Mackenzie Phillips Joins Breathe Life Healing Centers as Addiction Counselor

STUDIO CITY, CA - Actress and recovering addict Mackenzie Phillips is joining the team at a 22-acre Laurel Canyon treatment facility as a substance use disorder counselor, it was announced Monday.

The 56-year-old former "One Day at a Time" star began working in the addiction field as a counselor in 2013. Her role at Breathe Life Healing Centers will include a full caseload of patients, seeing them through the process of early recovery and working with their loved ones to help bring the family unit back together.

"My addiction was so powerful, and so rooted in early trauma, that I lost myself for many years," Phillips said. "Now, with a strong recovery I'm committed to helping others find their voice at Breathe Life Healing Centers."

Breathe Life founder Brad Lamm said clients "will no doubt benefit from her (Phillips') expertise in the field and her personal journey to recovery."

"She has recovered so much -- a life rich in value and substance, and I cannot wait to collaborate with her," he said. "She is a brave warrior who has trudged a long road, and has built a true bridge back to life. Plus, she's not a glum gal!"

Over the years, the daughter of The Mamas and the Papas founder John Phillips has utilized her platform as a public figure to educate people about addiction and to combat social stigmas.

Her 2009 memoir, "High on Arrival," detailed her battle with substance abuse and family trauma throughout her life, and her subsequent journey to mental and physical wellness.

--City News Service, photo credit: Greg Hernandez/Wiki Commons