Top-Rated Rehab in Orange County 
6,000+ Lives Changed | 4.8★ Google Rating

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California Prime Recovery Team

Addiction and Mental Health Treatment Orange County CA

Meet the Experts Behind California Prime Recovery

Our multidisciplinary team combines clinical expertise with compassionate care to help individuals heal from addiction and mental health challenges.

At California Prime Recovery, our team of licensed professionals, clinicians, and experienced staff is the foundation of our trusted, evidence-based care. With decades of combined experience in addiction and mental health treatment, we are committed to guiding each individual toward lasting recovery through compassion, clinical excellence, and personalized support.

All clinical services are overseen by our licensed Clinical Director and Board-Certified Psychiatrist, ensuring the highest standards of safety, ethics, and therapeutic effectiveness.

Karynne Witkin, MLA Chief Executive Officer (See Bio)

KARYNNE WITKIN, MLA

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Alejandro Alva, M.D – Medical Director at California Prime Recovery

Dr Alejandro Alva, M.D

Medical Director & Psychiatrist

Clinical Director

KAYLI SULLIVAN

Director of Administration

KALEY PERALTA

Director Of Business Development

Wilson Mamian

Operations Manager

BRITTANY ASTROM, LMFT

Clinical Supervisor

Catherine Edelstein , LMFT

Therapist | C-DBT EMDR Certified

cali prime team

Adolfo Borórquez, LMFT

Program Director

DANI JEWETT

Case Manager CCAPP

Anita Grimes, SUDCC

Case Manager

SUSAN NELSON

Case Manager CCAPP

Summer Steinmetz

Patient Advocate

Kori crabb, CADC

Alumni Coordinator

Sara Preston

Admissions Director

Antonia Peccole, SUDCC

Admissions Specialist

Blakelynn Muck

Admissions Specialist

Cheyenne Tafoya

Operations Manager

Tyler Riney, SUDRC

Group Facilitator

Rodney Hobbs, CADC

Group Facilitator

Bella Sinatra, CADC

Group Facilitator

Kirk Wiggs, RADT

Group Facilitator

Gee Holtzhauer, RADT

Admission Specialist

Aubrianna Elston

Client Care Coordinator, Substance Use Program

Brion Domalaog

Client Care Coordinator, Mental Health Program

Bailey Gutierrez, AMFT

Therapist, Mental Health Program

Enrika Asuncion, ACSW

Therapist, Substance Use Program

Keller Hoffman, RADT

Lead Behavioral Health Technician

Todd Blackwolf

Behavioral Health Technician

Vanessa Arellano, ACSW

Therapist, Mental Health Program

Kim Nguyen, AMFT

Therapist, Substance Use Program

Ready to Take the First Step?

Our experienced team is here to support you. Call us today at (866) 464-0953 or verify your insurance to begin your recovery journey.

All clinical programs at California Prime Recovery are overseen by our licensed Clinical Director and Board-Certified Psychiatrist to ensure ethical, evidence-based care that meets the highest standards of safety and effectiveness.

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Stephen Carmel

Founder & CEO

Embarking on my recovery journey in 2011, I made the transformative move from New York to California. This transition not only marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life but also ignited a profound compassion for individuals grappling with sobriety. Through the challenges and lessons of my Californian sojourn, I experienced significant personal growth, ultimately attributing my success to this pivotal move.

Motivated by my own recovery, I established California Prime Recovery (CPR) as a platform to engage with individuals in recovery on a daily basis. What began as a professional endeavor evolved into a profoundly beautiful mission. Over time, I’ve come to recognize that my own happiness and sustained recovery are intrinsically linked to actively participating in the lives of others on their recovery journeys.

At CPR, we understand that helping others recover is fundamental to numerous successful treatment programs, and it forms the core of our approach. Contributing to the well-being of those still facing challenges is not just a practice; it’s the essence of preserving the hard-earned gains in our own journey. Join us on this empowering path of recovery and communal support, where giving back becomes the key to preserving and enhancing the richness of our shared experiences.

Alyssa Mueller, LCSW Clinical Director (See Bio)

Alyssa Mueller, LCSW

Clinical Director

Alyssa Mueller is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). She holds a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Community Mental Health from California State University of Fullerton as well as a Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies with an emphasis on intercultural and interpersonal communication from California State University of Long Beach. Compassion, empowerment and unconditional positive regard are the foundations of her clinical practice, Alyssa has a passion for helping others and her priority is to hold space for clients to feel heard, to feel safe and to find fulfillment and self-love on their recovery journey. Alyssa specializes in addiction treatment, self-esteem building, mindfulness practices, grief and loss, trauma informed care, and self-compassion as well as individual and family therapy. She has extensive experience working with high risk populations in various clinical settings such as partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient care, outpatient treatment, schools, and community outreach. Alyssa uses a client centered and holistic approach to address the client as a whole person in order to help them to feel empowered and facilitate their confidence and independence.

Dr Alejandro Alva, MD Medical Director (See Bio)

Dr. Alejandro Alva, MD

Medical Director & Psychiatrist

Alejandro Alva, M.D., is the Founder, Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists (PNS), a reputable psychiatric medical group that specializes in treating psychiatric disorders and dual diagnosis conditions, including substance use disorders. Dr. Alva earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fullerton, and completed medical school at Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine in Mexico. He then returned to California, where he completed his psychiatric residency at the University of California, Irvine.

Prior to Dr. Alva’s formation of PNS, he was involved in multiple endeavors, including detoxification and rehabilitation work, both inpatient and outpatient, including the V A Medical Center in Long Beach, Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Chapman Medical Center in Orange, as well as multiple rehabilitation centers. Since the formation of PNS, Dr. Alva’s focus is on the latest treatments available for psychiatric disorders and chemical dependency as well as aspects of ethnicity and gender and their correlation to pathological states.

With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Alva has served the medical community in various capacities: as a patient advocate, researcher, and medical director. His expertise in adolescent, adult, and geriatric psychiatry makes him one of the nation’s most innovative and prominent psychiatrists. Dr. Alva and his team at PNS are committed to utilizing both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, including anti-craving treatments, to address complex dual diagnosis conditions such as depression and substance use disorders.

Karynne Witkin, MLA Chief Executive Officer (See Bio)

Karynne Carmel, MLA

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Karynne Witkin is a scientist-practitioner with over eight years of industry experience and a strong commitment to fostering healthy, resilient workplaces. Holding a master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and being a trained leadership coach, Karynne is passionate about employee well-being and the prevention of substance use and mental health disorders in the workplace.

Through her ongoing studies and fieldwork, Karynne integrates research-driven insights with practical solutions, leading organizations with purpose, innovation, and excellence. Her research, program design, and leadership work are dedicated to shaping the future of work by promoting mental wellness, resilience, and fulfillment in the workplace.

Charee Marquez, LMFT

Clinical Compliance Director

Charee has worked in the recovery field for 10 years. Charee is dedicated to supporting and inspiring clients to live a healthy lifestyle filled with meaning and purpose. Charee has extensive clinical experience within the recovery field in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She specializes in working with individuals and families affected by the disease of addiction however she has also clinical experience in assisting individuals, couples and families in working through a variety of concerns, including: depression, anxiety, relationship & communication issues, substance abuse, grief & loss, trauma, life transitions, and many others. Charee works with each client to specialize their treatment plan with what works best for the client in a compassionate and effective way. She emphasizes the strength of every individual client and fosters an environment of personal growth and internal healing from a mind, body and spiritual approach. Charee received her Bachelor of Arts from Seton Hall University, Majoring in Psychology and Minoring in Women and Gender Studies, in addition to her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California.

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