About HEAL Exceeding Treatment Industry Standards

Tracie is the Co-Owner and Director of Corporate Relations for HEAL Behavioral Health. Having over 12 years of experience in the drug and alcohol treatment field, she is dedicated to helping families and loved ones of those who are afflicted with addiction and mental health disorders through coaching and interventions. Having studied Marketing and Psychology at the University of Florida, she brought her talent and expertise in branding and launching new treatment programs to several industry-leading treatment centers throughout our nation.

Tracie is an active board member of several organizations. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Executive Management Retreat, held annually by The Institute of the Advancement of Behavioral Healthcare. Tracie also currently serves as the Marketing Committee Chair for the Florida Addiction Treatment Coalition (FATC). Tracie’s mission is to make a difference in the quality of treatment by enforcing best practices. By serving in these organizations, she ensures that they advance their missions by sustaining sound and ethical management policies. Tracie strongly upholds the structure and philosophy that HEAL Behavioral Health upholds– to Help Everyone Achieve Life by working closely with addicted families and by making a difference on a large scale.

Nitya Sivakumar is a Co-Founder and the Director of Marketing at HEAL Behavioral Health. Originally from Plainsboro, New Jersey, Nitya made her way down to Florida for treatment and began her journey in recovery. As a woman in long-term recovery, Nitya’s primary focus is to help those currently struggling with addiction and mental health disorders find a new way of life—just as she was helped. She firmly believes that when women inspire other women to sincerely be themselves, their pain and struggle turns into their triumph.

Nitya is an active voice of the Not Even Once movement conducted by the police department of her hometown. She speaks with students in high school, parents and police officers about the signs and symptoms of addiction and how to help a loved one. Nitya is also on the Marketing Committee of FATC. She works intimately with families to help them find light in the darkness of active addiction. Nitya is always available to talk to those in difficult situations who are in search of help and aides them to the appropriate type of care.

Dr. Jeffrey Bishop serves as the Medical Director of HEAL Behavioral Health. He has worked in the addiction treatment field for many years throughout the state and intimately understands the treatment needs of the community and state. Dr. Bishop joined HEAL Behavioral Health with the determination to further individualized treatment and educate families. He does this by conducting our Medication-Assisted Treatment Program for our inpatient and outpatient care.

Dr. Bishop received a B.S. in Medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1978 and became a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. An expert in addiction treatment, Dr. Bishop has extensive experience managing medically complex patients through the treatment process. Dr. Bishop treats addiction with medicine, and is certified and trained in Medication-Assisted Treatment. He has served as medical director for a number of hospitals and facilities throughout the nation prior to HEAL Behavioral Health.

Glen Aitken is the Clinical Director at HEAL Behavioral Health. Glen is a Master’s Certified Addiction Professional as well as a Certified Trauma Professional. Using a multidisciplinary approach to treatment of addiction and mental health issues, he specializes in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Polyvagal Informed Therapy, Safe Sound Protocol and more.

At HEAL, Glen oversees the entire Clinical Department and also works with individual patients and their families.

Dr. Joseph Milisitz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who obtained his MSW Degree from Adelphi University in New York in 1984. Dr. Joe then earned his Post Graduate Degree in Pastoral Counseling and Clinical Sexology from the American Academy of Clinical Sexologists. With over 30 years working in the mental health industry, his experience encompasses treating Anxiety, Trauma/PTSD, Substance Use Disorders and Dual Diagnosis.

Dr. Joe serves as the Clinical Consultant of HEAL Behavioral Health. He specializes in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, and combining these therapies with the 12-Step approach to recovery.

Brittney Whelihan Irwin, APRN is the nurse practitioner at Heal Behavioral Health, who manages medical and psychiatric treatment of clients. Brittney is a Florida native and has been working in the medical field since 2006. Her journey into addiction treatment began in 2014, when she began working in the field and noticed how rare it was to find compassionate care for people struggling with addiction. Her goal is to always provide the highest standard of care, giving the necessary time to listen and treat each person as a whole.

Brittney earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing at Florida Atlantic University and is board certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She is also currently working toward another board certification, attending Liberty University to earn her Post Master’s in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

Trish Byars is the Primary Trauma Therapist of HEAL Behavioral Health. With over 28 years of experience in the field of trauma and PTSD, she contributes to practically every facet of the behavioral health industry. Trish is Spirit to Spirit trained and was coached by forerunners of trauma treatment. She has dedicated her life to building refuge for victims of trauma and those suffering from addiction. Trish is also an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

Trish Byars has designed our comprehensive Trauma Program at HEAL Behavioral Health, of the many family programs she has developed in her experience. Trish specializes in “Healing the Soul Wounds” using Experiential Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychotherapy.

Judy Sperling has over 25 years of experience in the addiction field. She has dedicated her life to helping individuals and families in need. She is based out of the Chicago Illinois area but works with families nationally. She holds a master’s degree in science in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. Judy has been consulting with families and facilitating family-based interventions and workshops for the past 20 years. Judy has worked in Private practice in Sarasota Florida and the Chicagoland area treating addiction, eating disorders and sex addiction, and providing couples and family workshops. She was the site director for the Rehab after work IOP program in Sarasota. She was a clinical supervisor for the Sarasota DUI court in Sarasota, Florida.

For the last seven years Judy has run and owned her own company- interventions International -where she consulted with families, facilitated interventions, transports, case management and 3 day family workshops. Judy is passionate about her work with families and in giving the entire family the opportunity to recover and be healthy. Judy is a trustee of the Jay and Becky Kaiserman Foundation. This foundation directly provides scholarships to treatment.

Dr. Alvin Howlett has spent over 20 years in the mental health and recovery field and is passionately committed to helping others recover from the challenges of addiction. In recovery himself, he applies his personal and professional experience of recovery and treatment as a group facilitator. Dr. Alvin truly believes treatment is more than therapy - it is an experience of community within a caring, organized and structured environment.

Dr. Alvin Howlett holds a Doctoral Degree in Biblical Theology, and a Master’s, and Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Ed. After a career with the US Navy as a chef, Alvin entered the treatment industry, working as a cook, house manager, life skills instructor, a unit treatment rehab specialist in a hospital and behavioral health technician supervisor.

“I love what I do - it’s my joy to see others live productive, prosperous lives. I want them all to have the same chance that I have been afforded.”

Xander began his career in addiction treatment as a Behavioral Health Technician and later transitioned into Community Outreach. Today, he is a Community Outreach Coordinator of HEAL Behavioral Health and helps place individuals struggling with addiction and mental illness into the appropriate treatment program. He builds lasting relationships treatment facilities, hospitals and sober living communities while working closely with families to help addicts get the same help he once was given. His passion is to show individuals struggling with addiction that there is a better way of life and works tirelessly to give back to the community.

As a native to Florida and a person in long-term recovery, Alexander Gonzalez battled with addiction for many years believing there was no other way of life. He admitted to addiction treatment, actively attended 12 Step fellowship meetings and obtained a strong foundation in recovery.

Harry’s passion to help others comes from his own experience with addiction and overcoming it in long-term recovery. Harry has helped hundreds of men and women kick-start their journey in recovery by founding and running several sober living homes.

As Client Care Coordinator, Harry works closely with patients and acts as a liaison by establishing and maintaining relationships with entities outside of our facility who interact with our clients. Harry was born and raised in Miami, which affords him the ability to maintain strong ties to the local community. Harry helps people facilitate their lives from addiction to recovery, placing them into facilities that would ensure the greatest chance of recovery for that individual. When Harry is not working with patients, he is sharing his experience, strength and hope using the 12 steps programs of recovery.

Savya Venkatesh is originally from New Jersey and is a person in long-term recovery. After experiencing her own struggle with addiction, she came to Florida and began her journey in recovery. Her passion is to help families learn and cope with the disease of addiction as well as helping individuals struggling with addiction understand their disease. She participates in the Not Even Once Movement of her hometown, conducted by the Plainsboro Police Department. She speaks her story to students of the high school she attended as a preventative measure and to families to help direct them to the help they need.

She currently serves as the Digital Marketing Specialist at HEAL Behavioral Health. She began her career working for drug and alcohol treatment centers by researching and writing about the effects of addiction for families and those struggling to learn more about the symptoms of mental health conditions with Substance Use Disorder. Her aim is to provide information to help families learn how to help their loved one and encourage them to get treated.

Lisa Caputo is originally from New York. She studied at Kingsborough college and Hunter College, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. After decades of active addiction she is now a dedicated woman in long-term recovery. Lisa serves as the Office Manager at Heal Behavioral Health, but wears many hats throughout the week. She interacts with clients on a personal level and occassionally brings her experience with 12-Step Fellowship to group as a facilitator. She never planned to work in addiction treatment but seeing clients experience true healing is rewarding to her. Her passion to help the struggling addict shines as she brings her enthusiasm to work every day.

Katie is native to Florida and a woman in long-term recovery. She firmly believes that when women inspire other women to sincerely be themselves, their pain and struggle turns into their triumph.

Katie strives to promote the HEAL mission by providing excellent client care to see those afflicted succeed. Katie’s experience in the treatment industry started with her role as a behavioral health technician and providing care for our clients on a day to day basis. Today, she serves as the case manager of HEAL Behavioral Health. Katie is responsible for helping our clients with resume building, job search assistance, and 12-step immersion, ensuring that their recovery succeeds beyond the walls of our treatment center.