Detox. Residential. PHP. IOP. Virtual outpatient. We shoot the video, run the ads, build the site, and automate the admissions CRM.
Different buyers, keywords, platforms, content per level. We tune the engine for what your program actually delivers.
Highest-intent search in behavioral health. Families in crisis. Conversion windows in hours, not days.
Flagship product. Highest LTV per admission. Buyers research deeply. Video and alumni stories convert.
Step-down from residential or step-up from IOP. Local SEO and referral relationships matter as much as paid.
Volume engine. Lower LTV, higher census. Insurance-aware messaging is critical.
Fastest-scaling level of care in 2026. Multi-state licensure unlocks national paid media.
Preston co-founded Fresh Start of California Detox in 2015 and ran admissions, intake, clinical ops, BD, and back-office hands-on for nine years. Sold 2025. Co-founded SoCal Mental Health, raised $15M. Author of The Epic Journal, 33,000+ copies sold.
We don’t need to be taught what a UR cycle is, why VOB matters more than CTR, or why a $400 CPL can still be too expensive. We’ve lived it.
Families don’t enroll based on banner ads. They enroll because they watched a video that built trust. The centers that compound tell the real story on camera, every week.
The why, the clinical philosophy, the non-negotiables. Trust foundation every other video builds on.
TrustMD, clinical director, therapists, case managers. Methodology, modalities (CBT, DBT, EMDR, somatic), and clinical day. Professional credibility.
CredibilityBHTs see what clinical doesn’t. The 3am moments. The milieu. Most underused video subject in the industry.
AuthenticityHonest stories from graduates, HIPAA-compliant releases. The most powerful conversion asset a treatment center holds.
ConversionMom. Dad. Spouse. Sibling. The people who paid for treatment and picked up at 2am. Most overlooked category. Most persuasive to the actual buyer.
The buyerLong-form behavioral health and recovery interviews. Plus event work powered by PELORA.
Watch · Long-form
State of Mind
Guest appearance · "State of Mind" podcast
Preston was a guest on this episode. PELORA Marketing is not affiliated with, partnered with, or endorsed by the podcast or its host. Episode embedded with creator's permission.
Episode 46
The Epic Journal
The Epic Journal · Ep. 46
Recovery, founder mindset, and the lessons behind building treatment programs.
Watch · Long-form
Founder interview
Long-form interview
The same playbook PELORA walks every behavioral health client through, told from the operator side first.
1h 26m
Cambria Judd, MD
Functional medicine · Behavioral health
Preston Durnford x Cambria Judd, MD on functional medicine inside behavioral health and recovery programs.
49 min
Sam Mandel
Ketamine clinic · Mental health
Preston Durnford x Sam Mandel on ketamine therapy, IV protocols, and how clinics are scaling responsibly.
1h 01m
Dr. Kristi Vaughan
Functional medicine · Recovery
Preston Durnford x Dr. Kristi Vaughan on functional medicine protocols inside behavioral health treatment.
Alumni story
Will Mansfield · Pacific Shores
Alumni interview · Pacific Shores Recovery (partner program)
The exact format we shoot for treatment center clients. Real alumni, with full media release, telling the story their way. This is what one day of shooting at your facility produces.
1 min · Brand asset
The Epic Journal
Brand video · The Epic Journal · 33K+ copies sold
The behavioral health book Preston created. The same brand-asset format we produce for treatment centers, mental health programs, and consumer health brands.
Powered by PELORA
Red Songbird Foundation
Event work · Red Songbird Foundation
Sheckler, Alvarez & Bereman activation. The kind of event content treatment centers can produce for their alumni days, family weekends, and community partnerships.
07 / Behavioral Health
Behavioral Health
A family in crisis checks everything: your site, your reviews, your staff, your story. Built by an operator who ran treatment, we make every checkpoint earn their trust, compliantly, and follow up with the urgency admissions demands.
Key benefitsVerified and public on Google. Not edited. Not paraphrased. Click any name to read it in full.
“Pelora Marketing does absolutely incredible work. Preston has a unique talent for capturing stories that feel authentic and powerful.”
“Whether he’s filming breathtaking drone footage, underwater ocean shots, or conducting interviews and client testimonials, the quality is always outstanding. Professional, creative, and passionate. Consistently exceed expectations.”
“It genuinely feels like working with someone who cares about where your business is going.”
“We hired Pelora Marketing to help us build our business from the ground up and it has been one of the best decisions we've made. Preston and his team designed our website, set up our automations, and built an organic growth strategy tailored specifically to us. We always feel heard. Every question gets a real answer and nothing gets glossed over. It genuinely feels like working with someone who cares about where your business is going. If you're an Orange County business owner looking for a team that actually shows up and delivers, look up Pelora Marketing. We can't recommend them enough!”
“When I met Preston, I instantly knew he was exactly what my brand had been missing.”
“I have struggled with my website and marketing since starting my business, and I often felt like people were more focused on financial gain than truly understanding the heart behind my brand. My business and its mission mean so much to me, my clients, and the families we serve, so finding the right person to bring that vision to life was incredibly important. When I met Preston, I instantly knew he was exactly what my brand had been missing. He understood the mission, believed in the vision, and brought back my confidence in marketing. He and his team have gone above and beyond in helping create a website and systems that truly reflect what my business stands for. My new site is now up, and my SEO, AEO, CRM, and overall marketing systems are being handled seamlessly. I could not be more grateful. They captured exactly what I wanted my business to portray while helping it operate more efficiently and professionally.”
“Amazing company run by an amazing human. I trust Pelora completely.”
“Amazing company run by an amazing human. I trust Pelora completely and appreciate all the work they've done for me! Could not recommend more highly!”
“One of my all-time favorite marketing agencies to work with. The videos they make are top notch.”
“One of my all time favorite marketing agency to work with. The videos they make are top notch, turning vision into real results. Great people.”
“An excellent experience working with PELORA. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated a strong commitment.”
“I had an excellent experience working with this Pelora. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated a strong understanding of what we needed and delivered work that exceeded expectations.”
“Their video content really stands out, high quality, authentic, and they know how to turn it into real results.”
“Pelora Marketing can help your business grow! Preston really pays attention to your needs and wants you to be successful! Definitely recommend them to anyone looking to grow their brand online.”
“It’s rare to find a partner that balances high-end creativity with a data-driven growth mindset.”
“Team PELORA builds marketing systems that actually deliver measurable results, high-quality video, paid ads, web design, and SEO at the highest level. They know exactly how to build immediate trust with potential customers from the very first touchpoint.”
“Marketing that feels intentional, professional, and results-driven.”
“Pelora brings a thoughtful approach to branding, digital marketing, and business visibility. What stands out most is the genuine effort to understand each client’s goals and create marketing that feels intentional, professional, and results-driven.”
“They delivered exactly what was promised, and the results exceeded my expectations.”
“Communication was clear, they delivered exactly what was promised, and the results exceeded my expectations. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and professional marketing services.”
“Hands-on, efficient, and a pleasure to work with.”
“Pelora is hands-on, efficient, and a pleasure to work with. They stay engaged throughout the process and consistently deliver. Highly recommend!”
From the first ad to a booked appointment, here is the work we handle. Run all of it for you, or build it with your team and train them to own it. Your call.
Carousel and image ads designed in-house, built to stop the scroll and convert, not just look pretty.
Real shoots with real cinema gear. Founder stories, client testimonials, and short-form built to sell.
Meta and Instagram build demand and brand recall. Google captures people already searching for you. Most businesses need both, so we run both.
We plan, shoot, edit, post, and engage. Your feed stays consistent and on-brand without you lifting a finger.
The algorithm is a level playing field now. Strong organic content can reach millions with almost no followers. We highly recommend it, and we make it for you.
Want it fully handled? We run the entire engine. Want to own it? We build the systems and train your team to operate them.
We handle everything. Strategy, creative, shooting, ads, posting, follow-up, and reporting. You focus on your clients, we run the engine.
Prefer to own your marketing? We set up the systems and train your team to run the exact same playbook we use every day.
No four-vendor handoffs. One team shoots, runs ads, builds the site, tunes the CRM. Operator-led. No junior team.
Multi-day shoots: owners, clinical team, BHTs, alumni, alumni family. On-site or off-site, HIPAA-compliant releases.
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn. Strategy, calendar, posting, community management, DM workflow into admissions.
LegitScript and TID-compliant Google Ads. Meta ads through healthcare review with restricted-category creative.
Conversion-focused sites and landing pages. Webflow or WordPress. Full Schema, Core Web Vitals, mobile-first, AI-search ready.
4-8 posts per month in your voice. FAQ schema, internal linking. Ranks in SEO and gets cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews.
HubSpot or GoHighLevel front-end. Integrates with Kipu, Sunwave, BestNotes, Lightning Step, AdvancedMD. Speed-to-lead under 5 minutes.
What the work actually costs at compliant, on-location, operator-led quality. All six tiers →
Smaller programs ($300K to $1M monthly revenue) can start on our $2,500 Launch or $4,500 Growth tier and scale into the bigger work as census grows. See all six tiers →
Want to automate the business itself? Beyond your plan, we build and deploy custom AI agents: an AI voice front desk that answers and books calls (built on Vapi), plus agents for sales follow-up, operations, and marketing. We scope it to exactly what you need. This is a separate build on top of your retainer.
Ask what we can automate →A compliant admissions engine, built by someone who has operated in this industry. Creative: video of your real staff, facility, and program, because families in crisis can smell stock photography. Acquisition: LegitScript-aware Google campaigns and compliant Meta presence, with admissions pages that answer insurance, levels of care, and what happens next. Follow-up: CRM pipelines wired for admissions speed, instant response any hour, family callback flows, verification-of-benefits handoffs, and respectful long-term nurture for families not ready today. Search: local SEO plus AEO and GEO so AI assistants describe your center accurately when families ask. Everything documented, everything yours.
Yes, with the sensitivity this space requires. We build: immediate response flows for admissions inquiries at any hour, family follow-up sequences that stay compassionate rather than salesy, alumni and aftercare check-in campaigns that support recovery and generate authentic reviews, referral-partner updates that keep clinicians sending, and reactivation paths for families who were not ready the first time. HIPAA-conscious, consent-based, and written with the tone this work deserves.
PELORA is a behavioral health marketing agency in Newport Beach founded by Preston Durnford, who has owned and operated licensed treatment programs since 2015. We work across detox, residential, PHP, IOP, virtual outpatient, mental health, dual-diagnosis, eating disorder, and trauma. Our edge is operator experience, admissions, intake, clinical ops, BD, back-office run from the operator side. Behavioral health is uniquely regulated (restricted categories, LegitScript, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, state brokering laws). We build the engine end to end.
Yes. Full continuum: medical detox (5-14 days), residential (around 30 days, by medical necessity), PHP, IOP, virtual outpatient, sober living, mental health residential, dual-diagnosis, eating disorder, trauma, family programs. Each LOC has different buyers, keywords, approved platforms, and content needs.
Video is the highest-trust format. Behavioral health is the highest-trust purchase. Families don’t enroll loved ones based on banner ads, they enroll because they watched the owner, clinical director, BHTs, alumni, and family members on camera. We shoot all of it on location and distribute across site, blog, social, ads, email, SMS. One shoot day fuels three months of distribution.
Five subjects: 1) Owners/executives on philosophy; 2) Clinical team on methodology and modalities (CBT, DBT, EMDR, somatic); 3) BHTs on milieu and 24-hour experience; 4) Alumni with full release; 5) Alumni family with full release. HIPAA preserved through written auth, blurring on request, off-property filming when needed, never filming current clients without written consent. We work alongside your compliance officer and clinical director.
Yes. Requires LegitScript certification and Google TID. Roughly $1,995/facility plus annual renewal. We handle the application and TID setup. Once certified, we run paid search (detox near me, rehab + city, IOP + insurance), display, YouTube, and remarketing. We track cost-per-admission, not just CPL.
Yes, with care. Meta classifies behavioral health as restricted. Ads go through healthcare review. We structure creative around education, family resources, alumni stories with permission, and softer entry points (guides, masterclasses, podcasts). Once they engage, we move them to the LegitScript-certified site. We’ve scaled past $500 CPA thresholds without violations.
We integrate with Kipu, Sunwave, BestNotes, Lightning Step, AdvancedMD, TenEleven. Marketing front-end: HubSpot or GoHighLevel. Critical features: speed-to-lead under 5 min, missed-call text-back, two-way SMS, family contact tracking, VOB workflow, source attribution. We tune for cost-per-admission, not CPL.
Industry benchmarks: 15-25% of gross revenue for growth-stage, 8-12% for steady-state. A 30-bed residential at $1.2M-$2.5M/mo typically spends $30K-$80K across ads, video, social, web, CRM, SEO. Our retainers start at $6,500/mo (Scale), $12,000 (Enterprise), $18,000+ (Full-Service). Smaller programs can start at $2,500 Launch or $4,500 Growth.
LegitScript is the certification Google requires for any business advertising addiction/SUD treatment. The application reviews licensure, accreditation (Joint Commission/CARF), staffing, philosophy, ownership, compliance. ~$1,995/facility plus $1,995 annual renewal, with inspection. Without it, Google won’t approve. We handle the application and TID setup.
42 CFR Part 2 governs SUD record confidentiality, stricter than HIPAA. Marketing-side: no current-client filming without written auth, alumni releases must cover channels and duration, no PHI in ad creative, no client photos without consent. All clinical content cleared by your compliance officer before publishing.
Yes. EKRA (2018) prohibits anything-of-value payments for patient referrals. State laws are tighter, FL 817.505 carries criminal penalties; CA enforces aggressively. Our retainers are flat fee. We don’t buy or sell leads. No admission-tied commissions.
Preston has been in behavioral health 12 years as both operator and marketer. Marketing was the first business. Profits from it funded the first detox in 2015 (Fresh Start of California Detox, 2 locations, both sold 2025). Co-founded SoCal Mental Health ($15M raised). Author of The Epic Journal (33,000+ sold, 1K-1.5K/month organic). Operates Epic Journey Recovery (epicjourneyrecovery.co), PELORA’s sister behavioral health company. Guest on long-form behavioral health podcasts, including the State of Mind podcast. Full founder story →
Yes. Headquartered in Newport Beach, with concentrated work across OC, LA, San Diego, Bay Area, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Tennessee, Utah, remote nationwide. We travel for on-location shoots with a vetted network of regional operators so quality stays consistent.
Your levels of care, funnel, spend, census gaps. No pitch deck. Yes or no on the call. Scope in 72 hours if we’re a fit. If not, you leave with a punch list any agency can use.
Guides & Resources
Straight answers from the team that would run your marketing.
