Your Gateway to Wellness in Carlsbad
Carlsbad is sunsets at Tamarack Beach. Flower fields in the spring. Surfer vans on Coast Highway and fresh coffee at Baba Coffee. But even here, hard feelings can sneak in. Anxiety doesn’t care if you live by the ocean. Depression can follow you to paradise. Trauma can crash in like a wave.
That’s why Alter Behavioral Health offers residential mental health treatment in Carlsbad. Healing can happen here, where calm views meet caring hearts.
Maybe it hit you while you were walking along Carlsbad Village Drive. Or while sitting in traffic near Palomar Airport Road. Your chest got tight. Your thoughts felt heavy. You tried to smile through it. But it kept coming back. That’s how mental health works. It shows up anywhere.
But we show up, too. Our residential homes are near Carlsbad and ready for you. They’re calm, close, and full of expert support.
You don’t need scary lights or hospital smells. You need comfort. Our homes feel safe and calm. Here’s what you’ll find:
It’s not a hospital. It’s a soft landing—and your new beginning.
You don’t want to stay in treatment forever. And you won’t. We help you build strength again. You’ll learn to talk without yelling. Handle panic without hiding. And return to work—or school—with hope. When it’s time to go, we don’t leave you hanging. We make a full aftercare plan, connect you to Carlsbad support, and keep checking in.
This is just one stop. Your story keeps going.
You’ve searched for help more than once. You’ve waited for a “better time.” But now is the best time.
Residential mental health treatment in Carlsbad is nearby. It’s not scary. It’s your way back to feeling better—maybe even great.
You’re not broken. You’re healing. And it starts now—right here in Carlsbad.
You’re not just “sad.” Or just “worried.” You’re a person going through something real. At Alter, we don’t treat labels. We treat you.
Meet some of the people who will help:
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
No cold checklists here. Just real people helping you feel whole again.
Maybe you tried therapy before. Perhaps it didn’t help. Maybe it felt weird. We get it. At Alter, therapy fits your story. And we change it up if it’s not working.
Here’s what we offer:
Therapy isn’t just talking. It’s rebuilding your life.
Mental illness takes away structure. Your sleep’s off. Your mind won’t focus. Even eating feels hard. We understand. At Alter, we’ll help you get back into a healthy flow, little by little.
Here’s how:
It’s not strict. It’s steady. That’s what healing needs.
You don’t need to fly across the country. Carlsbad is close to our homes—and that matters. Being near nature and your real life helps healing stick. Our homes are close to places like Bressi Ranch, La Costa, and Oceanside. They’re clean, licensed, quiet, and filled with expert doctors and therapists. Every plan is made just for you.
Healing shouldn’t be hard to find. In Carlsbad, it’s right around the corner.
Yes! They help you feel better, too.
It’s fresh, tasty, and made to help your brain.
Yes. They’re licensed and kind.
Yes, and we help make it calm and helpful.
Yes—Aetna, Cigna, and more.
Yes, you get your own space to heal.
Most stay 30–90 days. We’ll help find what’s right.
Yes. We can arrange rides if needed.
Comfy clothes, meds, ID, and a notebook. That’s it.
We set you up with support and a full plan.
Our mission is to advance the future of mental health care through innovative, evidence-based treatments, delivering excellence, fostering human connection with unwavering compassion that empowers every individual to thrive.
34270 Pacific Coast Hwy
3rd Floor
Dana Point, CA 92629
Questions? Call now to speak confidentially with an admissions counselor.
