Villa Kali Ma

About

Villa Kali Ma is a women-only residential treatment center situated on a hillside campus in Carlsbad, California, specializing in trauma, addiction, and co-occurring disorders through a synthesis of evidence-based psychotherapy and holistic healing traditions. The clinical program pairs EMDR, DBT, CBT, and ACT with an unusually comprehensive array of body-based and energetic modalities, including Ayurvedic medicine, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, shamanic journeying, Reiki, and sound healing. The medical team is led by Dr. Katie Hirst, who holds triple board certification in Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine from Stanford University and UC San Diego School of Medicine, providing the clinical rigor that grounds the center's expansive therapeutic philosophy. A naturopathic physician addresses functional and hormonal dimensions of recovery, including thyroid, gut health, and hormonal optimization. The treatment model operates from the premise that sustainable healing requires attending to the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of suffering simultaneously, drawing on both Western clinical science and traditional healing systems to address the embodied nature of trauma and addiction in women's lives. Two residential programs serve distinct populations: one for trauma and addiction, another for trauma and co-occurring psychiatric conditions.

Depth Orientation

Villa Kali Ma integrates Eastern healing traditions such as Ayurveda, shamanic journeying, and craniosacral therapy with Western evidence-based psychotherapy, reflecting a clinical philosophy that treats trauma as stored in the body and accessible through somatic and energetic channels. The program's incorporation of Reiki, sound healing, and breathwork alongside EMDR and somatic therapy demonstrates a commitment to addressing the transpersonal dimensions of women's recovery. Named for the Hindu goddess of transformation, the center's identity signals a depth-oriented understanding of healing as psychological and spiritual metamorphosis.

Treatment Modalities

Program Details

Best for

• Women with trauma and addiction
• Co-occurring disorders in women
• Women seeking holistic and body-based approaches
• Eating disorders
• Depression and anxiety in women

Notable Clinicians

• Katie Hirst, MD — Medical Director, triple board-certified in Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine (Stanford, UCSD)
• Page Lauer, LMFT, CEDS, CYT — Clinical Director, expertise in trauma, addiction, and eating disorders
• Ashley Amundson, DBH, MS, LPCC — COO, trauma-informed care, EMDR, breathwork, reiki
• Katherine McEwan, MA, REAT, ATR — Registered Expressive Arts Therapist

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