Specialty Programs

Trauma Program

Camden Center offers comprehensive, integrative treatment for trauma and trauma-related disorders at multiple levels of care. Unresolved trauma is often the root cause that drives the formation of maladaptive coping behaviors and the factor that keeps people from fully healing. 

While we consider all of our services and providers at Camden Center to be trauma informed, we also offer specialized, evidence-based trauma treatment to individuals suffering from the impact of collective, developmental, acute, chronic, and complex trauma. 

Our approach to trauma treatment is unique in that it integrates medical, psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, and somatic therapies. Each patient’s treatment plan is  individually tailored to match their needs at each moment in the trajectory of their recovery. Rather than a one size fits all approach, we create a personalized treatment plan based on each individual's symptoms, preferences, timeline, diagnoses, strengths, and challenges. 

The Camden Center Trauma Program includes three phases, each serving an important function in the healing of traumatic experiences:

Resourcing

This phase of treatment involves establishing safety and helps paitents identify, develop, and strengthen internal and external resources to support them throughout the therapeutic process. Resourcing builds emotional resilience and improves nervous system regulation by providing tools and strategies to better manage stress. 

The therapies employed in the phase of treatment emphasize distress tolerance, emotion regulation skills, mindfulness, and breathwork. This phase may also include history gathering, rapport building, treatment planning and psychoeducation about trauma symptoms, responses, effects, and treatments. 

We offer a variety of modalities in the resourcing phase, including Somatic Experiencing, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Safe and Sound Protocol, Schema therapy, Acupuncture, Craniosacral bodywork, Therapeutic massage, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 

Reprocessing

This phase of treatment involves working with unpleasant  memories, negative beliefs, and associated sensory states, resulting in reduced emotional distress and increased adaptive beliefs and insights. 

Reprocessing helps the brain integrate traumatic memories into the broader context of experience, reducing their power and ability to cause distress. By reprocessing, individuals can transform negative emotions and beliefs into positive ones, leading to emotional healing and increased resilience. 

Modalities offered in the reprocessing phase include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy - Prolonged Exposure Protocol, Schema therapy, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, and Internal Family Systems. 

Integration

The Integration phase focuses on strengthening new positive beliefs and insights that have emerged during reprocessing. This phase involves consolidating gains made in therapy, working on integrating new perspectives and behaviors into daily life, assisting with aftercare planning, and addressing relapse prevention strategies. 

Modalities offered in this phase include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing, Schema therapy, Internal Family Systems, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, and Reintegration therapy. 

Program Offerings

Many patients with trauma-related disorders also struggle with other symptoms, including depression and anxiety, and often require a combination of additional treatments in order to fully recover.

Each patient in our Trauma Program undergoes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and receives a unique, personalized treatment plan that, in addition to trauma work, will include any other treatment modalities needed to help them recover from their current symptoms and address underlying issues. These additional treatments can include:

  • Psychiatry
  • Primary medical care
  • rTMS
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
  • Somatic therapies including acupuncture and massage
  • Family therapy
  • Coaching
  • Integrative medicine

Participants in Camden Center’s Trauma Program also have access to all of the other resources at Camden Center and if needed may participate in any of our other specialty programs.

Every patient at Camden Center is viewed as a whole person, and patients in our Trauma Program not only receive world-class trauma treatment but build a foundation for lasting stability and well-being.

Staff
Michelle Plotkin
MA, LMFT
Trauma Program Director, Clinical Team Lead, Staff Therapist
Michelle Plotkin
MA, LMFT
Trauma Program Director, Clinical Team Lead, Staff Therapist
Degrees
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Michelle Plotkin, MA, LMFT, received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Studio Art from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif. She received a Master of Arts in Crisis and Trauma Social Work from Tel Aviv University in Israel and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, with specialized training in clinical art therapy, at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Michelle is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and has experience utilizing Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).

She has worked in a variety of settings, including community mental health, outpatient and residential treatment facilities, and in private practice. Her therapeutic approach is informed by cultural humility, attachment theory, mindfulness, and trauma-informed practice.

Michelle is interested in the complex relationship between mind and body and seeks to explore the intersection of these elements in the therapeutic process. She is passionate about utilizing creative interventions in order to better understand the unique strengths and challenges of each of her patients. She values her own artistic process as a self-care method and source of insight.

At Camden Center, Michelle works as a core clinician at the Los Angeles location, providing services as both a clinical team lead and individual therapist. As a clinical team lead, she assists patients, their families, and providers in the coordination of communication and support for optimal treatment outcomes through quality, client-centered, and comprehensive care services.

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Hagit Harel
PsyD
Clinical Director, Los Angeles
Hagit Harel
PsyD
Clinical Director, Los Angeles
Degrees
X

Hagit Harel, PsyD, received her Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Psychology and Law & Society from Purdue University in Indiana, and her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles.


Dr. Harel’s areas of specialization include working with psychotic spectrum disorders, Bipolar Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), case management, and trauma-informed modalities.

Dr. Harel’s extensive professional experience includes 16 years at Kaiser Permanente in the San Francisco East Bay, most recently as an assistant site director and intensive service manager. Previously, she also served as a clinical psychologist at Napa State Hospital. Her professional background also encompasses significant work as a primary supervisor for post-doctoral residents and interns.


As Clinical Director of Camden Center Los Angeles, Dr. Harel oversees clinical care, supporting an integrative healthcare team of highly skilled providers to ensure whole-person treatment that is individually tailored to meet each patient’s needs and goals.

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Debbie Briem
MA, LMFT
Core Clinician
Debbie Briem
MA, LMFT
Core Clinician
Degrees
X

Debbie Briem, MA, LMFT, received both her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles. She is working toward her Doctorate of Social Work from University of Southern California.

Debbie is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and has more than 25 years of experience as a clinician and in program development and management. She has worked with a wide array of populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, court-ordered clients, and patients receiving dual diagnosis and mental health treatment.

At Camden Center, Debbie serves as a Core Clinician and provides individual and group psychotherapy with a focus on family therapy, substance use disorders, trauma, and collaborates with providers and patients in treatment planning.

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Jeff Chenoweth
LMFT
Clinical Team Lead, Addictions Program Regional Director, Los Angeles
Jeff Chenoweth
LMFT
Clinical Team Lead, Addictions Program Regional Director, Los Angeles
Degrees
X

Jeff Chenoweth, LMFT, received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Indiana University, Bloomington and his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, Los Angeles.

Jeff is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), attachment, mindfulness, and the 12-step recovery model.

He previously worked at a nonprofit, community-based mental health clinic and at Hazelden Betty Ford where he specialized in the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders.

At Camden Center Los Angeles, Jeff is the Addictions Program Regional Director and provides individual addiction and trauma therapy in addition to facilitating groups.

He is also a clinical team lead at the Los Angeles location. In that role, he assists patients, their families, and providers in the coordination of communication and support for optimal treatment outcomes through quality, client-centered, and comprehensive care services.

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Leila Farjami
LMFT
Staff Therapist
Leila Farjami
LMFT
Staff Therapist
Degrees
X

Leila Farjami, LMFT, earned her bachelor’s degree from University of California, Irvine, and her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute, Los Angeles.

She specializes in treating trauma and is certified as an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). Her passion lies in helping individuals with complex trauma, dissociative disorders, mood disorders, and addictions.

Leila is trained in EMDR by Dr. Don Dorsey, attachment-focused EMDR by the Parnell Institute, Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)®, foundational Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Leila has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including intensive outpatient treatment and non-profit organizations, while maintaining a private practice in West Los Angeles treating adolescents and adults.

At Camden Center, Leila is dedicated to providing a safe and positive environment to promote insight and growth for each patient. She tailors her therapeutic approach to fit patients’ needs, with a focus on evidence-based recovery through EMDR, TRM, and mindfulness practices.

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Hannah Wolfe
LCSW
Staff Therapist
Hannah Wolfe
LCSW
Staff Therapist
Degrees
X

Hannah Wolfe is a licensed clinical social worker. She received her Masters in Clinical Social Work with a concentration in psychodynamic practices at University of Chicago. Her specialization is in healing trauma and the symptoms and stressors that follow as a result. Hannah is a Parnell Institute Attachment Focused EMDR trained therapist. She also practices through the lens of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, which focuses on attachment theory, body-focused approaches, and emotion theory. Hannah is also certified in CBT and has extensive training in DBT and CBT for Insomnia.

Hannah has previous clinical experience working as the clinic coordinator at the Behavioral Wellness Center at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she provided services to medical students and physicians. Additionally, she worked in community mental health at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services as a Full-Service Partnership therapist.

Hannah utilizes a holistic approach to treatment, exploring physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being to craft an individualized and evolving treatment plan tailored to each patient’s goals. She is committed to mindfully cultivating a safe, secure space that catalyzes connection and change, exploring how stress and/or trauma show up in the body, and learning ways to work through difficult emotions with compassion and curiosity.

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Aimee Levine-Dickman
OTR/L, SEP
Somatic Therapist
Aimee Levine-Dickman
OTR/L, SEP
Somatic Therapist
Degrees
X

Aimee Levine-Dickman, MA, OTR/L, SEP, is a licensed occupational therapist specializing in somatic touch therapy. She is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) with advance trainings in Somatic Experiencing® touch work, Zero Balancing, Structural Integration bodywork, and craniosacral touch work.

Aimee holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy from the University of Southern California. She is also certified as a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills teacher and a yoga instructor, with a special interest in trauma-sensitive yoga.

Aimee created the Trauma Informed Care Sensory Program at UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital for the adult units, and speaks both nationally and internationally on trauma-informed interventions.

At Camden Center, Aimee treats clients in individual somatic-based sessions to help support their recovery. She uses gentle, therapeutic touch and/or movement to release trauma and patterns of holding in the body.

She works closely with clients to help them identify resources and safe places in support of their therapeutic process as they let go of long-standing habits of hypervigilance and anxiety.


X
Dave McGuire
LMFT
Staff Therapist
Dave McGuire
LMFT
Staff Therapist
Degrees
X

Dave McGuire, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in trauma and addictions. He received his master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University in Los Angeles.

Dave trained under Dr. Patrick Carnes at the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP), and with Pia Mellody in Post-Induction Therapy (PIT), including the Inner Child and Feeling Reduction intensive trainings.

He is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and completed his certification as a sex addiction therapist.

Dave began his career working at residential and outpatient treatment programs in Los Angeles and Malibu. He created and facilitated family intensive weekends and groups for various treatment centers.

His passion for mental health recovery led him to the Asia Pacific region, where he helped develop intensive outpatient programs in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sydney, Australia.

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Corbett Miller
MSW, LCSW, SEP
Staff Therapist
Corbett Miller
MSW, LCSW, SEP
Staff Therapist
Degrees
X

Corbett Miller, MSW, LCSW, SEP, received his Master of Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles. He is a certified as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) by the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute.

As an SEP, Corbett aims to bring patients a deeper awareness and insight into the functioning of their nervous system. Disruptions in the system can relate to issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

Corbett has worked as a primary therapist at several premier residential and outpatient treatment centers in Los Angeles. He frames his work around compassion and understanding while providing patients with the support needed to build their capacity to lean into discomfort and strengthen resilience.

At Camden Center, Corbett provides individual therapy. Using Somatic Experiencing, he encourages reflection, honesty, and compassion to help patients find growth, self-reliance, and an eventual return to health.

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Itay Kohane
PsyD
Staff Psychologist
Itay Kohane
PsyD
Staff Psychologist
Degrees
X

Dr. Itay Kohane obtained his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University of Santa Barbara.  Prior to relocating to Southern California, Dr. Kohane completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology and Information Systems Management in Israel while serving in the Israeli Air Force as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot.

Dr. Kohane has extensive clinical training in body-mind trauma-focused therapy, somatic experiencing, and attachment-focused EMDR. Additionally, he has worked with children, adolescents, individuals, and families, with a focus on alcohol and substance use recovery, and treatment of eating disorders, shopping, sex and love addiction, trauma, depression, and anxiety, as well as providing clinical services for LGBTQIA+ and older adult clients. Dr. Kohane has also received professional training in psychedelic assisted therapy.  

Dr. Kohane currently maintains a private practice in Los Angeles working with children, adults, individuals, couples, and families, as well as supervising doctoral students.

At the Camden Center, Dr. Kohane provides individual psychotherapy, including somatic experiencing and clinical support within the EOS program.

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