Michelle Hirschman, LCSW
Founder and Coach
Michelle is a clinical professional with a deep understanding of adult mental health and addiction challenges. Her work has ranged from clinical work at treatment centers in California, to the town of Ho in Ghana, West Africa, where Michelle provided case management services at a psychiatric unit with addicts and alcoholics and pioneered an AA meeting for the town. “I was able to educate the staff about the disease of addiction/alcoholism and provide them with AA literature that they had never seen before.”
Michelle’s journey to become a therapist began with a counseling internship as an undergraduate at University of California, Santa Barbara, where she practiced hospice work, psychiatric social work, and counseling at a transitional living home serving clients with co-occuring disorders. Michelle pursued her Master’s of Social Work at Washington University in May ’99 and obtained her MSW.
With her graduate degree, Michelle began her professional journey on Capitol Hill supporting various Senators and non-profits on legislation and lobbying efforts that revolved around women’s issues. From there, she served the homeless population in Washington, D.C., working primarily with the chronically mentally ill as well as those suffering from alcoholism and addiction. She eventually returned to California where she worked at a Suicide Prevention Center and also started her own nutritional consulting business, educating athletes and newly sober folks on nutrition and supplements. Michelle has worked with clients at all levels of care: outpatient, extended and residential treatment programs.
Michelle created the concept of “My Sober Coach” which is now part of the services Hirschman Clinical provides. This coaching concept was designed to bridge the gap between treatment and independent living, with the focus being on continued life skills development. The coach’s role is to empower, inspire and resource each client and help them find passion and purpose in their lives.
“Recovery from mental health and addiction issues can be an excruciatingly painful process without the right supports. Having a professional coach, helping with daily and sometimes hourly challenges, is crucial in not only preventing crisis/relapse, but supporting a more peaceful and happy existence in each person’s life.”
Chris Jones, M.B.A.
Clinical Assistant & Coach
Chris graduated with his MBA in 2019 and has worked in the addiction industry in various capacities since 2012. Currently, Chris has been working independently as a group facilitator focusing on providing life skills, business, relapse prevention, process and spirituality classes across Los Angeles.
Outside of working in the treatment industry Chris is an accomplished musician having several albums on the itunes, amazon and billboard music charts. He has completed national tours, licensed music for tv and film and more. Chris is also an avid surfer and advocate for an active and healthy lifestyle.
Roxanna Yashouafar, LCSW
Clinical Assistant
Roxanna received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California, concentrating her studies in families and children. She is a Certified Anger Management Facilitator from Anderson & Anderson Anger Management. Roxanna’s passion in mental health began when she began her undergraduate internship at a non-public school, counseling and co-facilitating art therapy groups for at-risk youth.
Roxanna began her post-graduate work at an anger management practice. She specialized in assisting court mandated clients with anger management in an individual and group setting. Roxanna continued her journey at a local non-profit organization as a social worker and therapist. She worked with children and families who were court-mandated, in completing their mandates, using a practical and interactive approach. Roxanna utilized art in her daily practice with clients as a healing tool. In utilizing art on an individual basis, Roxanna recognized the need for client’s to develop a healthy hobby as an outlet for stress and anxiety. Roxanna developed and facilitated art therapy groups for clients of all ages, which assisted clients in finding peace and direction and finding passion and purpose in their lives.
Roxanna recognizes the importance of collaborating with an interdisciplinary team including therapists, psychiatrists, and medical staff, as a way to provide a safe and healthy environment for the client. Roxanna carries this philosophy and her passion for utilizing art into her role as a sober coach and is passionate about assisting clients in utilizing all their resources and artistic ability to find their passion and purpose.
Roxanna has been working with HCS for over 5 years and is currently supervising the staff and ensure that families and the clients are satisfied with services at HCS.
Darcy Meehan, M.A.
Director of Outreach & Coach
Darcy Meehan is curious by nature and self-described as being a lifelong learner with adventure in her bones. Skilled at integrating wellness and balance into all areas of life, she specializes in the areas of healing addictive patterns, establishing wellness & balance, maintaining extended recovery and conscious life design. In her work with individuals and companies alike, whether in a therapeutic or consulting role, Darcy has been driven by personal connection and connecting people with who or what they need.
Darcy received her Master of Counseling Psychology degree from John F. Kennedy University in Northern California and is trained as a Marriage & Family Therapist. She served as therapist to clients transitioning out of homelessness in Marin County before working in a small team as one of two on site therapists at an Executive Rehab Center. It was here that Darcy brought art as therapy, movement, meditation, family systems work and other creative practices to the healing community. She is also a certified yoga instructor, SMART Recovery facilitator, JourneyCircles(TM) & SoulCollage(TM) facilitator, educator and entrepreneur.
With over 15 years of experience working in the realm of recovery, mindfulness and wellbeing, Darcy shares her expertise in healing, reinvention and recovery with clients worldwide. She has spoken on panels for National Eating Disorders Awareness campaigns and provided mentorship through many established organizations and nonprofits, including National Association for University Women.
Knowing that healing does happen, even when it seems distant or impossible, Darcy is passionate about guiding others in their own unique healing journey where reclaiming what matters and feeling vibrantly alive is the norm. Darcy supports others in discovering their own unique path of healing through connecting with their bodies and their minds.
Emily Overland, MS, LPC, RYT
Coach
Emily is a deeply passionate clinician who is dedicated to helping people thrive and learn how to use their strengths to create the life they want. Her comprehensive training in DBT has helped her in aiding those with addictive and impulsive behavioral patterns that may be preventing them from moving forward.
Emily earned her Masters in Counseling from the University of Kansas in 2012 and specialized in health psychology in her training. She worked for several years in the VA system, specializing in evidenced based practices such as CBT for chronic pain and CBT for insomnia, projective assessments such as the Rorschach and TAT, and facilitated groups such as anger management and mindfulness. She has also worked at a university counseling center and was a career coach at KU.
Emily has served as a medical case manager for severe and persistently mentally ill and homeless populations and as a strengths-based case manager for outpatient mental health. She most recently was the Intensive Outpatient Program Coordinator and Trainer for a DBT group practice.
With Emily’s 15 years of therapy experience and 20 years of yoga and mindfulness practices, her approach is holistic and she endeavors to treat the whole person on the micro and macro levels. She believes that healing is not a one size fits all approach and works to find the healing practices that best serve each unique client within their context and abilities. She uses the dialectic of validation and problem solving, empowering her clients to accept things as they are so they can move towards healthy change.
Paris Morra, NBC-HWC, CWP
Coach
Paris is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a dual emphasis in Psychology and Sociology. She is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a Certified Wellness Practitioner based in Los Angeles.
With nearly fifteen years of coaching experience, Paris support clients seeking behavioral change in areas such as depression, anxiety, stress, navigating life transitions, self-care, boundary setting, time management, negative thinking patterns, chronic pain, sleep hygiene, and lack of motivation or energy. She has worked with clients from all walks of life, helping them make healthy and sustainable changes. Paris’s approach is to best understand where the client is today, and where they would ultimately like to be. Her focus is not on the “why”, but instead on the “how,” creating small and gentle concrete objectives that are built on over time. The ultimate goal is for each client to become the healthiest and most fulfilled version of themself.
Paris has a foundation in Cognitive Behavior Therapy with the understanding that thoughts, feelings and behaviors are intertwined and impact each other. She has a client-centered approach and thinks creatively to ensure that every client’s program is tailored to their specific needs. Through empathy, patience, and humor, Paris connects with all types of personalities and is committed to providing a safe space where people feel comfortable to try new things and grow from their experiences.
Douglas Cohen, MFT
Coach
Coming Soon