Carl has a Master’s Degree in Counseling/Clinical Psychology and is a Florida Certified Addictions Professional (CAP) with over 32 years experience in providing treatment services to chemically dependent/co-occurring clients and their family members. His extensive personal and professional involvement in the field of addictions and mental health recovery provides our clients with the expertise for creating a customized approach to each client’s needs. His expertise in Evidenced Based Practices include Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety/Trauma Informed Care, Solutions Oriented Interventions and Supportive Counseling Techniques. Carl has served as the clinical director and addiction therapist for 12 Step and non-12 Step treatment centers in the greater Tampa Bay and Chicago areas. Carl is also a black belt in Judo, a professional photographer, and an aficionado of pirate history and culture.
Steve practiced law in Chicago, Illinois for 14 years before alcoholism destroyed his career, relationships and life. In 2004, he began a journey of recovery and redemption and has been working in treatment in Florida since that time. Steve obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Florida College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree (BA) in Economics and International Relations cum laude from Eckerd College. He obtained his Substance Abuse Counseling diploma (SAC Dip.) from Stonebidge Colleges in the United Kingdom. He has been an interventionist and drug and alcohol counselor since 2006. In 2011, he founded Absolute Adventure Radical Recovery, Inc. to engage in intervention and treatment services. He is a Florida certified addiction specialist (CAS) and a Nationally Certified Interventionist Practitioner (NCIP) He has also been trained in Lifestyle Intervention and ARISE Intervention techniques. Steve is currently writing two books – Recovery Fitness and Recovery, Success and Happiness – Never Give Up Just Before the Miracle Happens. His blogs can be found at the following addresses:
www.soberadventuresteve.blogspot.com
www.absoluteadventureradicalrecovery.blogpsot.com
www.interventionsuccess.org
Steve been a successful executive for over 30 years. At age 17, he started as a runner on the Chicago Board Options Exchange working his way to becoming an officer where he started and managed a floor operation for one of the leading merger and acquisition firms. Steve eventually started his own successful trading group. While on the CBOE he held chairmanships on exchange committees and help craft some of the regulations that are still in effect today. Steve moved to a different kind of trading and in 2001 started BRL Test, Inc. a leading full service test and measurement company. Located in Altamonte Springs, BRL Test is still operating with him as its president. Steve has 10 years of sobriety and is very active in the recovery community of central Florida. Steve been a success in business from early in his life. At age 17 he started as a runner on the Chicago Board Options Exchange working his way to becoming an officer where he started and managed a floor operation for one of the leading merger and acquisition firms. Steve eventually started his own successful trading group. While on the CBOE he held chairmanships on exchange committees and help craft some of the regulations that are still in effect today. Steve moved to a different kind of trading and in 2001 started BRL Test, Inc. a leading full service test and measurement company. Located in Altamonte Springs, BRL Test is still operating with him as its president. Steve has 10 years of sobriety and is very active in the recovery community of central Florida.
Irmak holds a PhD in psychology. She is also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Florida and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). Dr. Birey holds both PhD and Master’s degrees with her focus on romantic relationship dynamics. Irmak has been working as a full-time therapist for the past five years with a specialty in personality disorders and trauma related disorders, as well as drug and alcohol recovery. She has been providing psychotherapy to children, adolescents, adults and their families that present with mild-severe persistent mental health issues, major life transitions, co-occurring disorders (drug and alcohol) and overall adjustment problems. Irmak utilizes various psychological assessment tools to evaluate and measure mental health functioning of clients. She is highly skilled in implementing a variety of psychotherapeutic interventions from a person centered perspective that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Existential Therapy, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy. Dr. Birey is also excellent in researching, evaluating, diagnosing, and using alternative client/family interventions with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Joel is the creator and owner of “Enter The Sun: Empowerment through Yoga, Drumming & Music”. He is also a yoga teacher and yoga therapist guiding students toward self-empowerment through yoga practices. A registered Yoga instructor (RYT200 Yoga Alliance, RYT200 Yoga Therapy, KRI IKYTA), he records music for Yoga, Meditation, Healing & Awakening. He teaches Restorative, Therapeutic Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, provide Private Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Drumming Therapy. He is also an ordained minister. In addition to weekly healing services and facilitating a monthly healing drum circle at First Unity in St Petersburg, he hosts a weekly radio show every Tuesday 1-2pm on www.RhinoOnAir.com, titled: “Enter The Sun.”
Julie Kaplan is an internationally trained Acupuncture Physician, Shiatsu Practitioner and Licensed Massage Therapist. Julie holds a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine from East West College of Natural Medicine in Sarasota, Florida and is a Graduate of the Institute for Shiatsu and Oriental Medicine in Germany. Her Bachelors Degree is from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Besides her work in the Julie states has travelled to Japan and Germany to study, work and assist with seminars and classes in shiatsu and acupuncture.
Julie runs a private practice in St. Petersburg, Florida. She has been formally studying and working in the field of the healing arts since 1991. Her work opens the body’s natural flow thereby improving and maintaining health. Julie has come to believe that true healing is connecting to and accepting oneself wherever we may be in life. Her work helps people to connect with themselves opening their hearts up from the hurts of life so that they can proceed with acceptance of their full self and the gifts that their personal life experience have to offer. Julie desires to help make this world a more vibrant and loving place and believes this begins with honoring and loving oneself. AP1448, MA13924
Jamarcus is a certified fitness and strength trainer and has five years’ experience in training athletes and amateurs. He has been working with individuals struggling with addiction for over 3 years.
Gregory has spent nearly 40 years as a professional musician in New York City, Tampa Bay and throughout the USA. Originally from Indiana, where he was a music major at Fort Wayne Bible College, Gregory has been a world-class chef owning restaurants in Florida, Pennsylvania and New York and served as a pianist for Broadway performers as well as an entertainer himself in New York, Indiana and Florida. Completing the treatment program at Footprints himself, Gregory is pursuing certification as a Certified Behavioral Health Technician and using his personable and managerial skills to help the clients of SOS Recovery achieve sobriety as he has and to live in a purposeful way.
Born and raised in New England, Dawn spent several years in business before fitness and yoga captured her heart in recovery. Currently a certified RYT200 Yoga Instructor and completing her RYT500 certification, she has been practicing yoga over 13 years. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist and working toward certification in personal training, spinning, Pilates, and water aerobics. The principles of recovery are intertwined in her yoga practice. She is also active with local organizations, like Hannah’s Homeless, Women with Purpose, Vincent House, and others.
