Empty teak chairs on a cream rug, facing a dusk Pacific window in Laguna Beach.

Team · Laguna Beach

The Peoplein the Room

Therapists, a case manager, a somatic practitioner, group facilitators, and medical directors for psychiatry.

Call (949) 670-9345
Founder
Dr. Courtney Tracy
The clinic
Joint Commission PHP / IOP
The place
Laguna Beach, CA
Dr. Courtney Tracy, founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Exist Centers.

Founder

Dr. Courtney Tracy

Chief Clinical Officer

USC-trained licensed psychotherapist and certified trauma and personality-disorder expert.

Exist Centers was built to give people the kind of real, effective care they deserve but rarely find. Dr. Courtney Tracy, a licensed therapist who specializes in BPD and substance use, founded it and still leads our clinical team.

Our team is trained in trauma-informed care and personality disorder treatment, and our PHP and IOP are accredited by The Joint Commission. You'll get a plan built around you, and you won't get lost in the shuffle here.

We now offer a virtual IOP for adults in California who can't come to Laguna Beach. You join half days of group and 1:1 sessions on a secure video call.

  • LCSW
  • PsyD
  • RPA
  • C-DBT
  • C-PD
  • CCTP
Meet Dr. Courtney

Who You'll Work With

Meet our executive director, our somatic practitioner, and our two medical directors.

  • Headshot of Mikaela Karpinski, executive director at Exist Centers.

    Mikaela Karpinski

    Executive Director

    LCSW · trauma and substance use

  • Headshot of Maggie Scotto, somatic practitioner at Exist Centers.

    Maggie Scotto

    Somatic practitioner

    RADT · RYT-500 · somatic therapy

  • Headshot of Dr. Randall Turner, medical director at Exist Centers.

    Dr. Randall Turner

    Medical director

    DO · psychiatry and addiction medicine

  • Headshot of Dr. Nathan Ngo, medical director at Exist Centers.

    Dr. Nathan Ngo

    Medical director

    Psychiatry · mood, anxiety, and trauma

Mikaela Karpinski

Executive Director

I am the team’s executive director. I am deeply passionate about helping people find lasting personal care, meaningful reconnection, and a treatment program that makes sense. I help our program and client experience thrive by balancing humanistic care and clinical expertise. If you are reading this, please know that all the hard work it takes to find healing is worth it. You are worth it. Outside of work, I spend time with my cats Squidward and Jelly (yes, there is a SpongeBob theme going on) and with my husband.

Our Full Team

Everyone on the Exist Centers team in Laguna Beach, from our founder to our medical directors.

  1. Dr. Courtney Tracy, LCSW, PsyD

    Founder + Chief Clinical Officer

  2. Anthony Fletcher

    Chief Executive Officer

  3. Max Tracy, BA

    Chief Operations Officer

  4. Mikaela Karpinski, LCSW

    Executive Director

  5. Rachel O'Neil, AMFT

    Associate Psychotherapist

  6. Kat Day, ACSW

    Associate Psychotherapist

  7. Steven Shaw

    Group Facilitator

  8. Maggie Scotto, RADT, RYT-500

    Somatic Practitioner

  9. Dr. Randall Turner, DO

    Medical Director

  10. Dr. Nathan Ngo

    Medical Director

Give Us a Call

Call or text us at (949) 670-9345 and tell us what's going on. We'll tell you honestly whether PHP, IOP, Outpatient 1:1, or a referral would serve you best.

(949) 670-9345Talk to admissions

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Tracy, LCSW, PsyD · Reviewed September 2026