MEET THE TEAM

Dr. Stephen Dansiger, Founder, CEO

Dr. Steve played CBGB and Max’s Kansas City in the late 70s; drank, played in a toy rock band and then got sober in the 80s; became an international social justice/diversity educator and rocker again in the 90s; and is now a sought after consultant, trainer, clinician, writer and meditation teacher. Dr. Steve has attempted to cure Marc Maron on WTF, become a master EMDR therapist and provider of EMDR Training as Senior Faculty with the Institute for Creative Mindfulness, and has become a pioneer in the Buddhist recovery field. He is the CEO of StartAgain Associates, where he develops trauma-focused mindfulness based mental health training and technology solutions. He created the MET(T)A Protocol (Mindfulness and EMDR Treatment Template for Agencies), a design for mental health agency treatment using Buddhist mindfulness and EMDR Therapy, currently being utilized in trauma and addiction treatment centers across the country and internationally. He blogs and podcasts on topics related to mental health, recovery, and mindfulness. Besides maintaining a small therapy and coaching private practice in Los Angeles, he travels internationally speaking and teaching on Buddhist mindfulness, EMDR therapy, the MET(T)A Protocol, trauma, corporate wellness, Buddhist approaches to treating mental health issues, digital health innovation, and clinician/caregiver self-care. He has been practicing Buddhist mindfulness for over 30 years (including a one year residency at a Zen monastery), and teaches dharma classes regularly in Los Angeles and other centers internationally. Steve is Co-Founder of HapTech Holdings, the creators of BioHaptics™, a full immersion bluetooth sound technology linking speakers embedded in footwear to bluetooth headphones, designed for entertainment use and for health and wellness applications. StartAgain Technologies develops, collaborates on and acquires applications to deliver through BioHaptics hardware, to enhance the MET(T)A Protocol and add new dimensions to many other health and wellness platforms. StartAgain has partnered with the NTL Group to provide their cognitive repair and enhancement digital solutions as an enhancement to the MET(T)A Protocol and as a standalone solution. StartAgain also partners with other technology companies in health care through their membership in the Connected HealthCare and Wellbeing Cluster and Regional Development Centre at the Dundalk Institute of Technology in Dundalk, Ireland. Steve graduated in 2022 from the Master of Health Care Innovation (MHCI) program at the University of Pennsylvania where he studied and collaborated with fellow students and faculty including doctors, nurses, academics, researchers and administrators to continue on his quest to find innovative solutions to broaden access and improve quality in mental health care and wellness.

Dr. Steve is the author of several books including Clinical Dharma: A Path for Healers and Helpers (2016), EMDR Therapy and Mindfulness for Trauma-Focused Care (coauthored with Jamie Marich, 2017), Mindfulness for Anger Management (2018) and coauthored Trauma and the 12 Steps: A Trauma Responsive Workbook, as well as Trauma and the 12 Steps: Daily Meditations & Reflections - both companion pieces to the updated Trauma and the 12 Steps by Dr. Jamie Marich. His most recent book (with Dr. Marich) is Healing Addiction with EMDR Therapy: A Trauma Focused Guide.

Roshni Chabra, Co-Owner, Chief Clinical Officer

Roshni Chabra, MFT is the Chief Clinical Officer and MET(T)A Protocol Agency Director at StartAgain Associates and is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, Approved Consultant and Adjunct Faculty with the Institute for Creative Mindfulness. In her role, she is the primary point person to contact with any questions and communication MET(T)A related. Roshni aligns with the MET(T)A Protocol as it provides a trauma-focused, long term and comprehensive approach to healing the effects of trauma and adverse life events. She is an alumna of California State University, Long Beach where she graduated with bachelors degrees in Women's Studies and Psychology in 2002. Roshni went on to study nonprofit management through American Humanics and worked in the rape crisis movement both locally and in San Francisco for five years providing direct services to survivors as well as taking on a leadership/management role. Roshni pursued her masters in Feminist Therapy and became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2013. Over the past fifteen years of working within the mental heath field, Roshni has been providing therapy to various populations including LGBTQ+ youth and adults, families, probation and foster youth, and other high risk populations including survivors of sexual trauma and people with addictions. Roshni worked in Wraparound for over 8 years and currently has a private practice in Long Beach, California.

Johnny Fisher, Cofounder, CIO

Johnny leverages nearly 20 years of extensive experience in the mental health sector and various treatment centers. He holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from California Lutheran University and a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Alongside clinical skills, he specializes in systems and information technology.

Lauren Emmel, MET(T)A Protocol Agency Director

Lauren Emmel is the MET(T)A Protocol Agency Director (Mindfulness and EMDR Treatment Template for Agencies) at StartAgain Associates. She is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and fully Certified EMDR Therapist. Lauren was among one of the first groups of clinicians to be trained in EMDR and mindfulness practices by Dr. Stephen Dansiger. Much of her work as a trauma-informed therapist incorporates the MET(T)A Protocol. After witnessing her own clients have transformative experiences from the MET(T)A Protocol, she decided to seek out her own EMDR therapist. Years of talk therapy were helpful, however it wasn’t until she took part in her own EMDR therapy that her negative beliefs shifted into positive ones, her anxiety decreased and she had a newfound relationship and understanding of her trauma. In addition, mindfulness and meditation practices complemented her EMDR experience in helping to build resources, resiliency and distress tolerance. The combination of seeing her own clients evolve and her personal healing journey has led her to become inspired to promote and educate others on the MET(T)A Protocol.

Dr. Colleen Kelly,
Director of International Marketing

Colleen Kelly, PhD, MFT, is the Director of International Marketing and Technology Development for StartAgain Associates. Dr. Kelly is the primary contact regarding MET(T)A Protocol outreach for both the U.S. and abroad. She is also the leader of StartAgain Technologies, and is responsible for the integration of technology into the MET(T)A Protocol.

Dr. Kelly has a multidisciplinary background, with experience as a psychotherapist, international speaker, writer, and clinical outreach consultant. She is currently based in Paris, France specializing in addiction, family therapy, and couples work. She holds a BFA from New York University, a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and a Doctorate in Philosophy with a concentration in Spiritual Psychology.

Dr. Kelly has worked in the substance abuse and mental health field in a variety of clinical settings, beginning 25 years ago with American Indian urban and reservation treatment centers. She was on the clinical staff of Promises Treatment Center in West Los Angeles as a therapist for four years and then she became the Director of the Family Program of Promises, Malibu in addition to designing family programs at several other treatment centers. She has been a regular group facilitator and clinical outreach consultant for over a decade at various treatment centers. She has had over 40 articles published on addiction and family therapy and is the author of over 20 published Continuing Education courses for MFTs and LCSWs. She has been speaking in Europe on Transgenerational Grief and Addiction at conferences throughout Europe.

Paddy Creedon

Paddy has studied at the Irish Management Institute in Dublin and the Vlerick Business School in Belgium. He holds a BA in Management and a Masters in Business Administration. His MBA project thesis was entitled ‘Addiction in the Workplace’. He has extensive healthcare management experience up to and including CEO level.

Paddy Creedon counts himself as one of the lucky ones with a lifetime of recovery from the illness of addiction behind him. Along with a commitment to remain sober, a day at a time, he continues to be a passionate and grateful recovery advocate for people who suffer with all addictions and their loved ones. His work brings him into daily contact with people in active addiction, their families and their workplaces