Changes Treatment Center
Psychiatry at Changes Treatment Center is medication management delivered as part of a whole-person approach to addiction and mental health care. Our psychiatric providers work with your treatment team to support stability and clarity, integrated into our PHP and IOP programs. Care is led by Medical Director Eric Chaghouri, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist.
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Yes. Psychiatric care is led by Medical Director Eric Chaghouri, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and forensic psychiatry. He oversees medication management across our programs.
Medication management is the ongoing process of evaluating, prescribing, and adjusting psychiatric medication as part of your treatment. At Changes, it is coordinated with your therapy rather than handled in isolation, and it is reviewed as you progress.
Psychiatric care at Changes is delivered within our treatment programs, working alongside therapy as part of a whole-person plan. It supports clients in our PHP and IOP rather than as a separate appointment.
Not necessarily. Medication is used when it is clinically appropriate and helpful, and that decision is made together with your provider after an evaluation. It is one option within a plan that also includes therapy, not a requirement for everyone.
Because Changes runs structured programs with frequent contact, your provider can review and adjust medication as part of ongoing care rather than waiting weeks between visits. The exact frequency depends on your plan and how you respond.
Yes. Our psychiatric care supports co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, and trauma alongside substance use, because the two so often occur together and each affects the other.
Most major insurance plans cover psychiatric care delivered within a treatment program with prior authorization. Changes verifies your benefits in about 15 minutes, free and confidential, and private-pay options are available.
Psychiatric care at Changes centers on thoughtful, individualized medication management. Rather than treating medication as a standalone prescription, our psychiatric providers evaluate how substance use and mental health conditions interact, then build a medication plan that fits the rest of your treatment. That plan is reviewed and adjusted as you progress.
Because psychiatry here is part of a coordinated program, your psychiatric provider works directly with the clinicians running your therapy. Medication decisions are informed by what your therapists see day to day, and your therapy is informed by how you respond to medication. This coordination is the difference between a prescription in isolation and psychiatric care built into a full treatment plan
Psychiatric care at Changes begins with an evaluation. Your provider reviews your history, current symptoms, substance use, and any medications you are already taking, and looks at how those pieces fit together. From there, if medication is appropriate, you and your provider agree on a plan and the reasons behind it.
Medication management is not a one-time decision. Because Changes runs structured programs with frequent contact, your provider can see how you respond and adjust the plan sooner than a once-a-month outpatient appointment would allow. If a medication is not working, or a dose needs to change, that happens as part of ongoing care rather than waiting weeks for the next visit.
Throughout, medication is one part of a plan that also includes therapy. The goal is stability that supports the rest of your recovery work, not medication as a substitute for it. Your provider explains what each medication is for and what to expect, so you understand your own treatment rather than simply following instructions.
Psychiatric care at Changes is led by Eric Chaghouri, MD, the center’s Medical Director. Dr. Chaghouri is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and forensic psychiatry, and he oversees the clinical approach to medication management across our programs.
His dual focus on addiction and psychiatry matters for the people we treat, because substance use and mental health conditions so often occur together and each shapes the other. Care led by a psychiatrist trained in both is built to hold that complexity rather than treat one side and refer out the other. That training also informs how the whole clinical team approaches co-occurring conditions, not just the medication piece.
Dr. Chaghouri reviews the clinical content across the site and sets the standard for how psychiatric care is delivered at Changes. Read his full bio on the medical reviewer page, or meet the wider clinical team.
Substance use and mental health conditions frequently occur together. Someone drinking to manage anxiety, using stimulants that deepen depression, or turning to substances to cope with trauma is dealing with two problems that feed each other. Treating only the substance use often leaves the underlying condition in place, and that untreated condition is a common reason recovery does not hold.
This is where psychiatric care earns its place in treatment. A psychiatric provider can identify a co-occurring condition, treat it clinically where medication is appropriate, and coordinate that treatment with the therapy addressing the substance use. When both are handled together, each supports the other. That integrated model is how Changes approaches psychiatric care, rather than treating mental health and addiction as separate problems handled by separate providers who never speak. This integrated approach aligns with the philosophy of Changes Treatment Center, supporting better outcomes through coordinated mental health and substance use care.
Psychiatric care at Changes supports adults managing substance use alongside co-occurring mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and trauma. Medication management is one part of a treatment plan that also includes therapy, and the two work together rather than separately. When a co-occurring condition is driving or deepening substance use, addressing it clinically is often what makes recovery hold.
Psychiatric care is integrated into both levels of care at Changes. In our Partial Hospitalization Program, medication management is part of daily structured treatment, with frequent contact that lets your provider monitor and adjust closely. In our Intensive Outpatient Program, psychiatric support continues alongside therapy on a lighter weekly schedule. As you step down through the continuum, psychiatric care continues rather than stopping.
Changes Treatment Center works with most major insurance providers, and we verify benefits on any plan in about 15 minutes. Most commercial plans cover psychiatric care delivered within a treatment program with prior authorization, though exact coverage depends on your specific plan.
The fastest way to know what you would pay is to let us check for you. Verification is free and carries no obligation. If you do not have coverage that works, we offer private-pay options and will talk through the most realistic path on a confidential call.
Orange County recorded an estimated 490 accidental overdose deaths in 2023, and its opioid overdose death rate nearly tripled between 2017 and 2021, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. For people whose substance use is tied to an untreated mental health condition, access to psychiatric care is part of closing that gap. The agency notes that cities along the coastal and southern parts of the county, Costa Mesa among them, tend to see higher rates of drug- and alcohol-related hospitalizations than inland areas.
Changes Treatment Center is at 2787 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, serving adults across Orange County. Insurance verification takes about 15 minutes, and most clients can begin within a few days.
Eric Chaghouri, MD, is the Medical Director at Changes Treatment Center and reviews the clinical content on this page. Dr. Chaghouri is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and forensic psychiatry.
Start care with a confidential call. Verify your insurance in about 15 minutes and our team will build a plan around your needs, including psychiatric care where it helps. Call (949) 807-2008 or verify your insurance online.
Recovery is more than stopping a behavior, it’s about rediscovering who you are. At Changes, we provide a supportive space where individuals can rebuild confidence, gain clarity, and move forward with purpose through personalized care.
We focus on strengthening identity, encouraging presence, and supporting overall well-being. By addressing self-sabotage and fostering community, we help turn intention into lasting change, walking with you every step of the way.
Our licensed professionals bring years of expertise in addiction and mental health treatment.
We customize treatment for every client to ensure long term success.
From detox to aftercare, Changes walks with you every step of the way.
Our Costa Mesa location offers a calming, bright, and rejuvenating atmosphere.
A Simple Path to a New Beginning with Changes
We understand that taking the first step toward recovery can feel overwhelming. Our admissions process is designed to be simple, confidential, and stress-free.
Fast, confidential coverage check to help you understand your benefits and available treatment options.
Personalized support to guide you through the process and answer any questions with clarity and care.
Start your path to a brighter future with structured support, expert care, and a plan built around you.
We all experience days when we feel down, exhausted, or just completely unmotivated. But when those heavy feelings start lingering, it can be hard to tell if you’re just going through a rough patch or if it’s something more.
This quick, confidential check-in is designed to help you pause and reflect on how you’ve actually been feeling lately. It is completely anonymous, entirely non-judgmental, and takes less than two minutes.
When we are struggling with deep stress, anxious thoughts, or a low mood, it is incredibly natural to look for immediate relief. Sometimes, we turn to alcohol or other substances just to quiet our minds, get some sleep, or feel normal for a night.
This short self-assessment is designed to help you pause and look at how these two parts of your life might be influencing each other. It is entirely anonymous and takes less than two minutes.
Take a moment to answer these questions honestly.
There are no right or wrong answers.
This assessment is not a medical diagnosis, but it can help you determine whether alcohol may be having a greater impact on your life than you realize.
In the past 12 months…
Developed by Patrick Conod, LCSW, and Cari Lawyer, CATC I, on behalf of the Changes Treatment Center Clinical Leadership Team.
A Self-Assessment for Family Members and Friends
Watching someone you love change because of alcohol can be confusing and heartbreaking. You may find yourself questioning what you’re seeing, wondering if you’re overreacting, or hoping things will get better on their own.
This assessment is designed to help you reflect on the behaviors you’ve noticed. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it may help you determine whether it’s time to seek guidance or support.
In the past 12 months…
Developed by Patrick Conod, LCSW, and Cari Lawyer, CATC I, on behalf of the Changes Treatment Center Clinical Leadership Team.
It’s common for habits to slowly shift over time, especially during stressful seasons. Often, we find ourselves using a substance to cope, unwind, or get through the day, only to realize it is starting to take up more space in our routine, thoughts, or relationships than we’d like.
This quick, 10-question check-in is a quiet space to reflect honestly on how your use is impacting your life. It is entirely anonymous, completely free of clinical judgment, and takes less than two minutes.
Is your evening glass of wine a harmless habit, or is it starting to catch up with you? It’s not always easy to tell where “social drinking” ends and “too much” begins.
Take this quick, 2-minute quiz to check in on your relationship with alcohol and get clear, personalized insights.
