About TSL Rehab
Seven years ago, we opened our doors so Wilmington families would never again have to travel hours for quality treatment. Today, 154 staff members carry that mission forward every single day.
Our Story
Seven years ago, the families of Wilmington faced an impossible choice: watch a loved one struggle with substance use, or send them to a facility hours away and hope for the best. Local options were scarce, waitlists were long, and young adults in particular fell through the cracks -- too old for adolescent programs, too early in life for centers built around an older demographic.
Our founders, a team of addiction-medicine physicians and community health advocates who grew up in the Harbor Area, decided that traveling for treatment should never be the only answer. They leased a building on North Avalon Boulevard, hired clinicians who understood the cultural fabric of the neighborhood, and opened TSL Rehab with a single promise: evidence-based care, close to home, designed for people whose whole lives are still ahead of them.
That first year we had 12 beds and a skeleton crew. Today we operate 71 beds, employ 154 staff, and have served more than 5,500 individuals. The address is the same. The mission has never changed.
Our Mission
Our mission is whole-person transformation. Sobriety is the starting line, not the finish. We are here to help young adults rebuild physical health, repair relationships, develop career direction, and discover a sense of identity that does not revolve around substance use.
Every clinical decision, facility upgrade, and staff hire is measured against one question: does this move the whole person forward? That standard has guided us for seven years, and it will guide the next seven.
Treatment Philosophy
Harm-Reduction Continuum. We meet you where you are. Not every person is ready for total abstinence on day one, and demanding it can push people away from care entirely. Our harm-reduction framework sets achievable milestones that build momentum toward lasting sobriety.
Mind-Body Connection. Physical wellness and mental health are inseparable. Yoga at the pavilion, guided nature walks, aquatic fitness, and somatic experiencing help your body process what talk therapy alone cannot reach.
Family Systems Theory. Addiction disrupts an entire family network. Our family sessions, structured campus visits, and caregiver education workshops ensure that healing extends beyond the individual to the people who will support you long after discharge.
Our Team
Dr. Renata Ochoa, MD
Medical Director
Board-certified in addiction medicine and internal medicine, Dr. Ochoa spent a decade at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center before co-founding TSL Rehab. She designed our medically supervised detox protocols and oversees all psychiatric care. Her clinical focus is fentanyl and polysubstance withdrawal management in young adults.
Kevin Tran, LMFT
Clinical Director
A licensed marriage and family therapist with 14 years in behavioral health, Kevin leads the counseling team and trains every new clinician on family-systems integration. He pioneered the center's young-adult group curriculum, which pairs CBT with career-exploration workshops.
Sonia Briggs, LCSW
Director of Outpatient Services
Sonia manages the PHP and IOP tracks and coordinates aftercare planning. Her background in community mental health -- including five years running a mobile crisis unit in South Los Angeles -- gives her a ground-level understanding of the barriers Wilmington residents face when seeking ongoing support.
Andre Patterson, CADC-II
Peer Recovery Manager
Andre is a certified alcohol and drug counselor and a person in long-term recovery. He coordinates the peer-mentor program, facilitates the evening fire-pit group sessions, and serves as the primary point of contact for alumni re-engagement. His lived experience makes him the first person many new clients choose to confide in.
What Our Alumni Say
"For years I treated my anxiety with alcohol and never connected the two. The psychiatrist at TSL Rehab diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder during my first week and started integrated treatment immediately. Learning that my drinking was self-medication -- not a character flaw -- changed everything. Ten months sober and I finally understand my own brain."
"I had been to three other programs and relapsed within weeks every time. What made TSL Rehab different was the specificity -- my counselor understood fentanyl relapse triggers, not just textbook addiction. The Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention sessions gave me a concrete toolkit I still use daily. Fourteen months clean, and I finally believe it can last."
"At 22, I figured I was too young for rehab and too far gone for college. The young-adult group proved me wrong on both counts. Being around peers my own age who understood social media pressure, student debt, and that specific loneliness of your early twenties -- it made treatment feel relevant instead of clinical. I graduated the program and re-enrolled in classes the same month."
Begin Your Journey to Recovery
Our compassionate team is ready to help you take the first step.