STAFF

Always interested in relationship dynamics, Le Winter credits an excellent therapist during adolescence with inspiring her to think, “If this helped me, then I bet it could help other people.” Those sessions also helped her make sense of her childhood and understand those experiences, and her interest in relationship theory grew from there.

A licensed marriage and family therapist, LeWinter’s past experience includes positions at Sierra Tucson as a family therapist and assistant clinical director and running the “quality of life” workshops at Miraval. From there, she established a private practice for two decades with a specialty in couples and addictions.

LeWinter started at The Meadows Outpatient Center in Scottsdale as a therapist before transferring to Wickenburg, where she became the clinical supervisor for the interns. After a three-year break to care for her aging parents, she returned as part of the Meadows Case Management team. Before long, she was chosen to head the program at The Meadows Malibu.

A natural fit for the position of executive director, LeWinter has extensive training in couples therapy and feels strongly about treating the patient within the relationship structure they will be returning to. In this new role she’s excited about deepening the clinical experience at The Meadows Malibu and adding more family work, preparing patients and loved ones to incorporate what they’ve learned once they return home.

A mom of two adult children, her son’s diagnosis on the autism spectrum has given her a deeper awareness of how people think and process information differently. This personal experience has helped her gain insight into learning differences, processing speeds, and social skills awareness.

During his residency and fellowship training at the LAC+USC Medical Center, Dr. Jaffe was responsible for triage, evaluation, treatment, admission, and disposition of emergent psychiatric patients in a 2,000-bed facility. The medical center comprised the pediatric, women’s, and general hospital departments and served the greater Los Angeles area.

Dr. Jaffe currently consults for the Los Angeles County Superior Courts and is an emeritus member of the expert witness panel. He has provided consultations to various agencies including the United States Postal Service, the Medical Board of California, the United States Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons, Long Beach Rapid Transit, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Los Angeles County Mental Health Court. He has performed many evaluations for various agencies, courts, and attorneys on cases that involve the use of drugs and alcohol during the commission of crimes or during employment.

During the 30 years comprising his medical education, training and experience, Dr. Jaffe has had the privilege of evaluating and treating thousands of people with addiction. He has seen the countless ways that addiction impacts people and has witnessed the remarkable impact treatment can have.

What led her to this line of work? “A curiosity and passion for understanding people, my life purpose, and our connection to one another,” Malik says. Since 2010, she has worked in a variety of healthcare settings. With more exposure to co-occurring disorders, she became intrigued by the field of addiction medicine, taking advantage of opportunities to expand her knowledge. As she gained more understanding and awareness around different addictive behaviors, Malik realized that many co-occurring disorders are rooted in deep-seated trauma and benefit from an integrated approach. Her own personal growth reinforced this concept, and she began applying holistic techniques to her work with clients, addressing the entire person.

Her current role as assistant clinical director allows her to draw on her specialties in trauma, addiction, acute mental health, and eating disorders as she works with the rest of the clinical team to coordinate and oversee treatment planning. By starting out as a therapist at The Meadows Malibu, it allowed Malik to seek out opportunities for creative program development. She is also passionate about the growth of her therapists and recognizes the importance of team building.

One of her favorite parts of the job is, “being able to witness the shift that occurs in an individual when they truly begin to gain an understanding of their sense of self through integrating the mind-body-spirit connection.”

When not working, Malik enjoys travel, spiritual practices, working out, and quality time with loved ones.

Dr. Morrison says he enjoys and values the multidisciplinary team approach at The Meadows Malibu, adding, “I have had the privilege and honor of working with highly skilled professionals that go above and beyond the call of duty. The Meadows Malibu has a strong team of dedicated professionals that I feel privileged and honored to work with.”

Married with three young adult daughters, Dr. Morrison enjoys spending time with his family and friends surfing, camping, cooking, walking his dogs, and playing cornhole.

She joined the team at The Meadows Malibu in October 2021 as director of nursing, a role that has her overseeing and managing the nursing staff. That includes daily communication and check-ins with patients and continuous communication with medical providers. She’s also responsible for overseeing admission and discharge processes as well as collaborating with a multidisciplinary team on each patient’s individualized plan of care.

“Our nursing team is amazing and dedicated to giving our best to you when you need it most,” she says, adding, “sI’m proud to lead this team, and I’m here for you during your stay with us anytime you need me.”

A mother of two, Michel spends her downtime participating in her own recovery, hiking, binge-watching documentaries, enjoying all that LA had to offer, and spending time with her kids, other family, and friends.

Cooking has always been a passion for Ayala, so when she decided to change careers, she wanted to do something she loved so much that it wouldn’t feel like work. After graduating from culinary school and starting in the food service field, she says she knew she had found where she belonged.

Her role as head chef at The Meadows Malibu is one Ayala takes seriously. Her responsibilities include keeping the kitchen running smoothly for both patients and staff, with a focus on providing nourishing meals to aid in recovery. It goes beyond that, though. Chef Ayala also works with each patient to discover any food allergies and learn about their likes and dislikes. She does her best to incorporate favorite foods into her meal planning and accommodate special requests. She also leads a weekly Creative Cooking class so patients can learn how to prepare healthful meals for themselves once they return home.

A perk of her job at The Meadows Malibu is working with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, but when she’s at home, it’s all about family. Chef Ayala has been married for more than two decades to her high school sweetheart, and they have four kids together. It’s no surprise, though, that family times often involves cooking and eating. Whether at work or at home, Chef Ayala says, “Everything I make is made with love — it is my secret ingredient!”