Sober College is a dual-diagnosis treatment program,that assists students with both preexisting and undiagnosed mental disorders. Each student receives an individualized plan designed to work on both their substance abuse and mental health issues and help them grow into an independent person by practicing what they learn in therapy in real life.
We Specialize in Young Adult Addiction Treatment
A student participating in Equine Therapy.
Sober College incorporates a comprehensive and integrated dual-diagnosis clinical approach by licensed practitioners that specialize in addictive and co-occurring disorders in young adults in early recovery, including recovery from eating disorders. The heart of our clinical approach is a treatment team mentality that utilizes a multidisciplinary approach based on comprehensive assessment and diagnostic criteria. All levels of staff meet together on a weekly basis to discuss the progress of each student. This attention to detail keeps the team focused and the best interests of each student client at heart.
A Word About Dual-Diagnosis Treatment
Having a dual-diagnosis or receiving treatment for co-occurring disorders is something most of our students have in common. Our multidisciplinary approach with our presence of highly qualified psychiatric care allows for a well-balanced approach to co-occurring conditions. Appropriate diagnosis is the gateway to effective dual-diagnosis treatment. Many of our students exhibit depressed mood, anxiety or panic, sleep disturbances and personality issues that they are self-medicating with the use of drugs and alcohol or improper exercise or eating habits. The use of negative behaviors further compounds symptoms and a cycling downward begins and continues.
Dual-diagnosis, while common in this population can be difficult and challenging to overcome. One of the ways to stay on target is constant and consistent communication. In addition to meeting weekly as a clinical team, our therapists participate in weekly meetings on every single student under our care. This attention to communication sharing creates a broader window for the therapist to understand complicated behaviors that may not be present to them in a therapeutic encounter.
The types of clinical approaches can include, but are not limited to:
- Comprehensive medical assessment and care
- Psychiatric management
- Psychological Testing (as needed)
- Neurological Testing (as needed)
- Intensive assessment process
- Individual therapy
- Clinical and therapeutic process groups
- Chemical dependency groups
- Psycho-educational process groups
- Group therapy
- Experiential based therapeutic encounter groups (surfing, trapeze, wind-tunnel, ropes)
- Mindfulness
- Equine assisted psychotherapy
Specialized therapies as needed and appropriate including, but not limited to:
- Anger Management
- “CBT” – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- “DBT” Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Neuro-feedback
- “EMDR” – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- Eating Disorder Related
- PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Neurological testing
- Pyschological Testing
- Learning disability detection
Student in his weekly therapy session
Sober College’s location in Los Angeles, provides easy access to major clinical and research institutions such as Cedars Sinai, UCLA Medical Center and USC Medical Center. What is needed and cannot be provided at Sober College can easily be accessed within the larger community.
About Our Psychiatrist Dr. Rebecca Reyes
Addiction Specialist, Dr. Rebecca Reyes was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She moved to Los Angeles after graduation from the Chicago Medical School where she began her study of Psychiatry at the UCLA/SFV Residency Training Program, where she served as Chief Resident of the Consultation-Liaison Outpatient Service. Upon completion Dr. Reyes ran the psychiatric intensive care unit at Vista Del Mar Hospital in Ventura before opening up her private practice in Calabasas.
Dr. Reyes is Board Certified.
“I gained invaluable experience in the treatment of mood, psychotic, anxiety and eating disorders, as well as drug and alcohol addiction during my UCLA residency. The countless hours on the High Intensity, Adolescent, and Dual-Diagnosis/Detox and Partial Hospitalization units proved invaluable to my well-rounded experience in addiction medicine,” stated Dr. Reyes. Her experience has served her well, and contributed to her excellent work here at Sober College.
Dr. Reyes, success with our dual-diagnosis students over the past four years makes her invaluable member of our treatment team. “Dr. Reyes has been with us for over 4 years because she is a perfect fit for Sober College,” begins Robert Pfeifer, Founder, ”Her youthful presence and easygoing attitude puts our students at ease and compliments our treatment process.” – Aimee Noel, LCSW, Clinical Director at Sober College
Dr. Reyes is well known in the community and particularly enjoys working with adolescents and young adults. Not only does she have the ability to treat a wide variety of disorders she also enjoys treating clients who are in all stages of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
