Meet the Assisted Recovery Staff

Lloyd Vacovsky
Director

Lloyd Vacovsky co-founded Assisted Recovery in 1996 as the first private Treatment Program in the United States to recognize the value of the medication naltrexone in the battle against Alcohol Dependence. Lloyd serves as Director for the American Council on Alcoholism.


Vacovsky says:
"When we first started ARCA ten years ago, I believed that naltrexone would soon become a standard part of the alcoholism treatment process, and I was surprised when it didn't catch on more quickly. But it is gratifying to see that with the recent addition of Campral® in the market, that it's finally getting some of the attention it deserves. And with Vivitrex® (the injectable form of naltrexone which provides a 30-day timed-release dose) soon to be available, we hope to see even more public awareness of this extremely effective and helpful medical option. That can only result in better success rates and greater incentives for the development of other pharmacological options to help address the physical aspects of other addictions."

Recovery is different from being 'in recovery.' Recovery means that the individual is no longer alcohol-dependent. It means that when the individual wakes up in the morning, alcohol is not an issue, and that it is not an issue the entire waking day. Being 'in recovery' means that the individual must maintain his or her complete focus on maintaining abstinence, and putting up with the emotional and physical discomfort associated with achieving sobriety. Recovery is that point when alcohol is no longer the primary focus of life. Indeed, it means that the individual can proceed through the day, constantly bombarded by elements of the alcohol world, and not have a problem."

Emmett Velten, PhD.
Clinical Director

Emmett Velten, PhD, holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a PhD in psychology from the University of Southern California. His dissertation produced the Velten Mood Induction Procedure, which is widely used in research on mood states.

Dr. Velten has been Clinical School Psychologist with the Memphis City Schools, Staff Psychologist in the Division of Gastroenteritis of the University of Alabama School of Medicine, and Chief Psychologist at Yuma County Behavioral Health Services in Arizona. In San Francisco, for fifteen years he was Clinical Development Director of Bay Area Addiction Research & Treatment (BAART) and California Detoxification Programs. He was an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at California Pacific Medical Center and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco. See his Private Practice site.

Dr. Velten is a past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, a member of the Board of Trustees and of the Board of Professional Advisors of the Albert Ellis Institute in New York, and editor of the SMART Recovery® News & Views newsletter.

Samuel C. Walker, NMD, PC
Medical Director

Also known as "Dr. Sam" to his patients, he has been in private family practice for eight years and the Assisted Recovery staff physician for over five years. Seeing literally hundreds of ARCA clients, he firmly believes that alcohol dependence is a multi-faceted illness that requires treatment of the psycho/social issues, as well as the physical aspects of the addiction.

Dr. Walker says: "Medication isn't a cure all; however, it does give the patient a fighting chance to succeed at abstinence. so that he or she can now begin to address the complex psychological and social issues of recovery."

Diogo Machado, BS, BHT
Substance Abuse Counselor
Diogo Machado comes to us from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he was a Clinical Psychologist with Clinical Jorge Jaber, which is one of the preeminent alcohol and drug treatment programs in South America.

Diogo is a recognized expert in Motivational Interviewing and has been working in the field of alcohol and substance abuse addictions for nine years. He also served as the Director of International Affairs for the Brazilian Association for Alcoholism and Drugs.

Diogo, along with ARCA Director Lloyd Vacovsky were instrumental in helping to establish the Brazilian branch of SMART Recovery as an option for Brazilians seeking recovery. Diogo is a strong advocate of pharmacotherapy and the utilization of safe, effective medications to assist in the recovery process.

Diogo says: "this program helps those who were not successful with other treatment approaches."

Terri Rogers, MS
Program Manager

For the past four years, Terri Rogers has been ARCA's Program/Office Manager. In addition to keeping the office running smoothly, she "womans'' the telephones... and you will find her to be gracious, knowledgeable and very helpful with any questions you may have.

Terri says: "I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to see the positive changes in people soon after they enter the ARCA program. They see the light at the end of the tunnel, start smiling and begin to embrace life again. After four years, I remain convinced of the efficacy of the ARCA treatment protocols."

Contact Assisted Recovery today at
(602) 264-7897 or toll free (800) 527-5344

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Our recovery programs are
designed to be a
“working-vacation



We believe that "recovery" does NOT equal boring and dull. In fact, we believe that it is very important that you have FUN in recovery.

CLICK here FUN things to do in Phoenix
while on your "working-vacation"




Our group meeting room






Our private office for one-on-one sessions.

 



Practicing the tools of CBT


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