About Us | SFLN Rehab | Addiction Treatment in Tujunga, CA

Our Story

SFLN Rehab exists because its founder knows what it feels like to sit in a waiting room, terrified that seeking help will end a career. After fifteen years in recovery, they built a treatment center on Commerce Avenue in Tujunga with one non-negotiable principle: no one should have to choose between getting well and being treated with dignity.

What started as a small outpatient practice seven years ago grew into a 32-bed residential facility after the founder saw how many veterans, paramedics, nurses, and law enforcement officers were falling through the cracks of a system that treated their addiction as a moral failing rather than a medical condition. Every design decision — from the clinical-intensive daily schedule to the strengths-based counseling model — came from lived experience, not a textbook.

Today, SFLN Rehab operates with 63 staff members, many of whom have their own histories of service or recovery. The facility has served over 2,200 patients, and the founding philosophy remains unchanged: recovery is not about fixing what is broken — it is about recognizing the strength that was always there.

Our Mission

SFLN Rehab's mission is to dismantle the stigma that keeps people from seeking addiction treatment — and to replace it with clinical excellence, mutual respect, and community accountability. We believe that substance use disorder is a treatable medical condition, not a moral judgment, and that recovery thrives in environments where patients are seen as whole people rather than case numbers.

We are committed to providing Tujunga and the greater Los Angeles foothills with addiction treatment that honors every patient's background, profession, and personal history. Whether someone served overseas, worked the night shift in an emergency room, or simply reached a breaking point, they deserve care that meets them with evidence — not assumptions.

Treatment Philosophy

Our treatment philosophy rests on three pillars that guide every clinical decision at SFLN Rehab:

Community Reintegration: Recovery does not happen in isolation. From day one, we prepare patients for the relationships, responsibilities, and routines they will return to. Treatment plans include employment readiness, family counseling, and connections to peer support networks across the Tujunga and Sunland area.
Strengths-Based Recovery: We do not catalog deficits — we identify the resilience, discipline, and coping skills each patient already possesses and build upon them. For veterans and first responders, this often means channeling the same structure and accountability that defined their professional lives into their recovery.
Motivational Enhancement: Lasting sobriety requires internal motivation, not external pressure. Our therapists use motivational interviewing and enhancement techniques to help patients discover their own reasons for change — reasons that sustain recovery long after discharge.

Our Team

Dr. Karen Okonkwo, MD, FASAM

Medical Director

Board-certified in addiction medicine with 18 years of clinical experience. Dr. Okonkwo previously served as attending physician at a VA medical center and brings specialized expertise in treating service-related trauma alongside substance use disorders.

Sgt. Anthony Reeves, LCSW (Ret.)

Clinical Director

A retired Marine and licensed clinical social worker, Anthony leads SFLN Rehab's therapeutic programming. His dual perspective — as both a veteran and clinician — shapes the facility's trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to treatment.

Linda Espinoza, RDN, CEDRD

Nutritional Wellness Director

Linda oversees our farm-to-table kitchen and designs recovery-focused nutrition plans. Her work addresses the metabolic damage caused by prolonged substance use, restoring physical health alongside mental well-being.

David Nakamura, CADC, CPS

Peer Support Coordinator

A certified peer specialist in long-term recovery, David connects patients with community resources, alumni networks, and employment support services throughout the Tujunga and greater LA area.