoing staff development.

This work is carried forward by our clinical team, including Jennell Maze, LCSW; Morgan Stiles, ACSW; Ben Perkins, LCSW; Sam Sachnoff, LCSW; Ashleigh Abramovitz, AMFT; Lisa Mears, AMFT; and Arthur Margulies, JD, CADC-II. Each contributing to a thoughtful, relational, and highly individualized treatment experience.

Ashleigh Abramovici, AMFT; Morgan Stiles ACSW; Jennell Maze, Executive Director

Brandy Jones, Elyse Rodgers, Sal Savo, Jon Sacks – Resident Advisors

We also collaborate with Dr. Hai for specialized neuropsychological assessment, further deepening our understanding of client’s cognitive and emotional landscape. Additionally, Dr. Scott brings specialized expertise in working with complex trauma and dissociative presentations.

This layered approach ensures that treatment is both individualized and grounded in evidence-based and emerging practices.

 

A Comprehensive and Integrated Medical Team

Our medical care is supported by a diverse and highly experienced team, providing consistent oversight and responsive, around-the-clock support.

Dr. William Stanley

Dr. Mark Jaffe

Under the leadership of our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mel Pohl, our medical team includes a Psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Jaffe, an Internist, Dr. William Stanley, alongside a Nurse Practitioner, Olga Tsoy, and a dedicated nursing staff. Registered Nurses, including Abigail Gomez and Angela Drake, support both day and overnight care, ensuring continuity and attentiveness across shifts. model.

Angela Drake, RN

Josh Clark, LVN and Abigail Gomez, RN

Our Licensed Vocational Nurses bring years of experience within recovery-oriented environments, contributing to the consistency and quality of care. This work is guided by our Nurse Director, Josh Clark, alongside key team members and LVN’s Nikki Smith, Heather Arguelles, and Ashley Knight. Together, this interdisciplinary medical team supports safe, thoughtful, and individualized care that aligns closely with our clinical model.

 

Family as Part of the Healing System

We view recovery as a relational process that extends beyond the individual. We partner with family case management programs to support meaningful and sustained engagement, including:

• A 12-week virtual family program, available regardless of length of stay.
• Ongoing psychoeducation, communication tools, and structured support.
• Monthly multi-family groups led by Dr. Pohl and Dr. Aria.

This allows families to grow alongside their loved one, fostering alignment, understanding, and long-term stability.

 

An Integrated and Connected Team

Clinical excellence is strengthened through connection, lived experience, and ongoing integration.

Our team includes 24/7 staff who bring both professional training and lived experience in recovery and wellbeing, offering a grounded, consistent presence that supports clients across all hours of care. These team members, the Resident Advisors, are the heart of the program.

Throughout the year, our staff and clients can often be found together, in the ocean, learning to surf, standing with feet in the water, or engaging in shared experiential practices oriented toward play. These moments support our team in deepening their own understanding of nervous system regulation and embodiment, becoming more skillful “pilots” of their internal experience. This lived integration directly informs the care we provide.

Nick Campos Resident Advisor Lead and Deb Norton Resident Advisor

 

Sydney Royse – Holistic Program Manager

 

The Polyvagal Surf Program

Our team engages in:

• Weekly clinical and interdisciplinary meetings.
• Ongoing case consultation and shared treatment planning.
• Daily communication to ensure continuity and alignment.

We prioritize shared experiences and relational connection within the team, recognizing that co-regulation and staff wellbeing are essential to effective treatment.

 

A Thoughtful and Ongoing Commitment

Recovery work requires nuance. It asks us to hold complexity, remain accountable, and stay grounded in both compassion and clarity.

The Pointe Malibu remains committed to:

• Clinical integrity.
• Structure alongside warmth.
• Accountability within a culture of belonging and safety.
• Continuous learning and collaboration.

We are grateful to be in ongoing dialogue with our community of clients, families, and referring professionals. Together, we continue to refine and strengthen the care we provide, always in service of meaningful, lasting recovery.