Philip Castagnola, SUDCC, is a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor and the Program Director for Coastal Detox of Southern California. He holds an Associate’s in Science and Certification in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies from San Diego City College.
Phil has over 15 years of continuous sobriety and is an active Sponsor in the San Diego Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community. He struggled with substance abuse issues throughout his youth. He started using drugs at the age of 15, having been raised in an environment that normalized heavy drug and alcohol use. He spent a lot of time in and out of various rehab programs before being incarcerated in federal prison, which is where he finally completed an 18-month treatment program and used that time to work the 12 Steps.
After serving his debt to society, he vowed to continue to give back to others who are going through similar hardships. Phil is passionated about sharing his experience with openness and honesty so that others may find hope for their future and find the strength to break free from the bondage of addiction.
In addition to a successful career as a certified counselor, Phil is also reconnecting with his passion for surfing. Phil surfed professionally in competitions for a few years in his early 20s and even owned his own surf shop before losing everything to his addiction. Now in his sobriety he is able to once again surf recreationally and in contests, showing that it’s never too late to reclaim your own narrative, overcome substance use disorder, and pursue the life you were always meant to have.
Like Phil, many members of the clinical and support staff at Coastal Detox are in long-term recovery themselves. While every team member brings professional training, credentials, and a commitment to clinical excellence, lived experience adds another layer of connection, integrity, and credibility. Patients interact with counselors, case managers, behavioral health technicians, and nurses who have successfully rebuilt their own lives, offering hope from the very beginning. Combined with comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment, individualized care planning, and evidence-based therapies, this recovery-centered approach helps patients build the confidence, resilience, and skills needed to achieve lasting sobriety.
One of the qualities that sets Coastal Detox apart is the strength of its addiction treatment team, led by Phil Castagnola, SUDCC, whose decades of experience in recovery and behavioral health shape every aspect of the client experience. Under his leadership, our medical detox and residential addiction treatment programs are intentionally designed to combine evidence-based addiction treatment with the compassion, accountability, and practical guidance that can only come from people who have walked the path of recovery themselves. Every patient receives individualized support in an environment built on trust, dignity, and genuine understanding.
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