Staff

Jim has served as La Selva’s Executive Director since 2000. He has guided La Selva from a single Residential Program in Palo Alto to a group of services including residential services at 5 sites and a robust Outpatient Program located at our new Out PT Campus. LSG Out PT programs include, PHP,IOP, Private pay day programming, La Selva Community Clinic, and our Alumni Program. He has worked in this field since 1975. Jim’s vision for La Selva is creating a community of support and recovery allowing our members to transition through different levels of care within the same wellness community.

Anthony oversees the operations across La Selva’s programs from Residential to Outpatient. He utilizes both his clinical and operational experience to connect dots and support the everchanging La Selva community. He has over 14 years of residential mental health experience that includes the social rehab and harm reduction models, dual diagnosis, as well as crisis and transitional living. He is a firm believer that the greatest power is to empower others.

Dr. Juliana Lockman directs the Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder (FND) track at La Selva. She works in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, where she is Clinical Assistant Professor in Neuropsychiatry. She completed residencies in both Neurology at the University of Virginia and Psychiatry at Stanford Hospital & Clinics. Her professional goals include developing effective therapies and improving access to care for clients with FND and related disorders.

Dr. Wang is ABPN Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry and is La Selva Group’s primary psychiatrist. He graduated from Harvard University with an undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences and received the National Science Scholar award. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and completed his residency at Stanford University receiving The NIMH Outstanding Resident Award in 2005.

Dr. Fagundes (he/him) is Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry and is a staff psychiatrist at La Selva. He received his M.D. from Brown University and completed his psychiatry residency at Stanford University. He has undergone training in psychopharmacology, psychodynamic therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. In residency, he also had a special focus on interventional psychiatry, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Dr. Fagundes also completed a Psychoanalysis Fellowship Program through the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (PAPPTP).

Dr. Ando (he/him) is a staff psychiatrist at La Selva. He graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and he is completing his residency at Stanford Hospitals and Clinics. He has undergone training in psychopharmacology, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and CBT for insomnia. He has a particular interest in working with the young adult and college age population, and believes strongly in collaborating with his patients on their treatment decisions. He is a Bay Area native and enjoys rooting for the Giants and 49ers and trying out new restaurants.

Monika Arnold, LCSW, is the Director of Admissions for outpatient services at La Selva. She also manages admissions and clients in the Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder (FND) track at La Selva. In addition, Monika has caseload of clients, runs groups at the outpatient setting and supervises interns. Prior to joining our team Monika gained valuable experience working in residential setting working with adults, and wilderness therapy with teens. She graduated from the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 2008.

Martha is a bilingual clinician working with both mono-lingual clients and clients participating in our outpatient program at La Selva. Using a blend of mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy, Martha provides short term psychotherapy as well as case management services. Martha is passionate about community work and has worked in various settings including working with at-risk juvenile offenders, survivors of domestic violence and child protective services. Her interests include working with young adults, incarcerated/at-risk populations and family therapy.

Sajana Sagar recently joined us as our new Director of Residential Services. La Selva Group now has 42 residential beds at five different locations in Palo Alto. Sajana has a master’s degree in social work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (India) and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University. She has worked in the behavioral health field for more than eight years.

Simi Bhaurla, LPCC, plays a pivotal role in the expansion of La Selva Outpatient as the program manager for the new Evening Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). With three years of leadership experience, Simi brings a wealth of expertise to this role. Known for her detail-oriented approach, organizational skills, and creativity, Simi is dedicated to implementing a client-centered approach aimed at empowering individuals and fostering overall wellness within our community. By promoting empowerment and inclusivity, Simi strives to create a safe and nurturing environment where all clients can thrive and reach their full potential.

Morgan is a clinician at the residential treatment program at La Selva. She recently received her Master’s in Counseling from Palo Alto University and holds clinical experience in various settings including crisis response, neuropsych clinic, community-based, and working with adults in custody under the umbrella of the Santa Clara County Custody Bureau & MAT program.

As a professional footballer since age 17, Morgan holds a unique experience in this field as she learned to navigate life’s flow of beauty and challenges on and off the sports pitch. Her extensive athletic career fused with her studies has cultivated her adeptness in performance-related issues, life transitions, self-actualization, visualization, and somatic awareness. Morgan emphasizes an eclectic approach to treatment from a transpersonal lens that is inspired by the Decolonizing Therapy framework for healing.

Jurek has been with La Selva Group for over 17 years. He received his PhD in psychology at ITP (through Sofia University) in Palo Alto. In addition to leading the outpatient clinical team and coordinating clients’ care & recovery, he also conducts groups at El Camino Way: they include Heart & Mind Alignment, Family Constellation, Creative Writing and Archetypes, and Somatic experiential group. His approach is eclectic, holistic and pragmatic interwoven with healthy sense of humor & spirituality.

Ana is bilingual clinician in our outpatient program at La Selva Community Clinic. Using a blend of mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Somatic Experience approaches Ana provides short term psychotherapy as well as case management services. Ana thoroughly enjoys helping people find ways to be their best self. She has experience working with at-risk juvenile offenders, families, couples, and individuals. Her interests include working with clients helping them work through trauma while focusing on the mind-body connection.

Donna is a clinician at the Outpatient program at La Selva. She received her master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton, London, England. Donna has previously worked in the NHS in England, in a family therapy center in Dallas TX and La Selva Residential facility. She has volunteered in the community with at-risk and detained children, as well as adolescents and survivors of domestic violence. She has a published paper in the Journal of Psycholinguistics. At the Outpatient program, Donna provides therapy, case management, facilitates groups and admissions. Donna is a qualified Yoga instructor and likes to remain physically active in her personal life, she believes that physical health is inextricably connected to psychological and emotional well-being.

Kevin provides nursing services and medication oversight at our Residential Program.

Hello! My name is Samantha and I am the staff RN at La Selva Residential. My journey to the world of mental health nursing has been a deeply personal one, fueled by a profound desire to provide hope, healing and understanding to individuals facing the most challenging aspects of their lives. As a psychiatric nurse, I have had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of empathy and connection. Every day, I am reminded that while mental health struggles may be invisible, the impact is real and profound. This realization drove me to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and specialize in psychiatric nursing. In my role at La Selva I have the opportunity to connect with my clients and provide therapeutic nursing interventions that make a positive impact on their well-being. This is something I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do, and provides a great sense of fulfillment in my life. In my free time, I love to backpack, camp and spend time in nature with family and friends.

Maya is a Supportive Housing Specialist assigned to our Supportive Housing program. She is a counselor at the Supportive Houses, Lowell and Middlefield; she also teaches classes, on Planning Your Future and Health and Wellness, for the Outpatient program.

Manh started working for Momentum in July 2017 as a Peer Specialist. After six months, Manh decided to work as a full-time Case Manager for Community Solutions before returning to Momentum full-time as a Crisis Residential Specialist in the San Jose area. Manh left the company for a brief time to work as a Social Worker for Santa Clara County before his eventual arrival to La Selva Residential. Manh used to volunteer for the in-patient psychiatric unit for Stanford and El Camino Hospital as a Nami representative.

Ligia (AMFT, she/her/hers) provides individual therapy and case management for clients participating at the Lowell/Esperanza Supportive Housing Program, as well as facilitating groups in our outpatient program. Ligia is client-centered, strength-finding, present-minded, and versatile in her approach to therapy, utilizing many theories including CBT, DBT, Internal Family Systems, with an emphasis on humanistic theories along with skill-building. It’s also important noting Ligia’s background in sociology and her emphasis on seeing each client’s intersecting identities, and recognizing her own privileges within the therapeutic alliance.

Hello my name is Doug, I am from Pennsylvania, graduated with my masters with clinical mental health counseling at Kutztown University. Since moving to California, I have worked in private practice, IOP/PHP, and residential, however, RTC at La Selva has filled me with the most joy.