You’re in good hands

Dr. Martha B. Koo, M.D., completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, and her medical training at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she earned membership to the AOA and Sigma Xi Society for academic excellence. Dr. Koo obtained her psychiatry residency training at the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA and her subsequent psychoanalytic training at the New Center for Psychoanalysis. She is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Certified in Addiction Medicine. For over twenty years Dr. Koo has enjoyed her private practice, providing outpatient psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and pharmacological treatment for individuals, couples and families. A pioneer in the development and application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Dr. Koo opened the South Bay TMS Therapy Center in 2009. She is certified in the application of Neurostar rTMS, Brainsway Deep TMS and MagVenture rTMS Therapy. South Bay TMS has evolved into the Neuro Wellness Spa, where Dr. Koo is Medical Director and offers iv ketamine, iv nutrition and photobiomodulation along with rTMS therapy. She is on the Board of Directors of the Clinical TMS Society. Additionally, Dr. Koo is the Medical Director and Clinical Supervisor at  Clear Recovery Center. She is an active member of the American Psychiatric Association, the New Center for Psychoanalysis, the Clinical TMS Society, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, the California Psychiatric Society and the Southern California Psychiatric Society. She is also a guest lecturer at the New Center for Psychoanalysis and the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Dr. Simon Faynboym was born in Ukraine and immigrated to California at a very young age. Growing up in California, he had a drive to serve the underprivileged and decided to become a physician. Dr. Faynboym currently practices Psychiatry and TMS at Neuro Wellness Spa. Dr. Faynboym earned two Bachelor of Science Degrees, his first in Genetics and the second in Food Biochemistry. He graduated in the top of his class and continued thereafter to get his masters training in Biomedical Sciences at Midwestern University for a year, before heading off to Medical School.

Dr. Faynboym attended Medical School at SGU School of Medicine with clinical rotations in New York and California. Dr. Faynboym then attended Indiana University School of Medicine-Purdue University Indianapolis Hospital System for his internship and residency in Psychiatry.

Dr. Faynboym has been politically involved in Indiana State Medical Association leading to his service as a Trustee for several years along with sitting in the House of Delegates for the American Medical Association. Currently he is involved with the Los Angeles County Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and is a delegate to the California Medical Association.

Dr. Faynboym enjoys being active out doors, in his free time, he likes to go hiking, mountain biking, and doing water activities.

Dr. Josh Lichtman has been practicing psychiatry for almost two decades. He is dual board certified in both adult psychiatry and addiction medicine.

He is passionate about mindfulness practice and psychiatry and is constantly trying to blend the two. Although he primarily focuses on TMS and psychopharmacology, he is trained in various modalities of psychotherapy including CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. He is a clinical instructor at UCLA, and has been selected to be on the list for Southern California Super Doctors for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

While Dr. Hill may be new to Southern California, he has been practicing psychiatry for nearly 20 years and is board certified in General Psychiatry by the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Hill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Biology from the University of New Mexico. After meeting his wife Viola, and starting a family of two daughters, Dr. Hill came back to the Midwest where he received his medical degree from the University of Health Sciences-College of Osteopathic Medicine Kansas City. He then attended and completed his residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Throughout his medical career, Dr. Hill owned his own private practice for 10 years, was on staff as a consultation psychiatrist for multiple Kansas City hospitals, and served as the Medical Director of Psychiatric Services at one of the largest hospitals in the Kansas City Metro area. Additionally, Dr. Hill served as Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Psychiatry at his alma mater, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

Dr. Hill believes in common sense psychiatry and cutting-edge treatment alternatives, which includes providing patients with as much information as possible about their illness. His own personal philosophy when approaching patient care is “with more education, there would be less medication.”

Dr. Hill is passionate about removing the stigma that surrounds mental health and has often had the opportunity to spread his message through local television appearances and a recent PBS documentary about mental health in the Midwest titled The Hidden Pandemic. In his free time, Dr. Hill can be found spending time with his family as well as playing and performing music.

Dr. Alexa Hall, M.D. was born and raised in New England. She obtained her B.S. in Biology from Providence College and her M.D. from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She then completed her general psychiatry residency at Harvard South Shore in Massachusetts with clinical training throughout many affiliated hospitals of Harvard Medical School and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System.

During her residency training, Dr. Hall developed a strong interest in providing high quality, evidence-based care for her patients and spent significant time mentoring and teaching peers. She understands mental health care is not one-size-fits-all, and while collaborating with a patient and the rest of their care team, she helps create for them a personalized treatment plan in line with their values.

Her passion for outpatient psychiatry has led her to the West Coast and Neuro Wellness Spa.

Dr. Frances Javier graduated from UCLA with a degree in Psychobiology, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Departmental Highest Honors. She then spent a decade at the Yale School of Medicine for her medical education and training and currently holds a Community Faculty position at the Yale Child Study Center.

After earning her MD with thesis degree, Dr. Javier joined the Yale Solnit Integrated Child/Adult Psychiatry Program for a combined adult psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship. She was the first Solnit Integrated fellow to complete an additional fellowship in interventional psychiatry with the Yale Interventional Psychiatry Service, receiving subspecialized training in TMS, IV ketamine, intranasal esketamine and ECT. On her final year of training, Dr. Javier was conferred the John E. Schowalter Chief Resident Award for outstanding service as a chief resident. It is her hope that being dual fellowship-trained in child/adolescent and interventional psychiatry would broaden her expertise in extending non-pharmacological, biological therapies to those in need across the lifespan.

Dr. Javier aims to decrease the stigma and barriers to care for some of the most effective and cutting-edge treatments available in psychiatry (i.e., TMS, ketamine, esketamine, etc.), which is a shared goal of Neuro Wellness Spa. Having grown up in Los Angeles, this is homecoming for Dr. Javier after a stint in the Northeast.

Quy was born and raised in Orange County, California. His parents immigrated from Vietnam in 1984 and they taught him the importance of service and working with underserved populations. Quy has been practicing in the mental health field for over seven years. He believes in the importance of dispelling the shame and stigma that has been attached to mental health through education and advocacy. Quy’s goal as a practitioner is to help patients reach their goals and achieve a higher quality of life. In his free time, Quy enjoys traveling and trying new food. He strives to visit as many countries as he can and take advantage of what life has to offer.

Samaneh Ferdowsian is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, who graduated from Walden University. Samaneh has been in the mental health field for over five years has experience working with both adolescents and adults. She completed her Bachelors of Science at Chamberlain University and received her Masters of Science in Psychiatry from Walden University.

Samaneh uses a collaborative and holistic approach to address biological, psychological, and social factors that impact a client’s health. She utilizes mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy to meet the needs of every client in their own unique way. In addition, she is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Samaneh believes that one of the most crucial factors in becoming an effective Advanced Practice Nurse is promoting hope to individuals and families with mental illnesses, to instill self-responsibility and empowerment, and in helping individuals living with mental illness seek a meaningful role in life. With this, she hopes to help clients meet their goals and live the life they value and desire. Samaneh offers services in English and Farsi.

Anthony is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse practitioner with a Master’s degree from Walden University. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Anthony has a professional healthcare background spanning almost 15 years of adult and geriatric nursing between various settings from emergency to critical care, and in recent years focusing on mental health.

As a Los Angeles native, he witnessed first hand how the drastic lack of attention towards mental health within the community can lead to unnecessary physical and mental disability resulting in a poor quality of life. With a passion and dedication towards the field of mental health, Anthony’s goal is to greatly improve society with each patient encounter.

In his free time, Anthony enjoys exercising, seasonal outdoor activities and being one with nature.

Juyeon Shin has been practicing as a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner since 2015 after graduating from University of Florida. She brings over a decade of experience treating mild to severe psychiatric disorders in several settings including, outpatient, inpatient, residential programs and long-term care. Juyeon also has experience as a lecturer at nursing schools, a clinical preceptor for nurse practitioner students, and a research assistant in psychiatry. She is an active board member of California Association for Nurse Practitioners.

Juyeon strongly believes in the highest quality, patient-centered care and providing patients with collaborative and integrative treatments. She speaks English and Korean fluently.

AJ is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a master’s degree in nursing education from Western Governor University and post master’s degree from Maryville University St. Louis. AJ is also board certified in Ambulatory Care and has been taking care of patients with mental health issues in the inpatient and outpatient setting for over sixteen years. He has a strong critical care background and spent a great part of his nurse practitioner training in addiction medicine.

Born in Brazil and raised in South Florida, AJ is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and always strives for diversity and culturally competent care. He welcomes all clients and is certified to care for persons across the lifespan. He believes in providing a judgment free space for patients to seek help and end the stigma towards mental health. His focus is to help clients improve their quality-of-life and reach optimal well-being.

In his free time, AJ enjoys going to the movies, likes comic books and miniature railroading which is a family hobby tradition. He believes in staying mentally strong and physically healthy and likes to stay active by doing OrangeTheory Fitness, Pilates, and outdoor activities. He also likes traveling the world, seeing new cultures, and enjoying new experiences during his travels.

Dr. Izunna Ewudo is a doctoral-prepared, dually Board-Certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who embodies a unique blend of expertise and genuine care in his patient interactions. Born and raised in Los Angeles and with a rich heritage as a Nigerian-American, Dr. Ewudo brings a unique perspective to his practice, embracing cultural diversity and valuing the experiences it offers. He obtained his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Brandman University, his Master of Science in Nursing and post-master certification in Family Nurse Practitioner from Charles Drew University, and his Bachelor of Science in Health Science from California State University, Los Angeles.

Dr. Ewudo has been in healthcare since 2015 and has a broad background in treating mild to severe psychiatric disorders in various settings, including inpatient psychiatry, intensive outpatient psychiatry, telemedicine, and primary care, serving patients from all walks of life.

Dr. Ewudo’s whole-person approach to patient care is marked by a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of the client’s mental, physical, and social well-being. He is passionate about quality patient care and collaboratively develops tailored treatment plans for clients’ specific needs. He focuses on actively involving clients in their healthcare decisions to help them think, feel, and be at their best so they may continue to thrive in life.

Dr. Ewudo is active in the California and American Association of Nurse Practitioners and speaks Igbo. In his free time, you can find him either at the gym working towards his new physical goal, traveling,  spending time with his friends and family, dancing to music, or outdoors holding up a camera.

Christianne Zah-Weber, PMHNP is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and has experience providing psychiatric care across the lifespan. She works collaboratively with patients to determine goals for treatment and interventions that are based on individual needs. She approaches patient care from a whole-person perspective and recognizes how lifestyle, environment, systems, and situational factors influence individual states of well-being. She provides supportive psychotherapy and includes elements of mindfulness and various modalities including psychodynamic, somatic, and cognitive behavioral therapy. She enjoys working with a diverse patient population and providing care from an inclusive framework that honors cultures and traditions that are valued by patients. She has provided medication management for individuals with PTSD and other trauma-related disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar and related disorders, OCD, ADHD, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and substance use disorders. She began working in mental health in 2010 as an intern and subsequently as a Mental Health Technician. Upon completion of her Associates Degree in Nursing from Glendale Community College in 2011, she worked as a Psychiatric Registered Nurse while simultaneously working on her Bachelors in the Science of Nursing at Sacred Heart University. Upon completion of my BSN in 2013, she attended a Doctor of Nursing Practice program at University of Minnesota. While working on her DNP, she gained additional professional experience in psychiatric nursing, detox, and as a nursing educator. Since graduating from University of Minnesota with her DNP, she has been working in private practice. She enjoys the arts and spending time in nature.

Ian is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner with a Masters in Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from Cal State University Long Beach and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from UC Irvine. Growing up in Orange County, Ian quickly learned about the existence of healthcare disparities within his community. He strongly believes that it is imperative to make mental health treatment more accessible to the greater population while reducing the stigma that accompanies psychiatric diagnoses. Ian has extensive experience in street medicine, working with the underprivileged population in Skid Row and Orange County. He utilizes a patient-centered, individualized, and collaborative practice where clients are fully involved in the formulation of a treatment plan.

Kristin was born and raised in the South Bay. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Southern California. She has over 20 years of management experience in small business and has worked in a variety of industries with customer care as her highest priority. She has mentored and supervised many people, and truly enjoys the process of helping others pursue their unique personal development.

She is passionate about teaching natural solutions that support both physical and emotional wellness. She is an essential oil educator and wellness advocate with a special interest in how essential oils assist in healing. She is a fully certified Mag Venture Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Technician, treating patients with a conscious understanding of Neuro-wellness. She is honored and excited to grow with the team at Neuro Wellness Spa.

Jennifer joins Neuro Wellness Spa with a passion for helping others. With over 15 years of customer service experience, six of those in the medical field, she finds joy in helping others recover with a compassionate and personal understanding of their journey.

When she is not working, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, her friends and her pug, Peggy Sue. She loves to cook, and as a Southern California native, she loves the beach, live music and theme parks, especially Disneyland.

Jennifer is excited to bring her drive and understanding to the position and grow with the Neuro Wellness Spa team.

Juan is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, where he earned his B.A. in Public Relations with an emphasis in Marketing. Juan is passionate about helping others and loves nothing more than being able to see the positive impact of his work as both a high school football coach and a lead TMS technician. In the future, Juan hopes to continue to serve the healthcare industry through marketing and help increase access to care for those in need. In his free time, Juan enjoys talking, playing and coaching football and eating delicious foods.

Hamilton ‘Hami’ Lichtman is the North Torrance center’s therapy dog and is just as passionate about mental health and wellness as the rest of our human staff. Hami is 3.5 years old and is an Australian Shepherd. When he is not in the office helping with patient care, he loves to go swimming and watch Netflix.