Our Staff

darlene-manick-ma-lmftDarlene Manick, MA, LMFT
Executive Clinical Director

Darlene has devoted her professional life to the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. She has over two decades of experience including the development of Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California eating disorder treatment program.

Darlene started her own Intensive Outpatient Program in 2001.

“Safe Harbor grew out of needs that I felt were not met when I went through my own recovery, the limitations I found in other programs and the specific time restraints I had due to family, work and school. The foundation of Safe Harbor is that you can create a program with us that meets your specific needs and allows you to live your life at the same time. I want your experience with us to be one full of hope and promise and Safe Harbor to be the place where you can finally find some sense of peace.”

Darlene is a dedicated woman. Apart from being the Executive Director of Safe Harbor, she continues to see patients in her private practice and has appeared numerous times on radio and television as an expert in her field. She also enjoys public speaking and has presented at The International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals as well as High Schools and Colleges.

bettina-ottenstein-maBettina Ottenstein, MA
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Art therapist

Bettina graduated in 2002 from Phillips Graduate Institute with a Master degree in Psychology and Art Therapy. She has worked with Darlene since 2007. Bettina’s approach to treatment combines psycho-education, psychotherapy, art therapy and drama therapy. She states: “Safe Harbor is a special place that offers a uniquely individualized program, in an intimate and personal setting. The strength of the program are the small group- sizes, the individual/family/couples sessions as well as the late afternoon and early evening hours which allows you, the client, to continue working or going to school, while getting the help and support you need”.

janet-goldstein-ball-mftiJanet Goldstein-Ball, MFTi

After many years of working in the entertainment industry as a Story Analyst and Development Executive, Janet recently returned to school and received her master’s degree in Counseling/Marriage & Family Therapy from Cal State Northridge. Janet has experience counseling middle school students from diverse backgrounds both individually and in groups. Her thesis project was designing and co-leading a group to help 8th graders deal with their developmental issues and more successfully make the transition to high school. Janetcurrently enjoys working with all populations but her special interest is treating adolescents with substance abuse problems and eating disorders. These are areas she is especially committed to due to the fact that she has battled and overcome these disorders in her own life.

Janet was attracted to training at Safe Harbor due to the warm, caring environment, knowledgeable staff, the team approach to treatment, customized treatment plans and the opportunity to work with clients in a variety of modalities (individual, couples, family and group therapy).

jody-p-evans-mftiJody P. Evans, MFTi

After many years of working as a litigation attorney, and because of a desire to want to become a therapist, Jody attended Pepperdine University and received a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology, with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Counseling. While attending Pepperdine, Jody worked for the Pepperdine Community Counseling Clinic, where she worked with a variety of modalities including, but not limited to, individual, couples, families, adolescents and children. Jody currently enjoys working with all populations, but her special interest is in treating adults and adolescents with eating disorders. This area is important to Jody because she has battled and overcome an eating disorder in her own life.

Jody was attracted to Safe Harbor because of Darlene Manick’s extensive experience in treating eating disorders. The Safe Harbor program is unlike any other intensive outpatient eating disorder program because of its one-on-one service to its clients, and their team-oriented approach to treatment.

jacqueline-mendez-mftJacqueline Mendez, MFT

My name is Jacqueline Mendez. I am a Bi-lingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, offering therapy in English as well as Spanish. I have had the privilege of working with individuals and families for over 10 years. For the past 2 years I have worked with Safe Harbor. To me Safe Harbor represents a warm and inviting place where individuals and families can learn better ways of managing feeling and behaviors that causes stress and upset. Here, along with gifted psychotherapists and wonderful teammates, I am able to offer opportunities to end stories of sadness, anger, and self-defeat, and begin stories of joy, love, and self-nurturance. Psychotherapy is a spiritual journey in which one has the opportunity to process, heal, and forgive past judgments of self and others that impact one’s ability to reside in the authentic self, being able to find and fulfill one’s purpose in life, and having loving interactions with others. I believe that this can be done through forgiveness, focusing on the silver lining of all our experiences, and in having greater, deeper connections with others. After all, we are not human beings on spiritual journey rather spiritual beings on a human journey. The first step towards attaining inner peace and balance is to understand how our individual history manifests itself through our relationships and our ability to cope with stress and conflict. Together, beginning from the first session, we will set goals and form a collaboration to assist you in achieving your goals.

lauren-schmitt-dietitian-personal-trainerLauren Schmitt
Lauren is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer specializing in eating disorders, weight management, and physical fitness. Lauren has been working with Safe Harbor helping individuals overcome their struggle with eating disorders. She has experience with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Lauren has a Master’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from California State University at Northridge (CSUN) with a concentration in Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian and NASM certified personal trainer.

Laila Malad M.D.
Safe Harbor is honored to have Dr. Laila Malad as a consulting psychiatrist.
Dr. Malad is a licensed physician specializing in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry.

Dr. Malad has the understanding and compassion, as well as the expertise necessary to treat Eating Disorders and will work together with the treatment team at Safe Harbor to create the best possible treatment plan. Dr. Malad provides diagnostic consultation and comprehensive treatment including psycho-pharmacological treatment (medication management) for the following disorders:

ANXIETY

  • Eating Disorder
  • Body Dysmorphic
  • Generalized Anxiety
  • Panic
  • Social Anxiety
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Obsessive-Compulsive
  • Post-Traumatic
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Phobias

DEPRESSION

  • Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder

MOOD DISORDERS

  • Bipolar (Manic Depressive with and without Psychosis)
  • Pre-menstrual dysmorphic Disorder
  • Cyclothymia

ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

  • Autism and Asperger’s

PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

  • Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder

TOURETTE’S DISORDER

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Dr. Laila Malad
31225 La Baya Drive, Ste 205
Westlake Village, CA 91362
Tel: 818-865-8190