Meet our highly qualified counselors

Kiernan Gamel, LMSW, CCS, CAADC, SAP

Co-Founder 

Certified Substance Abuse Specialist

Email: info@pacificsubstanceabuse.com

Telephone: (818) 928-5508

Kiernan holds a Master's in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University with a concentration in Mental Health and Chemical Dependency. He is a licensed social worker (LLMSW), Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS), Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAADC) and Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) .

Kiernan has extensive experience in mental health diagnosis and treatment. For thirty years, he has specialized in the prevention and treatment of chemical dependency as a program director, lead counselor, addictions therapist, and substance abuse specialist.  During this time, he has worked in a wide range of socio-cultural settings, such as in California at the Betty Ford Center and the Riverside County Substance Abuse Program; in the West Indies at Crossroads Center, Eric Clapton’s chemical dependency treatment center; and in Michigan at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Michigan Department of Corrections, and Family Services and Children’s Aid.

Currently, Kiernan supervises substance abuse services at Albion College in Albion, Michigan. He is also the Program Director at Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee & Hillsdale Counties in Michigan.  In his position with Catholic Charities he oversees outpatient substance abuse services for three counties and eight prisons.

Bruce Fry, CCS, CADC

Counselor

Certified Substance Abuse Specialist

Bruce received his undergraduate degree from Spring Arbor University and attended graduate school at Liberty University and Southern Theological Seminary.  He holds a Bachelors degree in Family Life Education. Bruce is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS).

Bruce began his counseling career in 1991; when he co-founded MASTERPEACE Center for Counseling and Development where he served as a co-owner, program developer, staff counselor and pastoral counselor.  He is a licensed minister and active in a variety of ministries.  He has served as a Youth Pastor, Associate Pastor, and Pastor in a variety of Churches.  He has also served as a staff counselor for several area churches.  For seventeen years he was the senior therapist at the Federal Bureau of Prisons Residential Drug Treatment Program (RDAP), a nationally recognized 188 bed residential, long term substance abuse treatment program.  After retiring from the U.S. Justice Department, he served on staff at St. John Health Care System, Eastwood Clinic, where he was the Coordinator of the Intensive Outpatient Services Program.

Bruce currently works as the Sobriety Court Treatment Coordinator and substance abuse counselor for Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee & Hillsdale Counties. He is also a staff counselor and pastoral counselor at the Christian Mission Inc. of Adrian.

Aaron Suganuma, LLMSW

COUNSELOR

Substance Abuse Specialist

Aaron was awarded his Master’s degree in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University. His degree concentration was Mental Health and Chemical Dependency.

Aaron has worked at varying levels of care in the areas of substance abuse and mental health, especially assessment. As a part of his training, he interned at Dawn Farm in Ypsilanti, MI. While there, he performed assessments and provided clinical care to clients in a residential treatment setting. Continuing as a regular employee there, he developed and facilitated educational groups that helped people to prepare for the next stage of their recovery. For his advanced training, Aaron worked with people experiencing a wide variety of mental health diagnoses at the Adult Partial Hospitalization Program at St. Joseph Mercy hospital in Ypsilanti, MI. 

Currently, Aaron works as an outpatient substance abuse counselor for Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties. 

Meet our talented staff

DAVE GOODRICH, m.Ed. 

Web Architect

Learning Experience Designer

Dave is an educator and designer who began working at Michigan State University in 2012 where he leverages effective active learning strategies while using emerging technologies. Dave works in The Hub for Innovation for Learning & Technology where he collaborates with faculty to develop new courses, redesign existing courses, and consult on instructional learning object projects. He also enjoys facilitating faculty workshops and being a guest instructor from time to time for MSU’s College of Education.

Dave began as an Instructional Designer in the Office of Academic Technology Spring Arbor University in 2008 where he was elected the Faculty Representative for the Staff-Administration Personnel Association. He also helped in the early stages of starting up the MyBlend program at Michigan Virtual University. Before this, he was a high school science and physical education teacher. He has a Masters degree in Education specializing in Instructional Design for Online Learning from Capella University.

Dave and his wife live in Jackson, Michigan. Together they own Meadow Lace Photography and have three boys.