About Lilac Recovery Center in San Diego

Nora Jenkins has made the quality and committed care we provide at Lilac Recovery Center possible. She has played an active role in addiction recovery for over a decade. Her passion lies in helping both individuals and families heal. Substance use affects the individual in recovery, as well as their close family and friends. Nora is experienced in providing care to assist in rebuilding relationships to support healthy, long-term recovery. Her professional background includes clinical management, program administration, and counseling. This background provides her with the tools she needs to focus on recovery that involves mending family relationships and providing top-of-the-line care.

Through her years of experience, Nora understands that successful care should be unique to the individual. She is committed to continuing to provide the best possible care facilities throughout San Diego and the greater Southern California area.

Dr. Steidle is a certified Equine-Assisted Psychotherapist and a licensed Clinical Psychologist who has extensive training in evidence-based practices such as Interpersonal Therapy for Depression, Trauma-Focused CBT, and Seeking Safety. Her career has long been dedicated to assisting individuals who need support in overcoming addiction and other mental health disorders.

For over two decades, Dr. Steidle has been involved in a variety of clinical settings to expand her experiences and help individuals of all ages and backgrounds work toward understanding their mental health and improving their current conditions. She has worked with individuals in settings that include intensive outpatient and residential inpatient programs in San Diego, individuals living with AIDS and HIV, providing quality psychotherapy in different community mental health centers, offering student counseling in a college setting, and providing mental health care at prisons. Dr. Steidle has become a client favorite here at the Lilac Recovery Center due to her gentle care and lasting compassion.

Valerie Garza is a valued member of our staff who is committed to helping our clients physically heal and release the stresses associated with both addiction and recovery. Substance use disorders can affect a person mentally, emotionally, and physically. Valerie is a qualified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), as well as a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT). Valerie has completed more than 1,000 training hours at the International Professional School of Bodywork and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

The techniques she has learned and developed as an HHP, as well as her skills as a CMT, allow her to provide a unique skill set to our care at the Lilac Recovery Center. Valerie has spent over a decade practicing in San Diego. She has developed a strong reputation for providing a high-quality physical therapeutic massage that opens the doorway for a meditative experience. This experience allows those receiving her treatment to feel physical relief. They also learn to focus inwardly to improve emotional and mental health and awareness. Her well-balanced approach to custom-tailored massage provides physical relief from stress and relaxation.

Tracy worked with children with special needs off and on from 2004 until 2022. She earned her MA in Marriage & Family Therapy at Argosy University-Honolulu, Hawaii and worked as a substance abuse counselor for a therapeutic community treatment program in Hawaii.

After 2 years, Tracy and her family made the pre-planned move to Sweden, her husband’s homeland, in order to provide an opportunity for their children to learn more about their culture and language. During that time Tracy gained experience as a fitness instructor/retail business owner, caregiver, continued therapy for children with special needs and a case manager for adolescent refugees who sought asylum in Sweden.

Upon return to her home-state of California and with us at our alcohol detox centers San Diego and addiction treatment centers she has touched many young lives. Tracy continued to pursue a career in the substance abuse treatment field, which led to enrollment in a doctoral program at The Chicago School for the Applied Clinical Psychology program, has completed a year-long internship, increasing therapeutic experience by practicing evidence-based psychotherapy such as DBT, Seeking Safety, Mindfulness, and Trauma informed Mental Health. Tracy has also obtained the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor certification, LAADC, and continues to enjoy self-learning while working on a dissertation for the Psy D in Applied Clinical Psychology.

Jennie is a valuable member of our staff who focuses on the complete healing process of reconnecting the body, mind, and spirit through yoga practices. Jennie holds over two decades of experience in helping children and families in settings such as group homes, juvenile halls, home-based services, and day treatment centers. She also worked for 10 years as a mild/moderate special education teacher at Lincoln High School. Jennie has always possessed a passion for giving back to her community in whatever ways possible.

Jennie discovered the power and benefits of yoga early in her career. She both practices and teaches yoga as a beneficial addition to any form of recovery. Yoga is a unique practice that utilizes a person’s bodily strength and encourages a reconnection with a person’s inner-self. This is done through a connection of body and mind brought together through flow movements and focused breathing techniques. Yoga can provide a healing power no matter the level of physical strength or experience.

Caila was born and raised in San Diego. She has worked and volunteered in treatment settings for the past five years. She also worked with group homes and juvenile detention centers, mentoring youth affected by addiction since 2017.

Caila continues to give back by sponsoring women in her AA/NA groups and running meetings in her community.  She is working on continuing her education in AOD studies.

Jacob has been in the medical field for ten years, initially starting in home health care. He has always had a passion for helping others in need and serving his community. He spent time in the United States Army as a combat medic/ healthcare specialist, where he became a nationally registered emergency medical technician. Jacob always strived to help others improve his abilities in the field. Jacob attended schooling to become a certified alcohol-drug counselor to continue servicing his community. Jacob continues to seek out every opportunity to help someone and help them reach whatever goal they have set forth. 

Katie has been a registered nurse for 22 years. She first received her ADN from LCCC in 2001 and then her BSN from the University of Akron in 2003. For the first 13 years of her career, she worked on a med-surg telemetry unit at University Hospital in Elyria, Ohio. During her hospital career, she worked as both a floor nurse and a charge nurse.

At the end of 2014, Katie and her family relocated to Michigan. She started working at a facility that treated residents with severe and persistent mental illness and co-morbid medical problems. This is where she developed a true passion for working in mental health. Katie worked at this facility for five years and then briefly relocated to Colorado.

Katie and her family moved to the San Diego area in May of this year. She is excited to work in addiction recovery and to help patients reach their recovery goals. Katie has also started working at an eating disorder center for adolescents.

Navneet Mann is a dual board certified Psychiatric and Family Nurse Practitioner. She earned her family nurse practitioner from Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, CA, and her psychiatric nurse practitioner from National University in San Diego, CA. 

She earned her terminal degree in Nursing with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2022 from Grand Canyon University while working full-time at a correctional facility. While in the correctional setting, she discovered the gap in mental health and medical care. She has over four years of experience as a nurse practitioner managing urgent, emergent, and chronic medical and psychiatric conditions in various settings, such as correctional facilities, outpatient, and residential treatment centers. 

She values patient-centered care, providing quality, compassionate, and comprehensive medical and mental health services. She enjoys working with her team to ensure patients receive the best possible care to help them reach their maximum well-being.

Kelly Multer has been part of the recovery community for two years. Her career path began when she accepted a Behavioral Health Tech position while finishing her Forensic Psychology degree. While her degree was outside the drug and alcohol field, Kelly wanted to change her career path. Upon doing so, Kelly obtained her RADT certificate and is dedicating time to complete her CADC II certification. 

Before Kelly was in the recovery community, she worked out of high school as a CNA for older adults. Then, Kelly felt a calling to serve and care for others. Kelly can make those around her comfortable and want to share without judgment. Kelly has been a great addition to the Harmony Grove team.