Temescal Valley is the kind of place people choose to build their lives, with its good schools, open space, and a sense of calm. However, a calm life on the outside doesn’t always reflect how you really feel on the inside. If you’ve been dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, or something harder to name, and you’ve been dealing with it alone, Alter Behavioral Health is here for you.
We’re a residential mental health treatment center in Southern California, made for adults who are ready to stop managing symptoms and start addressing the root of their issues. Our clinicians are experienced, our facilities are genuinely comfortable, and our results speak for themselves.
Our facility near Temescal Valley was built to feel like a place worth being in, away from all the daily stress. There is Natural light, Real furniture, and Spaces that feel calm rather than cold, all of which are essential during recovery.
This is what recovery actually requires.
Temescal Valley residents value their privacy and their community. Those things don’t disappear when someone needs help. Our facilities in Irvine and San Juan Capistrano are close enough for family visits from Corona, Lake Elsinore, and Riverside, but removed enough that you can fully step away and focus.
We’ve also thought hard about what comes after you leave Alter. You’ll leave with a real aftercare plan, local therapist referrals, outpatient options, and peer support that fits life back in the Inland Empire. Not a pamphlet. A plan.
We work with most major insurance providers. Our admissions team will walk you through exactly what your plan covers without any surprises or pressure.
You won’t be passed around. You’ll work with the same small team throughout your entire stay.
Our team includes:
Dr. Araz Tawfique, M.D.
Medical Director/Psychiatrist
Dr. Araz Tawfique, M.D. is an award-winning, Board Certified psychiatrist in La Jolla, CA with over ten years of experience working with people of diverse needs. He pursued his true passion for psychiatry and completed his psychiatric residency training at the University of Reno, Las Vegas. A San Diego native, he returned to Southern California to receive additional training in mental health, and start his private practice. His specialties are psychiatry and psychotherapy, which are techniques that facilitate a better understanding of thoughts, feelings, and motivations. His approach explores the interplay of biology, psychology, and sociology in shaping individuals and their relationships.
Dr. Tawfique’s experience includes delivering comprehensive addiction treatment at substance abuse centers in San Diego.
Medical Director / Psychiatrist
Primary Therapist
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
We don’t start with a template that is used for everybody. We start with you, your history, what has worked before, and what you want your life to look like.
Conditions we treat include depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, ADHD, drug and alcohol addiction, and co-occurring disorders.
Therapies we draw from:
Every plan is part of a full program. We are committed to using the latest science to help you achieve lasting peace and mental clarity.
You’ll have enough structure to feel grounded, yet enough freedom to feel like yourself.
Mornings start slowly. Therapy sessions are scheduled for when your mind is most ready. Small group work lets you listen or talk, depending on how you feel that day. Meals are relaxed. Evenings have optional creative or mindfulness activities. And quiet time is built in, not to fill space, but because rest is a real and absolute essential part of healing.
Life skills are woven into everything: sleep, communication, routine, and knowing yourself. By the time you leave, you won’t just feel different. You’ll know how to stay that way.
One honest phone call is all it takes. We’ll ask a few questions, check your insurance, and if we’re the right fit, you could be starting within days. You don’t need a rock-bottom story to start, nor do you need to have it figured out. If things feel unmanageable, that’s enough to call us.
Call (866) 248-9285; we are available 24/7. Or start the process here.
Yes. We regularly work with clients from Corona, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Riverside, and nearby areas. Our travel team can also help with the details if you’re coming from further away.
Yes. Every residential room is private.
Yes. Our experienced clinical team treats mental health and substance use challenges together.
We accept most major plans. Verify your coverage with us without any commitment required.
Yes. Visiting hours are set, and family therapy is part of the picture when it supports your care.
We build your aftercare plan before you leave, including therapist referrals, support groups, and local resources. You leave with direction, not just a discharge summary.
No. It’s always a conversation, never a requirement.
A free assessment with our team will help figure that out together. No pressure and no expectations.
Connect with our compassionate team to get a personalized treatment plan designed around your needs.
All calls are 100% free and confidential
