Authors
and
Reviewers
Our Medical Reviewers
Eric Chaghouri, M.D.
Dr. Eric Chaghouri is our Medical Director at No Matter What Recovery.
Dr Chaghouri is a 2007 graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned his B. A. in Biology with Summa Cum Laude honors. While at UCLA, he helped the men’s varsity volleyball team earn a National Championship in 2006. He was named the UCLA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007.
He earned his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine in 2011. He completed his internship training in 2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the remaining three years of residency in general adult psychiatry at the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center. He served as the Chief Resident in psychiatric emergency services during his fourth year of residency. He also served as Resident Clinical Instructor and Volunteer Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine.
After completing residency, Dr. Chaghouri accepted a fellowship position in forensic psychiatry at the prestigious USC Institute of Psychiatry and Law. His scholarly activities included publishing in Legal Digest and presenting research findings at the Keck School of Medicine annual conference.
Since completing his forensic psychiatry fellowship, he has established a successful and thriving practice in Southern California, focusing on treatment of co-occurring psychiatric and addictive disorders. He has developed a strong clinical team of practitioners who share similar goals and philosophies regarding psychiatric treatment, including providing cutting-edge interventional treatments for psychiatric conditions. He works in an array of capacities with attorneys, courts, and other parties in actual or potential litigation. He also has extensive experience consulting and providing opinions on psychiatric issues for major television networks. Dr. Chaghouri’s interests include addiction medicine, substance use disorders, forensic psychiatry, medical ethics, psychological autopsy, gender wellness, and evidence-based treatment of psychiatric conditions.
Eric is a Native Angeleno and identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. He loves to travel to visit his family roots in Lebanon, and in his spare time enjoys playing beach volleyball, exercising/working out, and spending time with family.
Mell McCracken (They/Them)
Mell McCracken is the National Director of Chemsex and LGBTQ+ Programs for No Matter What Recovery, serving as the leader of the clinical treatment program and overseeing our sexualized drug use curriculum.
Mell is a fierce advocate for healing and transformation through substance abuse counseling, sex addiction therapy, and treatment program development. They have nearly a decade of experience and extensive expertise in empowering individuals to overcome their struggles with addiction and navigate the complexities of chemsex in the rainbow community.
Mell is nationally and internationally recognized as an LGBT+ educator, co-author, and treatment provider. They also serve as faculty member at the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Specialists. They are committed to uplifting voices and breaking stigmas, one conversation at a time, and have spent their career fighting for inclusivity and empowerment through chemsex education and LGBT+ activism.
They are originally from Ojai, California and in their free time enjoy exploring their creative side through painting, writing, pottery, and making music.
If you’re willing, we’ve got you the entire way. Every life is important. Every person matters. Every person is worthy of a life of love and happiness.