than Sprague. Pinsky has referred to her as one of the strongest staff members at the PRC. Dr. Charles Sophy – psychiatrist and director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. He is also the author of Side By Side The Revolutionary Mother-Daughter Program for Conflict-Free Communication, and is the lead psychiatrist of the Celebrity Rehab and Sober House production team. Although he only appears occasionally, he was present throughout the filming of the second season of Sober House. Sasha Kusina – A nurse at the Pasadena Recovery Center. Although seen as early as Season 2, it is in Season 5 that her full name is revealed and she is seen speaking with the other staff, in regards to her rapport with patient Bai Ling, whom Kusina convinces to take her prescribed psychiatric medication. Jennifer Gimenez – A model and actress and former addict who credits her recovery to Pinsky, Gimenez was the sober living house manager on the Celebrity Rehab spinoff Sober House, and began working as a rehab technician at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Season 5 of Rehab. Dr. John Sharp – Dr. Sharp is a board certified psychiatrist, best-selling author, and media expert. He is part of the faculty of both the Harvard Medical School and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, dividing his time between Boston and Los Angeles. He first appeared as the on Call Psychiatrist in Season 5, and serves in that role and as the Associate Medical Director beginning with season 6. Simone Bienne – A relationship therapist who first appears in season 6. Production According to a December 2009 article in The New York Times, Drew Pinsky, who was alarmed by tabloid portrayals of addiction as an indulgence of the rich and famous, and a group of independent producers, approached VH1 with a proposal for a reality television series which would authentically depict addiction, as a sort of media intervention. According to executive producer John Irwin, casting for the first season was the most difficult, as the representatives of the celebrities who had been arrested or had publicized bouts with addiction refused to speak with him and the other producers. The process became easier after the first season aired. Actor Tom Sizemore, for example, who was cast for Season 3, had been sought after since Season 1. Producers have reportedly offered actress Lindsay Lohan six