Our Staff

Alcohol Dependence Treatment Drugs

The clinical team at Silver Lining is comprised of individuals who have worked in the drug and mental health sector for more than 30 years. Our group facilitators and counselors all have experience as supervisor therapists, which mean you will be treated by experienced and knowledgeable clinicians. They bring their many years of expertise when providing customized, compassionate care to clients.

Experienced Staff

Jack Platt, LCSW

With more than 30 years of professional experience in mental and behavioral health, Jack Platt has worked in administration, staff supervision, patient and family counseling, corporate training and teaching. Jack received his bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University and another master’s degree in social work from USC. He is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a national certified master addiction counselor (MAC), an internationally certified alcohol & drug counselor (IAOD) and has a lifetime teaching certificate for the California State Community College system. Jack has been a guest lecturer at the University of California, Irvine and at California State University, Fullerton.

Consultant

Cathy Thielen MA, PsyD

Dr. Cathy Thielen has been working in the field of Addiction for 20 years. She has both a Masters and a Doctorate Degree in clinical psychology. Dr. Thielen specializes in Trauma/PTSD, Substance Abuse Treatment, and Anxiety and Depressive disorders. She believes in individualized care, and tailors treatment to the needs of the client utilizing techniques pulled from CBT, Mindfulness and Meditation practices, Music/Art therapy and DBT. Dr. Thielen has worked as Program Director, a Clinician as well a Trauma services coordinator. She has trained staff on Treatment for PTSD and Substance abuse, as well as vicarious traumatization/self-care for clinicians, at various substance abuse treatment centers in both Northern and Southern California. When she is not working with clients, she enjoys hiking, the beach, meditation workshops and spending time with family.

Professional Consultant

Dr. Robin Frazier, LCSW

A licensed drug and alcohol counselor and LCSW therapist with a doctorate in medical physiology, Dr. Robin Fraser uses his skills to strengthen and empower families and communities through educational and support programs. He obtained his masters degree in social work and completed his Ph.D. in physiology from Stanford University School of Medicine. He has more than 40 years of experience in the field of mental and behavioral health and has worked as a social worker, counselor, and supervisor throughout his career. Some highlights include working as a Senior Clinical Director for Padres Unidos, where he supervised as a field instructor for intern students from USC, California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Dominguez Hills to provide counseling for families in vulnerable communities. He has also been a part of Orange County Children and Family Services as a senior social worker. Dr. Fraser has a passion for working with those struggling with mental and substance abuse issues. He believes in nurturing the spiritual growth of himself and others. When it comes to treating clients, he believes in the art of therapeutic connection. His style of treatment promotes a compassion first approach as well as positive contributions to their lives. He enjoys the love and service he brings to the life of others. In his free time, he engages in meditation/mindfulness, mountain biking, jogging, weight training, archery, yoga and Ki training.

Business Development

Chad Blauer, Business Development

My name is Chad Blauer and I was born and raised in Huntington Beach. I currently reside in Newport Beach. In my free time I enjoy surfing, snowboarding, hiking, fishing, and coaching/playing baseball. I have a passion for helping others and encouraging growth in the people around me. More specifically aiding people in the discovery of their true selves.

Zac Spowart, LAADC, MBA, Chairman

On his way to becoming Chief Executive Officer/Co-founder of Silver Lining, Zac sought to strengthen his educational background and did so by obtaining degrees in different areas and specialties. His fascination with the human body along with physical, emotional, and behavioral development was founded in his undergraduate Kinesiology degree with a pre-medical course focus. From there, Zac proceeded to enhance his education by attending the highly acclaimed and internationally recognized Hazelden-Betty Ford master’s program which focused on addiction counseling and co-occurring disorder treatments. His experience at Hazelden not only solidified his passion for the field, but it provided elite and industry-leading fundamentals for addiction recovery and the supporting research. His clinical practicum allowed him the opportunity for on-site rotations that ranged from treating males and females of all ages, and various levels of care. This included adult and adolescent residential and detoxification, day treatment, intensive outpatient programming, and standard outpatient. These diverse levels of care provided well-rounded exposure and clinical aptitude for a wide range of behavioral, mood, and personality disorders that often accompany addictions and the subsequent best evidence-based practices for their treatment. Zac has since applied these foundational components to treat hundreds of clients and families who suffer from the disease of addiction. As he remained in the field, his passion to help others grew and he eventually sought his MBA from Pepperdine University. It is his core belief that this blend of clinical experience and business insight will lead to the greatest levels of success for all staff and clients who participate in Silver Lining programming. Aside from his professional and educational experience, Zac also brings his own personal experience in recovery to Silver Lining. Zac battled addiction at a young age, and consequently received treatment and became sober at the age of 21. His personal and professional ties to addiction have helped steer him towards seeking to assist others in any manner possible who struggle with the disease of addiction and other disorders. Zac has worked in various roles from Counselor/Case Manager, Program Developer, Group Facilitator, Director of Quality/Compliance, and Director of Operations at multiple mental health rehabilitation facilities across the United States. He is excited about his role at Silver Lining and looks forward to using his skills and experience to help others struggling with all forms of addictions and any disorder that causes a client discomfort or pain. Engaging with the clients he encounters on a regular basis is what he loves most about his job. He enjoys learning about each client and helping bring out their best personality traits and qualities while on their journey to sobriety. In addition to establishing and growing relationships with individuals seeking treatment, he is also passionate about the development of other counselors and staff. He strives to create a professional environment that people are drawn towards and enjoy. After becoming sober, Zac obtained his helicopter pilot license, became scuba certified, and traveled to all the 50 states and Europe. In his free time, Zac participates in triathlons and marathons and trains for them regularly. He attributes these opportunities to his gift of sobriety and seeks to encourage others to have all they can dream of and more as they too recover.

Faculty

Barmak Hefazi, Founder

As the Founder of Silver Lining, Barmak seeks to achieve the highest level of program efficiency while ensuring clients are receiving the best care possible through collaboration with the Executive Director. Barmak attended CSUF Miyahlo School of Business and studied accounting and started a career working in tax accounting and the financial sector. After working in that industry for 10 years, he decided he needed a change. Barmak went back to school to study to become a therapist. He began working in rehabilitation facilities (from small facilities to large centers) and enjoyed the work. From his business outlook, he saw there was a lot of structure missing from the administrative side in client care. Barmak soon discovered he had a knack for filling in those missing pieces and establishing a seamless administrative process for clients. At Silver Lining, Barmak wants clients to know their health and recovery is the focal point of the treatment they will receive. He has created an administrative system that will allow clinicians to focus solely on client care, rather than spending countless hours on the administrative side like filling forms and other office tasks. He has invested in up-to-date, innovative technology that will allow clinicians to do what they do best: providing high-quality care for their clients. In his free time, Barmak spends time with his wife and 2-year-old son as a family man. Also, he likes to keep active by playing soccer regularly and maintaining his skills as an amateur MMA fighter. Meditation and service to the community are also a passion of his of which he participates in various groups.

Ngosa Pepala, Case Manager

My name is Ngosa Pepala I obtained my Associate’s degree as a Paralegal in Pittsburgh PA. I later on attained my Bachelors in Justice studies and continued to graduate school attaining an MS in Criminal Justice. My professional career spans from a Domestic violence Agency (Interact- Raleigh North Carolina) I attained multiple certifications in Domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Working with this population I become aware of the symbolic relationship between domestic violence and substance abuse. In order to appropriately serve the victims, I decided to go back to school and obtained an MS in addiction counseling. I am a member of NAADAC and CCAPP. I have three adult children, I love music, dancing, fishing, and sewing. I love what I do, it has given me human insight having worked through issues that others struggle and seek help with.

Sarah Farmer, Case Manager

With an undergraduate degree in Psychology from CSUF and a Master’s degree in Addiction Counseling from GCU, Sarah has been working as a substance abuse case manager for over 3 years. Due to her own family’s history with addiction, Sarah has a strong passion for helping those suffering from the disease of addiction. As a case manager, Sarah believes in helping people break their cycle of addiction by tapping into their true potential, developing healthy coping skills, identifying triggers, building a sober support system and learning life skills that will help empower clients to maintain their sobriety. When Sarah is not working, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 young children. Along with working as a case manager, Sarah has a passion for living a healthy lifestyle and her and her family own a local gym.