About IBT Rehab
Dedicated to healing lives through compassionate, evidence-based care
Our Story
Dr. Elena Vasquez spent twelve years working in hospital emergency departments across San Diego County. Night after night, she treated the same faces -- patients discharged after acute stabilization, only to return weeks later because no one had addressed the underlying substance use disorder. In 2001, she made a decision that changed everything: she left hospital medicine to open a treatment center on Highland Avenue in National City, just blocks from the neighborhoods she had been serving through ambulance calls.
Her vision was straightforward. Every person who walked through the door would receive a plan built around their specific history, co-occurring conditions, family situation, and personal strengths -- not a copy-paste protocol. She hired counselors from the local community, partnered with National City schools and churches, and created a facility where outdoor space, animal-assisted therapy, and clinical rigor existed side by side.
Twenty-five years later, IBT Rehab has grown to 34 beds and 68 staff members, but the founding principle remains unchanged: treat the whole person, involve the whole community, and never discharge someone without a plan for what comes next.
Our Mission
IBT Rehab exists to deliver clinically excellent addiction treatment that honors the specific needs of every patient who enters our care. We measure ourselves not by beds filled, but by sustained recovery outcomes, family reunification rates, and the long-term wellbeing of the National City community. Our 68-member clinical team upholds the highest standards of evidence-based practice while maintaining the warmth and accessibility that our neighborhood deserves.
Treatment Philosophy
Mind-Body Connection: Addiction affects neurochemistry, physical health, emotional regulation, and social functioning simultaneously. Our programs address all of these domains through integrated medical care, behavioral therapies like CBT and ACT, and somatic approaches that help patients reconnect with their bodies after years of substance-driven disconnection.
Nature as Therapy: Our early-riser schedule begins at 6:30 AM with guided nature walks through nearby Sweetwater River trails. Outdoor fitness sessions, greenhouse cultivation projects, and equine therapy at our on-site barn provide non-clinical healing environments where patients build confidence, practice mindfulness, and develop healthy routines that outlast treatment.
Strengths-Based Recovery: Rather than cataloging deficits, our clinical team identifies each patient's existing strengths -- resilience, vocational skills, family bonds, creative talents -- and builds the treatment plan around them. This approach accelerates engagement, reduces shame, and produces recovery identities rooted in capability rather than limitation.
Our Team
Dr. Elena Vasquez, MD, FASAM
Founder & Medical Director
Board-certified in addiction medicine and internal medicine, Dr. Vasquez founded IBT Rehab after 12 years in emergency medicine. She oversees all clinical protocols, leads the medical team, and maintains active involvement in patient care. Her research on individualized MAT dosing has been presented at ASAM national conferences.
Marcus Owens, PsyD
Clinical Director
Dr. Owens specializes in dual-diagnosis treatment and trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy. With 18 years in behavioral health, he supervises all therapeutic programming and ensures that every treatment plan integrates mental health assessment from day one. He is a National City native and frequent speaker at local school prevention programs.
Claudia Reyes, LCSW
Director of Family Services
Claudia leads IBT Rehab's family systems therapy program and oversees the Family Lodge programming. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she has worked with over 1,500 families navigating the complexities of a loved one's addiction. Her culturally sensitive approach reflects the diverse fabric of National City.
James Whitfield, RN, CARN
Director of Nursing
James manages the 24/7 nursing team and coordinates all medical detox protocols. A certified addictions registered nurse with 14 years of experience, he ensures patient safety during withdrawal management and works closely with the medical director on medication-assisted treatment plans.
Priya Nair, CADC-II
Lead Counselor & Outdoor Programming Coordinator
Priya combines certified addiction counseling with a background in wilderness therapy. She designed IBT Rehab's early-riser outdoor fitness curriculum and leads the equine-assisted therapy program. Patients credit her nature-based sessions with providing breakthroughs that traditional talk therapy alone could not achieve.
Our Facility
Amenities
- Gymnasium
- Shared Suites
- Equine Therapy Barn
- Animal-Assisted Therapy Area
- Family Lodge
- Greenhouse
- Game Room
- Sauna
- Chapel / Interfaith Space
Learn More About Our Approach
Contact us today to learn about our programs and dedicated team.