Vicky is a board certified Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She began her nursing career in healthcare by working in the intensive care unit, and then an inpatient psychiatric hospital. After realizing the mental health needs of both the patients and the families she served, she became a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Throughout her experience working with clients, she has developed a passion for those with dual diagnoses and specializes in helping individuals recognize the issues driving their substance use. This recognition has been crucial to the individual’s success in treatment. Vicky opened Diamond House Detox so that she can address these issues early on in a therapeutic environment to allow clients to transition to the next level in their recovery.
She maintains active status at Cedar Point Recovery, Akua Mind & Body, Valley Recovery, Woodland Hospital, Sierra Vista, and Psynergy Programs. Get to know more about Vicky here.
Michael Parr is a physician and a Love First certified clinical interventionist, based in Sacramento, California. He has been helping families begin and manage the recovery process for more than 30 years. He received his undergraduate education and medical school training at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Parr is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine, and is a specialist in chemical dependency treatment and pain management. Dr. Parr served as a consultant to the National Basketball Association Player Assistance Program for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011.
While practicing obstetrics at the beginning of his career, he focused on treating pregnant women with addiction issues. He was the founder of the Mercy Perinatal Chemical Dependency Program. He was also the Medical Director of Sutter Hospital Outpatient Chemical Dependency Program.
Dr. Parr co-authored the American Society of Addiction Medicine White Paper on Urine Drug Testing in Pregnancy. He has given numerous talks on improving perinatal outcomes with intervention and screening for substance use. He is a specialist on treating patients with chronic pain who have become dependent on opiates. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Dr. Parr has served on the Diversion Evaluation Committee for the Medical Board of California, the State Bar of California and the Board of Registered Nursing, helping to set up treatment programs for impaired professionals. Get to know Dr. Parr here.
Steve Sugden, MD, MPH, earned his medical degree at University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, UT. He completed a Psychiatry Residency program at University of California, Davis in Sacramento, CA. More recently, he completed an MPH at University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Sugden is a Laughlin Fellow from the American College of Psychiatry and is board certified in Psychiatry by the ABPN and Addiction Medicine by the ABAM. His interests include addiction medicine, military and veteran medicine, and education. He worked in residential, inpatient, private practice settings, and Veteran Affairs in Texas, North Carolina and Sacramento.
Anthony is a board certified Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. He has gained extensive experience in a variety of areas of mental health that include inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room settings. Throughout his time providing patient care, Anthony recognized the growing need for support for those who struggle with mental illness and substance abuse. “It was a goal of mine to achieve a higher level of education in order to make a greater difference in the mental health setting.” Anthony offers a multidimensional approach to care that considers underlying factors that can prevent a person from practicing healthy lifestyle choices.
Sofia has had over 10 years’ experience working as an office manager. She has also been recognized for providing great customer service and has always been a team player. Sofia has been with Diamond House Detox since the day they opened in January 2017. Sofia started out as drug and alcohol counselor and is now Diamond House Detox’s Office Manager and Admissions Coordinator. Sofia is one of the first point of contact that families or clients talk to when wanting to come into treatment. Sofia has had her own personal experience of losing a loved one to substance use, and that experience is why she has decided to work for Diamond House and continue to help families and clients in need of treatment.
Liza received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. She then went on to earn a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, specialization in Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, Illinois. Liza is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the State of Texas. She is moved to Sacramento, California two years ago and is currently in the process of completing her requirements to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in California. Presently, she is registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC).
Liza has over 10 years of experience treating children, adolescents, and adults in various setting such as residential treatment centers, schools, hospitals, community mental health, and criminal justice system and ranges of concerns. Having worked with individuals with mental and behavioral health issues, trauma, and addictions, Liza is familiar with the potential setbacks such disorders can cause. Liza is committed to and passionate about empowering individuals to live a meaningful and purposeful life by instilling hope and encouraging individuals to use their strengths as a resource in overcoming adversities in their personal lives.
Nicole is a drug and alcohol counselor with Diamond House Detox. She graduated from Intercoast College of Sacramento with a 4.0 grade point average and was awarded the Presidential Award. She is currently preparing for certification with CCAPP as a CADC I. Nicole began her career with Diamond House Detox as an intern while in school and has been a vital part of the team since 2017. She facilitates Diamond House Alumni Program by checking in weekly with alumni and setting up our special alumni speaker meetings that are held weekly. Nicole’s personal experience living with a loved one struggling with substance abuse is the reason why she has dedicated her career in helping others struggling with addiction and mental health. She has a passion for helping those in the early stages of recovery and enjoys working in our detox. In her spare time Nicole values spending time with family and she is known for her love of Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Erica’s motto in life is, “when life gives lemons, make lemonade…”. Erica was introduced to addiction early in her adolescent years. From drugs to alcoholism, she learned how it was to be an adult at a very young age. Addiction not only affected her but also her family. This walk has been personal to her family and her heart. In order to overcome her addiction she has had to live by the words “be the change you wish to see in the world.”
As a young mother Erica’s passion for her family grew, along with her passion for helping others. As a mother of four and a daughter of a mother who has also experienced addiction, it was important for her to figure out how to best support her family through this disease. She researched spent time studying ways to support her own family. She desired to be more involved and discovered a passion for helping people and decided to become a Medical Assistant and eventually a Drug and Alcohol Counselor. Her journey with recovery started at a local methadone clinic. Sparking more interest she took a position at a residential home as a support counselor which lead her current path.
“Diamonds are created under pressure; then they sparkle and shine…”
Erica started at Diamond House from the ground floor and became part of the Diamond House family early on. Erica’s flexibility and willingness to help has had her working in various roles from night shift, nursing roles, counselor roles and even administration. Diamond House has become the place that allows Erica to shine brighter and grow into the strong woman she is today. “Shine bright like a Diamond,” that is what Erica has learned to do at Diamond House Detox….and hopes many of our clients learn as well leaving treatment.
Mimi had always wanted to be a nurse to help those in need. She did not begin her nursing path until after completing her Bachelor’s degree in psychology at UC Merced in 2014. She became an LVN in 2017 and began working at a skilled nursing facility for a year before starting at Diamond House Detox. She had not had any experience in working within the substance abuse field, but quickly became intrigued and loved helping clients during the most vulnerable time of their lives. She is compassionate caregiver and enjoys working with clients in the detox setting. She is attentive to their needs and encourages those to continue with their recovery after detox.
As a Drug & Alcohol Counselor, Amanda Licon joined Diamond House team in 2018 and began her journey as an intern. It was quickly determined that her energy and her passion for recovery made her a good fit for Diamond House and she was hired after her internship ended. Her personal journey through recovery is a driving force for why she works as a counselor. Her passion is to encourage clients in their journey in sobriety and advocate for them in sharing the pure freedom and joy of being in recovery. Amanda continues to bring guidance and wisdom to her clients through the curriculum at Diamond House. Amanda holds an RADT I certification and specializes in relapse prevention, she is working on certification to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor. She uses these to introduce coping skills that will aid in a client’s recovery. Amanda champions the client in seeking help and strives to bring joy and delight to the program, as well as educate and positively influence them in their sobriety. Her ultimate goal is to continue her education and obtain a Master’s degree in counseling.
