Meet Our Team

I am Kerry Costello, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the President of Recovery is a Beach. With extensive experience in mental health and addiction treatment, I am dedicated to fostering a therapeutic environment where clients and their families can heal and grow. I play a pivotal role in developing and implementing strategies that align with our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care.

I am Samantha Lockwood, the Chief Operating Officer at Recovery is a Beach, responsible for managing our day-to-day operations. With a strong background in healthcare management, I ensure that all aspects of our facility run smoothly and efficiently. My commitment to operational excellence helps create a supportive environment where both staff and clients can thrive.

My name is Beth Michel, and I am a dedicated professional with lived experience in addiction recovery. Having personally encountered and navigated the devastating effects of addiction, I have a profound understanding of the emotional and psychological struggles faced by those in the early stages of recovery. I know what it feels like to be broken, lost, and unsure of the path forward, and it is this experience that drives my commitment to supporting others in making the crucial decision to change their lives.

I hold a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor II (CATC-II) credential and have completed formal education in the Addictive Disorder Studies Program at Oxnard College, where I gained comprehensive knowledge of addiction treatment, therapeutic interventions, and evidence-based practices. With eight years of hands-on experience working in various treatment settings, I have had the privilege of assisting individuals from their first day in detox—often filled with fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness—to the end of their treatment journey, when they leave with a renewed sense of hope and the readiness to continue their recovery journey.

Throughout my career, I have developed a deep commitment to providing compassionate, client-centered care. I am dedicated to fostering an environment of trust, empathy, and accountability, where clients can feel safe as they confront the challenges of addiction and work toward a healthier, more fulfilling future.

As the Program Director of Recovery Is A Beach, I am honored to be a part of the transformative journey that our clients embark upon. Having experienced the depths of addiction myself, I bring a unique and empathetic perspective to the individuals who walk through our doors. I understand the pain of letting down loved ones and, perhaps even more profoundly, the feeling of letting down oneself.

After completing treatment, I pursued further education to better serve those who are facing the same struggles I once did. I now hold my credential as a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor (CATC-I) and certificates of achievement in Addictive Disorder Studies, Addictive Disorders Studies in Criminal Justice, and Behavioral Health Work from Oxnard College. I have been working in the addiction and recovery field for over four years, and I can confidently say it is the most fulfilling work I have ever done.

There is no greater privilege than being there for someone from the moment they walk through our doors and witnessing their transformation into a renewed, empowered individual.

I have dedicated the past decade to helping those in need within my community, driven by my dream of raising substance abuse and mental health awareness in Ventura. I am actively involved in every process and serve as the first point of contact for families and clients, providing essential support and assistance as they take steps toward treatment. My strong community connections stem from my work in sober living and my personal recovery journey throughout Ventura County.

I'm an Administrator at Recovery Is A Beach. My day-to-day covers everything from intakes and scheduling to coordinating with doctors and advocating for clients. If someone on the team can't answer a question, they usually send them my way. I'm the person clients can come to at any point, for any situation.

I came into this field through my own recovery. A mentor encouraged me to pursue my education and get into treatment work, and it changed the course of my life. I hold certificates in Addictive Disorder Counseling and Community Behavioral Health, and I've been working in the field for over three years.

What keeps me going is watching clients start to recognize their own growth without us having to point it out. I want every person who walks through our doors to feel welcomed, cared about, and free to be themselves, even if they don't know who they are yet. As C.S. Lewis put it, humility is “not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less,” and that's something I try to bring into every interaction.

I'm the Administrative Coordinator at Recovery Is A Beach, and my role touches nearly every part of the program. On any given day, I may be handling administrative tasks, auditing charts, supporting clients directly, completing group notes, or stepping in for crisis intervention or groups when needed.

I come to this work with personal and family experience with substance use, and that perspective deeply shapes how I show up. I'm not here to judge or sugarcoat things. I believe in honesty, accountability, and meeting people where they are.

What keeps me motivated are the small but powerful shifts I see every day, when someone breaks out of their shell, starts opening up, builds connections, or begins to believe in themselves again.

I am Geoffrey A. Booth, M.D., one of the most sought-after addiction medicine physicians in Malibu and the Los Angeles area. I have extensive experience in providing expert medical detoxification for the most complex clients. After earning my B.A. in Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, I attended New York Medical College. I completed my internship and residency in Internal Medicine at UCLA Olive View Medical Center and am Board-Certified in Addiction Medicine and Internal Medicine. After residency, I went into private practice, where I garnered a statewide and nationwide referral base for patients who suffered from difficult-to-treat diagnoses.

I am Dr. Litos Mallare, a board-certified psychiatrist. I have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of psychiatric illnesses, including mood, anxiety, psychotic, substance abuse, and eating disorders. I have an undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University, a master's degree in psychology from Cal State Los Angeles, and an M.D. degree from the American University of the Caribbean. I completed my first year of residency training in surgery at the University of Vermont and finished my residency training in psychiatry at UCSF.

My current psychiatric practice includes hospital psychiatric consultation and liaison, residential substance abuse treatment and detoxification, IOP and PHP, and teaching medical students. I am committed to restoring my patients' mental health and, thus, restoring their well-being and quality of life.

I am a dedicated nurse who's passionate about caring for others, sharing knowledge, and making a real difference in people's lives. Helping and supporting others has always been at the heart of what I do. Whether advocating for my patients or guiding them through their journey, I'm committed to making a difference every day.

As a medication tech at Recovery Is A Beach, my day-to-day is all about educating clients on the skills they need for recovery. That includes coping skills, grounding techniques, DBT skills, motivational interviewing, assertive communication, and boundaries. I've studied Addiction Disorder Studies, and what started as curiosity about the field quickly became a calling.

What keeps me going is seeing clients grow, especially when they recognize their own progress without any prompting. Recovery Is A Beach feels like family. Everyone here is welcoming, shares the same values, and that kind of environment frees us all to focus on what matters. My message to anyone walking through our doors is simple: give it your best shot, put in the effort, and you will see results.

I'm a Case Manager at Recovery Is A Beach. I do everything from intakes to running groups to connecting with clients and offering guidance when they're struggling. I came into this field from personal experience, wanting to give back. I have my RADT and have taken extensive courses in ethics and boundaries, which matters to me because I believe in helping clients the right way.

What motivates me is seeing clients thrive, seeing them fired up about their recovery. I practice what I preach — I do my meetings, I do my step work. I speak from experience with love and compassion while maintaining my ethical boundaries.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Recovery Is A Beach. I've been licensed for 11 years, graduated from Cal Lutheran with a degree in Counseling Psychology, and am trained in EMDR, with a specialty in working with anxiety.

I was led to this work by a little bit of everything: life experience, family members navigating their own mental health and recovery journeys, and a deep curiosity about why people do what they do. I don't stick to one modality. I use everything and anything because no client is the same.

The most meaningful part of my job is seeing when people have insight, when the light bulb goes off and things finally make sense.

I am a licensed therapist specializing in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. I hold a master's degree in clinical psychology and have been working in the field since 2013. My work is centered on creating a sense of safety, comfort, and connection, particularly in settings where vulnerability can feel difficult.

Alongside my clinical training, I bring lived experience with addiction and long-term recovery, as well as many years of being in therapy myself. I don't believe therapy is about convincing someone to make different choices. Change is internal and unfolds in its own time. My role is to create a space where conversations feel natural rather than interrogative, and where people feel safe enough to be honest.

I'm an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist at Recovery Is A Beach, where I run groups in the mental health track. Because we're a dual diagnosis facility, I help clients understand how mental health and substance use connect. My perspective is that addiction is often about pain relief, and addressing the underlying mental health challenges is essential to lasting recovery.

I take a holistic approach, using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as a framework while drawing from family systems, Brené Brown's shame resilience work, and Kristin Neff's self-compassion research. I earned my undergraduate degree in psychology from Alfred University and my master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pacifica Graduate Institute.

What drives me is connection: those moments when someone feels truly understood.

I'm a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CATC Level III), and I provide one-on-one counseling for individuals whose primary struggle is substance use. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and an Associate degree in Addictive Disorder Studies, and I've been working in the treatment field since 2019.

I truly believe in meeting people where they are. Everyone comes in with their own story, and my role is to create a space where clients feel safe, accepted, and free from judgment. I often remind clients that this isn't their whole story—this is just a chapter, and it doesn't define what comes next.

The most fulfilling part of my work is seeing clients grow and bloom into who they were created to be.

I'm a CATC-II, a dedicated Substance Use Disorder Counselor, and Case Manager. I have a BA in Sociology, am applying for my Masters, and currently on my journey to becoming a LCSW. I'm passionate about helping individuals create meaningful, lasting change in their lives.

Having dealt with addiction from the age of 22 up until the age of 38 and now having 10 years of recovery, I can apply my schooling and my experience in my line of work. My approach to recovery is grounded in compassion, accountability, connection, and the belief that recovery involves much more than simply stopping the use of drugs or alcohol—it is about learning how to build a life worth maintaining.

I place a strong emphasis on meeting clients where they are while encouraging them to take ownership of their recovery and turn insight into action.

I'm an intern at Recovery Is A Beach, completing my master's program while growing alongside an incredible team. I'm here to make a connection, not to judge. When I sit with clients, I listen and hear them out. I try to offer different perspectives, and my hope is that somewhere in those conversations, they start to see the next version of themselves.

There's a sense of community and respect here that I think allows clients to be so resilient. I came here knowing I'd learn a lot from the team, but honestly, I'm learning just as much from the clients.

Hello, my name is Josh. I am passionate about helping people who are struggling with substance use and supporting them as they work toward a healthier and more meaningful life.

My own experiences with addiction, recovery, treatment, and rebuilding my life have given me a personal understanding of how challenging the recovery process can be. Those experiences have shaped who I am today and have given me a strong desire to help others who may be facing some of the same struggles I once faced.

Through my work as a Case Manager and my education in Addictive Disorders Studies, I continue to grow both personally and professionally. I believe that every person has the ability to change, and I am passionate about helping people recognize their strengths, find hope, and develop the tools they need to build a life they can be proud of.

For me, helping others is more than a career—it is something I genuinely care about and feel grateful to be able to do.