Portfolio
“Are So-Called Illegal Drugs the Future of Mental Health and Addiction Treatments?”
The last two decades have seen a massive increase in innovation research relating to drugs that were (and in most cases still are) banned under the UN Conventions and national drugs legislation. Many of these drugs, particularly the psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD had been shown to have significant benefits for mental health and addictions before they were banned in the 1960s/70s These early observations have since been confirmed with new studies of psilocybin in depression and addictions. We are now in a new era of psychedelic-psychotherapy that offers a major advance for many patients who hitherto have not responded well to conventional treatments. Also, brain imaging research now helps us understand how these drugs work to facilitate the person engaging with the therapeutic process and why the impact of just one or two psychedelic interventions can lead to long-term benefits.
David Nutt is Chair of the Drug Science Scientific Committee and currently the Edmund J Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and Head of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Centre for Academic Psychiatry in the Division of Brain Sciences, Dept of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London. He is also visiting professor at the Open University in the UK and Maastricht University in the Netherlands. He is the founder of Drug Science and has held many leadership positions in both the UK and European academic scientific and clinical organizations. These include presidencies of the European Brain Council, the British Neuroscience Association, the British Association of Psychopharmacology and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology as well as Chair of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, of Psychiatrists and of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He is also the UK Director of the European Certificate and Masters in Affective Disorders courses and a member of the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy.
David has edited the Journal of Psychopharmacology for over twenty five years and acts as the psychiatry drugs advisor to the British National Formulary. He has published over 500 original research papers and a similar number of reviews and books chapters, eight government reports on drugs and 35 books, including one for the general public, ‘Drugs Without the Hot Air’, which won the Transmission book prize in 2014 for Communication of Ideas.
Dr. Lembke is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. In 2016, she published Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop (Johns Hopkins University Press), which was highlighted in the New York Times as one of the top five books to read in the quest to understand the opioid epidemic. Dr. Lembke also appeared in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, which provides an unvarnished look at the impact of social media on our lives. In her new book, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence(Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021), an instant New York Times bestseller, Dr. Lembke explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.
“Compulsive and Addictive Sexual Behavior: The Controversy, Diagnosis, and Implications for Treatment”
In recent years there has been tremendous controversy about sexually compulsive behavior. Researchers and clinicians alike have argued about the best terminology to use, diagnostic criteria, and treatment approaches. In this presentation, Dr. Carnes discusses the concerns about labeling out control sexual behavior and the examines the new research and appropriate diagnostic categories. Differential Diagnosis, etiological factors and treatment will be discussed.
Dr. Stefanie Carnes is the president of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals, a training institute and professional organization for addiction professionals. As a Senior Fellow at The Meadows, she works with sexually addicted clients and their families and is the clinical architect for Willow House, a treatment program for women struggling with sex, love, and intimacy disorders.
A licensed marriage and family therapist and an AAMFT-approved supervisor, Dr. Carnes’ area of expertise includes working with patients and families struggling with multiple addictions such as sexual addiction, eating disorders, and chemical dependency. She is also a certified sex addiction therapist and supervisor, specializing in therapy for couples and families struggling with sexual addiction. She presents regularly at conferences at both the state and national levels. She is also the author of numerous publications including the books Mending a Shattered Heart: A Guide for Partners of Sex Addicts, Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts, and Facing Addiction: Starting Recovery from Alcohol and Drugs. Her latest book, Courageous Love: A Couples Guide to Conquering Betrayal, released in 2020.
“The Practical Application of Exercise as an Adjunct Therapy for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders”
Join Nicole Golden, author of the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Fitness Specialist course, offered by the Medfit Education Foundation, for an informative session to explore exercise as medicine in the treatment of substance use disorders. Together, we will review the effectiveness of exercise as an adjunct therapy for drug/alcohol use disorders, evaluate which exercise modalities are most effective for which individuals depending on history and substance(s) used, review what is happening physiologically, and identify resources to aid in the development of fitness programs in the inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.
Nicole Golden has been a fitness professional since 2014 when she left the field of education to pursue a full-time career in fitness. Nicole holds a Master of Science degree from Concordia University Chicago in Applied Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Nutrition. She is a NASM Master Trainer, CES, CSCS (NSCA), and a sports nutritionist certified through the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
She is the owner of FWF Wellness where she specializes in corrective exercise, nutrition coaching, and training for special populations. She has a great deal of experience working with clients in recovery from substance use disorders and has coordinated and implemented fitness programs at a local drug rehabilitation center since 2016.
She is the author of the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Fitness Specialist online course — the first course of its kind, providing fitness professionals the education required to work successfully with individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.
Matt’s passion for mental health led him to found the National Mental Health Innovation Center (NMHIC) at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, in 2015. As Executive Director, Matt leads a team of committed professionals to help accelerate the pace at which new technologies are responsibly developed by working in close partnership with startups and entrepreneurs in order to better treat and prevent mental illness, promote mental wellness and destroy stigma.
Matt has become a leading national voice on mental health and the use of technology to improve people’s mental health. Matt has lectured and been featured in the media internationally, including keynotes at the World Conference on VR and Industry in Nanchang China, and a TEDx talk on the use of VR in mental health.
Before taking on leadership of the NMHIC startup, Matt served as Deputy Director of the University of Colorado Depression Center and managed the national program expansion for the Nurse-Family Partnership. Matt earned degrees from Marquette University and the University of Minnesota and now lives in beautiful Golden Colorado. In those rare times when he’s not working, odds are you can find him immersed in one of his other passions; hanging with his awesome sons, photography, kayaking, cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals and against the Chicago Cubs
“Slow Aging, Manage Stress, Boost Memory and Protect Your Brain Today, Tomorrow, and Years from Now”
Did you know that beginning at the age of 40, the brain shrinks 5% every ten years? The aging process causes this shrinking, and it can have a devastating impact on daily focus, wellness, mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, productivity, and day-to-day and long-term memory. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We—not our genes—can control our aging and brain health. Significant and just-published studies point us to a compelling conclusion. Just because one year has passed on the calendar doesn’t mean our brain and body have to get one year older. Serious mental decline is not an inevitable part of aging. Your short and long-term brain health is in your hands. The same vital steps to optimize your brain health and wellness today also lower the risk of dementia by 60% if the right actionable steps are taken now.
You will learn cutting edge science-based, practical tips such as:
FYI: There are A LOT of products sold that make promises that are nothing more than a waste of time and money.
Keeping Your Brain Young provides empowering, science-based, practical takeaways to have your best days today, tomorrow, and years from now.
Dr. Marc Milstein specializes in taking the leading scientific research on health and happiness and presents it in a way that entertains, educates, and empowers his audience to live better.
His presentations provide science-based solutions to keep the brain healthy, lower the risk of dementia, boost productivity and maximize longevity. He earned both his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry and his Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from UCLA.
Dr. Milstein has conducted research on topics including cancer biology and neuroscience and his work has been published in multiple scientific journals. Dr. Milstein has been quoted breaking down and analyzing the latest research on television and in popular press such as USA Today, Huffington Post, and Weight Watchers Magazine. Dr. Milstein’s upcoming book “The Age-Proof Brain” will be published in 2022.
“Suicide and the Organization”
Our country faces an unprecedented mental health crisis among people of all ages. The trauma, grief, loss and isolation associated with the pandemic has driven Americans in all demographics to a breaking point with depression, substance abuse and suicide attempts increasing. Even prior to the pandemic, suicide attempts and completions were on the rise, especially among the young and older adults aged 65 and above. The CDC reports that there were 1.2 million suicide attempts in 2020 and 3.2 million Americans had a plan for suicide. A suicide and suicide attempts affect the health and well-being of friends, loved ones, co-workers, and the community. Our discussin will look at what happens when a suicide of a co-worker and/or family member occurs within our organization and how we best respond when a patient that is in our care dies by suicide?
Jaime Vinck, MC, LPC, is the CEO of CPF Recovery Ways. Jaime provides leadership to operations in Utah, Washington, Nevada, Idaho and Texas, and is overseeing the strategic expansion of Recovery Ways. Jaime was previously CEO of The Sierra Tucson Group.
An industry advocate, Jaime serves as Finance Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and speaks nationally and internationally on trending topics, including Suicide, Trauma Informed Leadership and Compassion Fatigue and Provider Resilience. In 2019 she was named as one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women by AZ Business Magazine an has regularly been named one of the top leaders in AZ in both Healthcare and Behavioral health.
Jaime holds master’s degree in professional counseling from Ottawa University and is a licensed professional counselor in the State of Arizona.
“The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation”
Join Deb Dana and Dr. Stephen Porges in a workshop to demonstrate how to apply Polyvagal Theory in a clinical setting. The session will go through a live demo and set the stage for a client to explore from a place of safety. We will see how awareness of our own nervous systems states impact the therapeutic process and discover the hierarchal movements of the states. After the demo, Deb and Dr. Porges will deconstruct the experience with the client and the audience.
Stephen W. Porges, PhD is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 350 peer‐reviewed scientific papers. He is the creator of the Polyvagal Theory and a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™, currently used by more than 200 therapists to reduce hearing sensitivities, improve language processing, and increase spontaneous social engagement. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation, The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, and Polyvagal Safety, as well as co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and Polyvagal Safety.
Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in working with complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. Deb is the developer of the Rhythm of Regulation training series and is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible – for clinicians and curious people alike. Deb’s clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, and the Polyvagal Flip Chart, and she is co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies She partners with Sounds True to bring her polyvagal perspective to a general audience through the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System: Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory and her print book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory.
“Transforming Legacy Burdens to Legacy Gifts”
A legacy burden is any harmful belief system or emotional pattern that is passed from one generation to the next. These include cultural or historical traumas and collective wounds resulting from systemic oppression. Deran Young (founder of Black Therapists Rock) and Dick Schwartz (founder of Internal Family Systems- IFS) have been working together for the past 5 years, to foster deep healing and cross cultural compassion through corrective experiences of collective self energy.
Learning Objectives- Following this workshop, participants will be able to:
Deran Young is a licensed therapist ,She is also a Co-Author in the New York Time’s Best Seller, You Are Your Best Thing. During her time in graduate school, she studied abroad in Ghana, West Africa creating a high school counseling center and exploring the link between historical trauma and collective mental health. After many years of analyzing the epigenetic wounds of racism and anti-Blackness, Deran established Black Therapists Rock, a non profit organization that mobilizes over 30,000 mental health professionals committed to reducing the psychological toll of systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma. Deran practices psychedelic assisted therapy at Field Trip Health.
“Can Digital Mental Health Live Up To The Promise?”
This panel will discuss the use of technology for mental health and substance use treatment and prevention. We will discuss evidence-based digital mental health technology that is relevant to prevention strategies along with approaches to critically assess technology. The panel will discuss the general landscape of digital mental health and propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions to enhance well-being across personal and population levels, including methods for enhancing stakeholder and community engagement in the implementation of technology. We will also review ethical issues associated with technological applications in mental health, including issues of equity and access.
Debbie is passionate about the effective implementation of mental health technology in clinical and community settings. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she has a deep background in research, which has fueled her desire to ensure that evidence-based approaches are utilized in mental health and technology. After earning her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder and completing my internship at the University of California San Diego/Veterans Administration program, Debbie expanded her knowledge of digital health as a postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Research Translational Institute. She has been working in fast paced environments leveraging technology to improve wellbeing and understands the balance between speed and efficacy. Debbie’s expertise ranges from contributing to the development of web-based interventions and the implementation of digital health and virtual reality. As Deputy Director at the National Mental Health Innovation Center, Debbie lead efforts focused on accelerating the implementation of new innovations into mental health.
“Effects of a Diet & Lifestyle Intervention on Biological Aging”
The regulation of the human genome by the epigenome is now regarded as a cornerstone, heritable, physiologic process, playing a key role in phenotypic expression of health and disease. DNA methylation is a well-researched, primary epigenetic process that has been used to establish biological age assessments, namely DNA methylation “clocks,” which act as possible surrogate markers of age-related morbidity and mortality risk.
The potential for reversing biological aging using these clocks is just beginning to be explored. Yet emerging research suggests that it is possible to do just that. This has profound implications for the growing health-related economic and social challenges of our rapidly aging population. It has been proposed, using the Future Elderly Model, that delaying aging even modestly by 2.2 years, could save $7 trillion over the next 50 years.
This presentation will cover:
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, IFMCP, is the first-ever recipient of the Emerging Leadership Award from the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute in recognition of her work on DNA methylation. She received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine, she lectures globally on functional medicine, is on the faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), and is an IFM Certified Practitioner with a clinical practice in Newtown, Connecticut. She runs a Functional Medicine Clinic Immersion program for professionals and hosts the podcast New Frontiers in Functional Medicine. Dr. Fitzgerald is also actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. Her first study was published in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book, Younger You, and an application-based program, 3YY, based on the study. She lives with her daughter in Connecticut.
“Workaholism: The ‘Respectable’ Process Addiction”
Overworking, or what some call “workaholism” is a complicated process addiction but one that is often viewed positively and even seen as a cornerstone of business success. As a woman in recovery from workaholism for over a decade, Dr. Dawn Nickel knows the topic well. When Dawn hit a physical and emotional bottom with anxiety and overworking in 2011, she was struck by how similar the experience was to the bottom she had hit with her substance use disorder two decades earlier. Her earlier recovery experiences informed how she approached her recovery from workaholism and combined, her two “recoveries” inspired her to spearhead an international women’s recovery movement that is based on the premise that “we are all recovering from something.”
In this inspiring talk, Dawn will speak into the challenges that individuals who overwork face including unrealistic expectations of perfectionism that are both imposed and self-imposed, the difficulties related to working in organizations that focus on hyper-productivity, and the general lack of awareness about what workaholism is, and how choosing recovery in this area of our lives can support us to move from anxiety and overwhelm to wellness. Drawing on her own personal experience and expertise related to substance use recovery and recovery from workaholism, Dawn will:
Dr. Dawn Nickel is a respected thought leader in the women’s recovery sphere and (along with her daughter Taryn Strong) the Founder of SHE RECOVERS Foundation, a not-for-profit grassroots organization that inspires hope, reduces stigma, and empowers women (and non-binary individuals who identify with women’s communities) in or seeking recovery for substance use and/or mental health challenges. Dawn is a Certified Professional Recovery Coach with a PhD and professional experience related to women and health care policy. In her professional research and consulting work, Dawn writes and talks about how best to support women with lived and living experience of substance use disorders, mental health issues and intimate partner violence, the three issues that prompted Dawn to start her own personal recovery journey in 1987. Dawn is passionate about connecting, supporting and empowering women to increase their recovery capital, heal themselves, and help other women to do the same.
“AJOIA – A Multi Sensory Musical Experience”AjoiA is a music and sound immersive therapy experience.
AjoiA will present an introduction to sound and music therapy, focusing on who they are, what they do and how it can be used in all arenas including wellness and healthcare, hotels and corporate business, for all people of all ages. It is totally inclusive and anyone can engage; you do not have to have a background in music to experience this presentation’s beneficial effects.
AjoiA’s presentation and multi-sensory experience at The Global Exchange Conference 2022, will include a live performance of music, percussion and visuals, mixing the technology of today and tomorrow with those of our ancestors.
The mood-enhancing properties of music, performance, and design, can help any living being with a nervous system. It can help people of all ages to improve their mental health and overall well-being, creating an environment that positively influences their frame of mind, energy and enabling beneficial rest and productivity alike.
Within the healthcare sector specifically, AjoiA’s music and sound therapy experience, can be used in early intervention and prevention of metal health issues, as well as being utilised for people with neuro development issues, Alzheimer’s, ADHD and those with Major Depressive Disorder’s (MDD).
We aim to improve how all individuals feel, to help people improve their mental health, their productivity, and lead them to an overall sense of positive energy and wellbeing.
Our intention, is always to offer a safe setting where our vibrational and wellbeing sounds, create an experience to positively stimulate the receiver, both sonically and visually within the subconscious, and throughout the nervous system.
AjoiA cater for a number of different bespoke settings, where clients play a role in creating and engaging with AjoiA, to those in a passive role, which involves listening and responding to the sound and music AjoiA create.
This particular presentation experience will include an hour of relaxation and tranquillity, a time for you to receive, as the sound and music vibrations surround you, visual images, both traditional and digital will be displayed throughout; various scents such as Palo Santo and white sage will be used; the sound waves from a Gong, the high pitched tones of a singing bowl, the emotive chord progressions of strings and the cascading pianos and bass drones will gently, softly but profoundly stimulate, to ease the nervous system.
Andrew Lovell aka “Shovell” is best known for being the percussionist and member of multi-platinum/award-winning band M People. He has also collaberated with Sting, Soul II Soul, and Dame Evelyn Glennie.
Andrew has completed a three year course in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, he is a sound and Cranio Sacral Therapist and a Somatic Experience Practitioner. He is a public speaker as well as a tv and radio presenter for the BBC on various programmes.
Anthony Gorry has 25 years experience in the music and entertainment business, primarily as a music director, songwriter and producer. He has collaberated with world wide selling artists, having had success at the top of the US and international charts.
Anthony has a Bachelor Of Arts Honours degree specialising in Music and Technical Arts.
Anthony has worked with several international brands producing content for worldwide campaigns; his work has also featured in movies and television.
“The Allure of Self-Destruction: How Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Can Redefine Addiction Recovery”
Pain and suffering are ubiquitous, and the great secret is that many of us have an inner experience so unpleasant that we act in ways that temporarily please, but ultimately destroy us – body, mind, and spirit. Once an addiction or other disorder manifests, even the strongest motivation to change often results in countless unsuccessful efforts to recover. Understanding the various manifestations of the self-destructive urge, as well as theories describing its causes, is key to helping people move in valued directions in the presence of pain. This presentation will provide a summary of the ACT approach to addiction treatment and the research supporting it. Participants will practice evidence-based ACT techniques designed to build awareness of self-destructive thoughts, develop psychological flexibility, and create new cognitive-behavioral pathways to recovery-oriented living.
Learning objectives:
Annie Peters, PhD, LP, is Director of Research and Education at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and Executive Director of the NAATP Foundation for Recovery Science and Education (FoRSE), leading the national effort to further understand substance use disorders through collaborative quality improvement and research. Dr. Peters is a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience in substance use and mental health assessment, psychotherapy, education, and leadership.
“Stronger Together – The Science of Community Healing”
In this session, Jacki Hillios, MSW, PhD will share the theories and science underlying the Healing Community Model, related outcomes, and discuss implications for the future.
In America today there are 40.3 million individuals struggling with alcohol or drug use, yet only about 10% can access the care they need to recover. With a recent 30% increase in overdose deaths and 26% increase in alcohol related fatalities, we lost 195,000 of our loved ones just last year, that is the equivalent of one life lost unnecessarily every 3 minutes. While treatment saves lives, it isn’t accessible, it isn’t enough, and innovation is essential to stemming the tide and ending the crisis.
Over the last 15 years Dr. Hillios has developed and evaluated the Healing Community Model as both as a strategy for sustaining self initiated recovery and as an adjunct to treatment. During this session, people will learn about the powerful role that community plays in healing from substance use disorders and how when paired with meaningful activities like music, fitness and outdoor adventure, people’s lives are transformed. We will review theories underlying the model, including social cognitive theory, behavioural economics and more. During this session we will discuss the importance of psychological safety in promoting healing in community and through the lens of The CHIME Framework we will explore how community influences recovery capital. Physical and neurological health implications will also be discussed.
Dr. Hillios holds an MSW and PhD in Social Work from Boston College and worked as a clinician with at risk youth and families for 20 years before becoming a researcher and co-founding The Phoenix.
As a clinician Jacki knew The Phoenix’s community approach to recovery and healing would transform people’s lives and society forever. She has led the organization since 2007, overseeing expansion of The Phoenix to 33 states and over 93 communities nationally with new communities being activated around the globe.
As Deputy Executive Director for The Phoenix, Dr. Hillios oversees research and evaluation, strategy, innovation, and growth. She is an active public speaker sharing what she has learned from developing and scaling Phoenix’s Healing Community Model. In 2013 Jacki presented “Transcending Addiction and Redefining Recovery” at TEDxBoulder. Her talk has been watched by over 730k individuals and is being shared in university classrooms across the country.
“Alcoholics Anonymous and Related 12-step Facilitation Treatments (AA/TSF) as Frontline Treatment Options”
Until recently, scientific skepticism surrounding the clinical and public health utility of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and 12 step based clinical treatments designed to link patients with AA, was commonplace. During the last 30 years however, following a request from the U.S. Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of sciences for more research on 12 step treatment, AA, and its mechanisms, a flurry of rigorous federally funded research studies has emerged including dozens of randomized clinical trials, cost effectiveness analyses, and studies of AA’s mechanisms of behavior change. This body of work has revealed that 12 step clinical treatments confer benefits that are at least on par, if not often better, than other formal treatments (e.g., CBTs), while also producing substantial reductions in healthcare costs. Research investigating AA’s mechanisms of behavior change also reveals that the way AA has been shown to confer this benefit is by mobilizing therapeutic mechanisms also mobilized by professional treatments, but is able to do so over the long term for free in the communities in which people live. This talk will review the latest evidence on the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and mechanisms through which AA and 12 step treatments confer benefit. Implications for other mutual-help organizations and related treatments will be discussed.
Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is the Director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH, and the Program Director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service. Dr. Kelly is a former President of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, and is a Fellow of the APA and a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-federal institutions, as well as foreign governments and the United Nations. Dr. Kelly has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books in the field of addiction medicine. His work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.
“Exploring Internal Family Systems: Restoring Wholeness”Developed over the past four decades, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model offers both a conceptual umbrella under which a variety of practices and different approaches can be grounded and guided, and a set of original techniques for creating safety and fostering Self connection.
Richard Schwartz began his career as a family therapist and an academic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There he discovered that family therapy alone did not achieve full symptom relief and in asking patients why, he learned that they were plagued by what they called “parts.” These patients became his teachers as they described how their parts formed networks of inner relationship that resembled the families he had been working with. He also found that as they focused on and, thereby, separated from their parts, they would shift into a state characterized by qualities like curiosity, calm, confidence and compassion. He called that inner essence the Self and was amazed to find it even in severely diagnosed and traumatized patients. From these explorations the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was born in the early 1980s.
IFS is now evidence-based and has become a widely-used form of psychotherapy, particularly with trauma. It provides a non-pathologizing, optimistic, and empowering perspective and a practical and effective set of techniques for working with individuals, couples, families, and more recently, corporations and classrooms.
In 2013 Schwartz left the Chicago area and now lives in Brookline, MA where he is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
“Peak Performance – Understanding the Psychology Behind Mental Skills and the Impact it Plays in the Sports World, Mental Health, and Addiction Populations”
Performance psychology skills, or mental skills are used primarily in the sports world and with certain populations that experience increased pressure from their occupation. These concepts and the psychology behing mental skills training has a direct impact on mental health and addictions populations as well. The structured, positive approach along with increased focus on accountability, serve as a guide to improved performance and quality of life. Dr. Derick Anderson and Jim Soda will discuss the concepts and the application in various settings of these skills over different populations.
The Founder of Invictus Performance Inc, Dr. Derick Anderson is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in practice for over two decades. Dr. Anderson began his career in performance psychology working with the Miami Dolphins under Coach Jimmy Johnson. After three years of working with the team, Dr. Anderson continued his career in sports as a consultant for the NFL.
Opportunities with the U.S. Army Pacific Command and the Army Corps of Engineers drew Dr. Anderson away from sports for a time to develop leadership and communication skills for civilian and military leadership. Transitioning from working with the Military back to working with the civilian sector Dr. Anderson began working with the U.S. Marshals, FBI, Interpol and the Internet Crime Against Children Unit (ICAC). In his role with these organizations, he provided Wellness strategies for investigators and provided profiles of child predators and other violent offenders. Over time, other interesting opportunities presented themselves within the state prison system, alcohol and drug rehabilitation industry and corporate consulting.
“Unspoken Legacy: Reverberations of Trauma in the Addictive Family”When people think of trauma they often think of acute dramatic situations such as a natural disaster or car accident. Yet the majority of people who experience trauma experience a more subtle and chronic form that exists within their own family. Beginning with a genogram, Claudia will give a portrait of addiction in the family, offering an overlay of how adverse child experiences, emotional abandonment and blatant violence are the foundation of emotional dysregulation fueling traumatic responses. She concludes the presentation offering a 7step process for healing.
Dr. Claudia Black is a renowned author and trainer internationally recognized for her pioneering and contemporary work with family systems and addictive disorders. In the mid-1970s, Claudia gave “voice” to both young and adult children from addictive homes, offering a framework for their healing. This cutting-edge work would be critical in creating the foundation for the codependency field and a greater understanding of the impact of family trauma.
Since that time, Dr. Black has continued to be a passionate leader in the field of addiction. She designs and presents training workshops and seminars to professional audiences in the field of family service, mental health, and addictive disorders. She has written more than 15 books, most notably It Will Never Happen to Me.
The recipient of numerous national awards, Dr. Black has been a keynote speaker on Capitol Hill and on Canada’s Parliament Hill. A Senior Fellow and clinical architect for the Claudia Black Young Adult Center at The Meadows, she also serves on the advisory board for the National Association of Children of Alcoholics and the advisory council of the Moyer Foundation.
“Fueling Well in A New World; The Latest Data on How to Fuel Better for Mental Health, Immunity, and Longevity”
Though good nutrition has always been important for good mental health, the last 24 months has altered our discussion on what it means to truly fuel well. The way we snack, the way we utilize food, and the challenges we face to maintain a balanced immune system and a balanced brain is more important than ever. In this presentation, Meadows Behavorial Healthcare Senior Fellow and Nationally Recognized Registered Dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick will cover the top nutrition needs to focus on for YOU, your family, and your therapy practice. She will break down the latest research, and give tools you can easily translate to your patient base on how to make sustainable behavior change.
Kristin Kirkpatrick is the former lead dietitian and manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Senior Fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, where she created the Fuel Well nutrition program. A bestselling author, experienced presenter, and award-winning dietitian, Kristin is a sought-after national speaker on a variety of nutrition and wellness-related topics, appearing on the TODAY show, NBC Nightly News and The Dr. Oz Show. She has also contributed to national publications including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Runners World, Oprah, Martha Stewart Living, Food Network, Costco Connection, Self, Women’s Health, TODAY.com, The Huffington Post, US News and World Report, and she is a featured expert on Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials. The Huffington Post named Kristin “one of 35 diet and nutrition experts you need to follow on Twitter,” and in December 2017, her show The New Rules of Food aired nationally on PBS.
Kristin’s career began in Washington, DC, where she assisted in lobbying efforts for medical nutrition therapy reform on behalf of the American Dietetic Association Policy and Advocacy group. She then went on to become the regional coordinator of the Hearts N Parks program in Montgomery County, Maryland. During her time there, she designed, implemented, and measured health promotion programs within the Washington, DC metro area. Kristin then returned to Ohio to work for the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Cardiovascular Genetics. She eventually became the lead dietitian in the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. In addition, she serves on Dr. Oz’s medical advisory board as well as the advisory board for Lose it!
Kristin has more than 17 years of experience in the health management arena and holds an MS in health promotion management from American University and a BA in political science from George Washington University. A Licensed Registered Dietitian in the state of Ohio, In May 2012 she received the Ohio Outstanding Dietetic Educator of the Year Award. In January 2017, Kristin published her first book, Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic—Fatty Liver Disease.
“Sleep is Your Superpower”
This talk will describe the revelatory new science of sleep, covering two topics: (1) the impact of sleep (e.g., efficient learning, enhanced memory, mental health stability), (2) the consequences of insufficient sleep on the brain (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety, poor educational performance), and (2) the consequences of insufficient sleep on the body (e.g., cancer, immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease). In summary, there is not one organ within the body or process within the brain that isn’t enhanced by sleep when we get enough, or strikingly impaired when we don’t.
Matthew Walker earned his PhD in Neurophysiology from the Medical Research Council in London, UK, and subsequently became a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is currently Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory. He has received numerous funding awards from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, and is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences. His research examines the impact of sleep on human health and disease. He has been featured on numerous television and radio outlets, including CBS 60 Minutes, National Geographic Channel, NOVA Science, NRP and the BBC.
“The Saboteurs of Teamwork – Egos, Trauma, and Unconsciousness”
Co Presentator with Lou Cox
The persistence and exacerbation of all our social ills are a result of the unconscious rules built into, and sabotaging, our ‘problem solving’ conversations.
Our egos are the enforcers of these rules regarding what is safe or unsafe to include in our conversations. And they do so outside of our conscious awareness.
If team members, while seeking healing solutions for our social ills, are unconsciously under the sway of the same ego driven rules that cause the persistence and exacerbation of these ills, well…not a great recipe for success.
As Einstein said: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
To paraphrase his quote: “We cannot solve our problems at the same level of consciousness that existed when we created them.”
The primary way team members relate to each other is through their collective team conversations. This workshop is not about finding solutions to our social ills. Rather it is about discovering a way of creating those solutions through a radically different kind of ongoing team conversation. A collective conversation that is not unconsciously controlled by the same ego driven rules that cause their persistence and exacerbation in the first place.
Learning Objectives – for participants include:
Dr. Louis D. Cox is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who has been practicing for over fifty-five years. His areas of expertise include the following:
Creating Conscious Team Dialog
Dr. Cox consults with different types of teams (executive/management teams, musical bands, community organizing teams) around developing and maintaining creative strategies for meeting their goals. His “Conscious Conversation” workshop trains teams to maintain a strong connection to their collective skills, intelligence, connection, and creativity, and to circumvent the barriers to sustaining creative team communication. This results in sustained high performance. Past clients include The Disney Corporation, AT&T, American Airlines, Sony Corporation, International Creative Management, Big Foote, as well as numerous successful rock and roll bands, including Aerosmith, REM, and Bon Jovi.
Alcoholism and Addiction
Dr. Cox is an expert in the area of alcoholism and addictions. He is experienced in the techniques designed to enable a family group or business colleagues to deal effectively with the insidious and destructive power of addictive disorders. Dr. Cox works individually with persons suffering from an addiction. He has also done trainings for the staff of several alcoholism and addiction treatment centers around the USA, UK, and Europe.
Psychotherapy
Dr. Cox is trained in a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques, including psychoanalysis, Gestalt therapy, psychodrama, and cognitive therapy. He also teaches mindfulness, meditation, and a method of deep self-inquiry. Through individual and group sessions, as well as workshops, he assists his clients in releasing the grip of conditioned limiting self-definitions, and in re-connecting with the power and joy inherent in the Native Self. Dr. Cox also supervises other therapists in their practice of psychotherapy.
Publications
A Conscious Life: Cultivating the Seven Qualities of Authentic Adulthood. Conari Press, 1996. This book explores the nature of being an adult by describing the inner operating principles of a fully present and empowered adult. It includes exercises for the development of these qualities.
Ego: The Ghost in Your Machinery. Epigraph Books, 2018. This book explores the nature of the ego, ways to release its grip, and how to consistently access the resources of our Native Self.
Emotions, Integrity, and Teams in the Workplace. Ethical Management, 1997.
Somebody Stole the Team’s Brain. At Work: Stories of Tomorrow’s Workplace, 1997.
“The Representation of Madness in 19th Century Opera”
Introduction to the world of opera and an overview of how madness was represented in the 19Th century.
This is then related today. No knowledge of this Art form is required before attending the presentation.
Dr Neil Brener has been a Consultant Psychiatrist since the early 1990s.
Dr Brener was an examiner for the Royal College of Psychiatrists for ten years in part I and part II of the MRCPsych. He is proud to be associated with teaching medical students and postgraduates. Dr Brener obtained a degree in medicine from the University of London in 1984 and MRCPsych from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr Brener has lectured abroad on a number of occasions and is associated with the issue of mental health in India. He is also a regular speaker at international conferences in both the UK and abroad. Dr Brener has an extensive medico-legal practice providing reports on adult survivors of sexual abuse. He has given evidence in court on a number of occasions and undertakes a good deal of work around litigation and some areas of crime.
Dr Brener is an avid theatre-goer and has had a long association with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has also worked with a number of leading directors on the psychiatric aspects of productions, including People, Place and Things. He regularly attends the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was a West End co-producer of War Horse and The History Boys.
Dr Brener is a keen horse-rider, specialising in dressage. He competes on his Hanoverian mare Frumma and trains with international Grand Prix rider Paul Friday.
“Treatment of Mental Health Conditions with Ketogenic Diets: A New Paradigm in Psychiatry”
Ketogenic diets have been used since the 1920s to reduce and prevent seizures in children and adults with treatment-resistant epilepsy. More recently, research has discovered ketogenic diets may be able to target the underlying biological mechanisms that lead to cognitive decline in neuroprogressive mental health conditions, by reducing inflammation and improving oxygen utilisation within cells. The potential use of ketogenic diets in mental health may give new hope to patients with treatment-resistant conditions by offering an alternative to conventional medications and providing an exciting new avenue of treatment for psychiatry to explore.
Dr. Garabette is a Consultant Psychiatrist working privately and in the NHS. He is a GMC registered specialist in the fields of both General Adult Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy.
He trained as a medical doctor at Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’s Medical School, University of London, obtaining first class degree in Neuroscience before graduating in Medicine and Surgery in 2004. He then undertook specialist psychiatry training at the prestigious South London and Maudsley training scheme, then other renowned schemes at Oxford and South West London and St George’s. He has additional qualifications in mental health research and biomedical and health education and has held honorary research, lecturer and psychotherapist posts at the Institute of Psychiatry, St George’s University of London and Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. He has consultant experience in general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry and medical psychotherapy and is also heavily involved in training future specialists in psychiatry, and is appointed by Health Education England as the training programme director for Medical psychotherapy training at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
His clinical approach is about providing individualised, bespoke care and believes that optimising the therapeutic relationship and understanding the whole person, rather than just the diagnosis, are essential in improving long-term emotional and mental health, and in improving performance and wellbeing. In this talk, he will explore possible avenues by which psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may in the future assist such a holistic treatment approach.
“Social Media Influencers are Redefining ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment: What are the Clinical Implications?”
ADHD has gone viral on social media, creating a global community of influencers dedicated to spreading ADHD awareness and destigmatizing the condition.
On TikTok alone, the #ADHD channel has already reached over 2.5 billion views, with other platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Reddit not far behind.
As a result, many people are exposed to online content about ADHD, which can vary from helpful advice to potentially harmful misinformation–before they even seek a diagnosis. Recently, a wave of users claimed that social media helped them to ‘detect’ their ADHD after algorithms showed them relatable content about the condition and its symptoms.
This talk will explore how influencers with ADHD created a global impact on increasing ADHD awareness through social media, how the information shared online compares with our scientific understanding of the condition and the potential clinical implications.
Ultimately, understanding the ADHD influencer phenomenon can help us to identify critical gaps in our knowledge of the condition, improve patient insight, and celebrate the unique talents of people with ADHD.
Alberto Pertusa is a Psychiatrist working in private practice in London, UK. He is also the founder of the London Psychiatry Clinic.
Dr Pertusa has extensive clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, including complex cases with anxiety, depression or addiction. He is particularly interested in how being on the ADD/ADHD spectrum can be associated with a higher risk for developing substance or process addictions.
Dr Pertusa is also very interested in the relationship between ADHD and certain problems such as Imposter Syndrome and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and how this can increase the risk of certain addictive behaviors that can act as coping mechanisms to deal with emotional distress.
Dr Pertusa has a keen interest in Functional Medicine and how it can be applied to Psychiatry. He is also very interested in the potential use of ketogenic diets in mental health and is the founder of KetoMind, a service that offers medically supervised treatment for mental health disorders using ketogenic diets.
Dr Pertusa completed his medical studies and graduated in Medicine in Spain in 2001. He then completed his PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital, King’s College London. UK. He has published numerous scientific papers and has been an independent reviewer for several scientific journals. He also completed a Masters in Science (MSc) in Affective Neuroscience (Anxiety, Depression and related disorders) at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, and another MSc in Research Methodology in Health Sciences (Barcelona, Spain).
“The Utility of Psychosocial and Collaborative Multidisciplinary Treatments in Pain Recovery and Chronic Disease Management”
For both clinical and economic reasons, the increasing number of persons living with chronic health conditions such as chronic pain, Lyme disease, somatic symptom disorder and others, represents a public health concern of growing urgency. Emphasizing patient responsibility and acting in a collaborative nature in concert with the provider community, self-management represents a promising strategy for treating chronic disease. Clinically working with individuals to actively identify challenges and self-solve problems associated with their chronic illness decreases physician office visits, unnecessary surgical interventions and billions of unnecessary dollars spent on products claiming to cure the presenting disease. Self-management also shows potential as an effective paradigm across the prevention spectrum (primary, secondary, and tertiary) by establishing a pattern for health as early in the treatment episode as possible and providing strategies for mitigating illness and managing it in later life. Practical applications of self-management of chronic disease will be discussed in this presentation.
For nearly three decades, Dr. James Flowers has been one of the most recognized and respected names in the field of chronic pain, addiction, and pain recovery. With his broad educational background and extensive experience in evaluating and treating mental health, chronic pain, and co-occurring addiction, he is recognized as an expert.
Dr. Flowers has completed several fellowships in behavioral pain management and has completed clinical rotations at the top healthcare institutions in the country.
He developed mental health, pain, and addiction recovery programs for some of the country’s best-known healthcare and addiction treatment centers. He directed medical and clinical programs integrating evaluation, diagnosis, and healthcare planning with treatment to promote successful recovery.
Dr. Flowers co-founded several well-known, exclusive treatment programs throughout the country, dedicated to his passion – that of designing multidisciplinary mental health and addiction treatment with medical and clinical protocols – to help individuals suffering from mental health, addiction, chronic pain, and other underlying disorders, successfully recover. With a demonstrated commitment to creating positive change in the lives of his clients, he is dedicated to progressive healthcare, human healing, and developing healthcare systems that best serve this population.
Dr. Flowers has been executing the protocol for assessments and evaluations for many years. Still, in founding J. Flowers Health Institute, he has advanced the process to satisfy a great void – to provide truly comprehensive assessment and evaluation for those who need a diagnosis and develop post-evaluation treatment recommendations. Having spent over 28 years in the medical and clinical community, Dr. Flowers is uniquely qualified to assemble some of the finest health care professionals in the world to perform these evaluations and provide treatment.
Over the years, Dr. Flowers’ passion and dedication to his clients, as well as his unique approach, has earned him an exceptional reputation as one of the nation’s premier experts. He is a popular public speaker and lecturer to audiences across the United States and abroad and has led an exceptional and distinguished career.
Dr. Flowers’ latest endeavor is hosting his weekly podcast “Understanding the Human Condition.” In each episode of Understanding the Human Condition, Dr. Flowers and his most-admired mentors, respected colleagues, and VIP guests share valuable insight into underlying health causes, conditions, and issues. These in-depth yet approachable episodes are an excellent resource for both private individuals and industry professionals.
“Sociometrics and Psychodrama as Expressive Arts Therapies”
The research in neuropsychology has officially ended the era of talking heads and brought the body into the therapeutic room as a full and necessary part of the healing equation. Psychodrama, the first form of embodied therapy and sociometry, an early theory of group dynamics, are two of the first forms of therapy that allowed the body as well as the mind to have a voice and participate in the healing milieu.
Sociometrics are a user friendly way to introduce experiential work that engage and bond groups. They naturally activate the social engagement system in service of healing, and they incorporate the research that needs to be taught in recovering from PTSD into a lively format that gets people on their feet and sharing. Sociometrics are processes that are easy to learn, empower clients to become stakeholders in their own recovery and build the skills of emotional literacy and resilience.
Sociometrics warm clients up to focused role plays that are contained and easy to incorporate. We’ll explore a focused use of psychodrama that helps clients to move from a state of dysregulation to self and co-regulation. In combination sociometrics and role play offer an approach to healing relational trauma, restoring spontaneity and building resilience.
Dr. Tian Dayton is a senior fellow at The Meadows and Director of The New York Psychodrama Training Institute. She is the author of fifteen books including Neuropsychodrama in the Treatment of Relational Trauma, The ACoA Trauma Syndrome: How Childhood Trauma Impacts Adult Relationships, Emotional Sobriety: From Relationship Trauma to Resilience and Balance, Trauma and Addiction: Ending the Cycle of Pain Through Emotional Literacy, Heartwounds: The Impact of Unresolved Trauma and Grief on Relationships, The Living Stage: A Step by Step Guide to Psychodrama and Experiential Therapy, The Magic of Forgiveness . She is a Huffington Post blogger and creator of innerlook.com.
Films and videos include The Process, a 73 minute award-winning docudrama that uses Psychodrama to tell stories of Addicts and ACOAs, and Psychodrama and Trauma Resolution Training Tape, a compressive psychodrama training tape illustrating the effect of unresolved trauma on the personality and its resolution through psychodrama and sociometry. They are available on her website.
Dr. Tian Dayton has a Master’s in Educational Psychology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is a board-certified trainer in Psychodrama and a licensed Creative Arts Therapist, as well as a certified Montessori teacher. Dr. Dayton is the director of The New York Psychodrama Training Institute where she runs training groups in psychodrama, sociometry and experiential group therapy. She is a nationally renowned speaker, expert, and consultant in psychodrama, trauma and addiction and has served as their director of program development for eight years. Dr. Dayton was on the faculty at NYU for eight years teaching psychodrama. She is a fellow of the American Society of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy ASGPP, a winner of their scholar’s award and of the President’s award. She serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy and sits on the professional standards committee. She is also the winner of The Mona Mansell Award and The Ackermann Black Award. Dr. Dayton has been a guest expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Montel, Rikki Lake, John Walsh, and Geraldo.
“Trauma and Dissociation: An Integrative Trauma Treatment Model for Complex PTSD and Dissociative Clients”
The presentation will address the importance of assessing and treating dissociation with complex PTSD clients from an integrative, three-phase approach. An integration of evidence-based trauma treatment models such as EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic therapies, Gestalt, Energy Psychology, and Mindfulness will be discussed. The aforementioned modalities offers resources and tools for the clinicians to provide individualized, client-centered, body oriented and holistic trauma treatment.
The methodology follows three sequential phases beginning with stabilization through the therapeutic alliance, grounding, and resourcing. The subsequent phase allows for processing memories in a contained way by utilizing an integration of EMDR, Brainspotting, and a blend of body resources. The third phase encompasses integration of phase 1 and 2 focusing on the trauma that has been worked through and maintenance of what has been achieved.
Dr. Darsa is a licensed psychologist, an author, creator of RITTM (Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Model), and founder of Reconnect Treatment Center, in CA. She has more than 20 years of clinical and administrative experience in trauma and mental health disorders. Dr. Darsa began her career in 1998 as a foster care social worker and continued her work with abused children and their families and adults abused as children.
In 2012 Dr. Darsa became the co-creator of Invisible War Recovery, a program designed to treat military sexual trauma survivors. She has been interviewed by Katie Couric, Susan Ortolano, and Lisa Tahir, and was featured on the Voice of America. She lectures about trauma treatment at various universities such as the University of Southern California, UCLA and Cal Lutheran. She also speaks at treatment centers and conferences.
A native of Turkey, Dr. Darsa has been living in the United States for 25 years. She has also lived in Spain, France and Brazil. Dr. Darsa’s exposure to numerous ethnic and social groups allows her to understand the cultural differences in human thought and behavior. She can provide therapy in English, Spanish, French and Turkish and is able to converse in Italian and Portuguese as well.
Dr. Darsa is a licensed psychologist and trauma specialist. She is the author of The Trauma Map and founder of Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Center. Her 22 years of clinical experience in trauma and mental health disorders established her as a coveted speaker on trauma treatment at worldwide conferences, treatment centers and universities including USC, UCLA and Cal Lutheran. Her expertise using evidence-based trauma treatments combining Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Brainspotting and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy established her as a trauma specialist. She helps clients release and heal from their trauma using an approach that is gentle but direct.
In 2002, Dr. Darsa studied under Christine Schenk, founder of the CHRIS-Technique, an energy therapy focused on teaching clients how to ground themselves in their bodies. In 2012, Dr. Darsa co-created Invisible War Recovery, a program designed to treat military sexual trauma survivors. She learned that clients who become dysregulated due to traumatic events or emotional disorders benefit from a finely attuned, gentle, body-based process to help heal and reconnect mind and body.
During Dr. Karol Darsa’s 20-plus years of therapeutic clinical practice, she developed a finely attuned, body-based method to heal and reconnect the mind and body. You will feel understood and safe throughout the gentle process taught in The Trauma Map.
Dr. Darsa’s deep understanding of trauma healing was developed at her acclaimed treatment center, Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Center. Her groundbreaking method is now directly available to you through this healing toolbox lovingly offered in The Trauma Map: Five Steps to Reconnect With Yourself.
“Culturally Informed Care for Addiction, ADHD and other mental health challenges?
How culture impacts diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in addiction and psychiatry.”
At the end of the session, participants will:
Constant Mouton is a registered psychiatrist currently living in The Netherlands. He works with clients and their families throughout Europe and focuses on providing culturally sensitive mental health care for people with addiction and complex mental health problems.
During his studies as a medical doctor and later specializing as a (neuro)psychiatrist in South Africa, he was trained to work cross-culturally, respecting and utilising peoples’ cultural heritage, religion and spiritual beliefs to understand and treat the person in their context better. In addition, having lived and worked abroad, he has a personal understanding of the challenges of being an immigrant and expat.
As a trained medical specialist, he has experienced the value of the bio-psycho-social model of psychiatry. His studies and own experience also led him to approach mental health and addiction problems holistically and engage and utilize the strengths of clients, their families and communities.
The Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu, “I am because we are”, resonates throughout his work. He believes that by working collaboratively, we access combined resilience and restore connectedness between people. Through this connection, we are stronger and able to overcome adversity. Furthermore, the connectedness creates a space in which we can learn, improve and grow, bettering our own lives and those of others. The process of personal growth, recovery and healing occurs when we learn to focus on our strengths and resilience, creating our own story of mastery and success.
“Spirituality and Mental Health”
At their peak, spirituality and psychotherapy are the same thing – a healing of the mind when out of alignment with its natural state. Spirituality rejects the prevalence of indulgent self-reference at the core of much modern psychotherapy, positing that happiness stems not from further analysis of the self but rather from transcendence of the self. The journey to happiness lies not in a deeper understanding of the vicissitudes of darkness, but in a greater embrace – and experience – of the principles of light.
Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist and spiritual thought leader.
For over three decades Marianne has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She is the author of 14 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times best sellers. A quote from the mega best seller A Return to Love, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers.
Williamson founded Project Angel Food, a non-profit that has delivered more than 14 million meals to ill and dying homebound patients since 1989. The group was created to help people suffering from the ravages of HIV/AIDS. They have since expanded their service to any person battling critical illness. She has also worked throughout her career on poverty, anti-hunger and racial reconciliation issues. She has advocated for reparations for slavery since the 1990’s and was the first candidate in the 2020 presidential primary season to make it a pillar of her campaign. In 2004, she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supports the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. In addition, she advocates for a cabinet level Department of Children and Youth to adequately address the chronic trauma of millions of American children. In 2021, Marianne launched MarianneWilliamson.Substack.com.
Marianne is a native of Houston, Texas.
“The Future of Wellbeing”
Join New York Times bestselling author Deepak Chopra as he guides you on how to wake up to new levels of awareness that will ultimately cultivate a clear vision, heal suffering in your mind and body, and help recover who you really are.
DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his 92nd book, Abundance (Harmony Books)provides an enlightening guide to success, fulfillment, wholeness, and plenty, offering practical advice on how to cultivate a sense of abundance in times of fear and insecurity. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” www.deepakchopra.com
“Compassionate Inquiry Workshop”
Compassionate Inquiry is a psychotherapeutic method developed by Dr. Gabor Maté that reveals what lies beneath the appearance we present to the world.
Using Compassionate Inquiry, the therapist unveils the level of consciousness, mental climate, hidden assumptions, implicit memories, and body states that form the real message that words both express and conceal. Through Compassionate Inquiry, the client can recognize the unconscious dynamics that run their lives and how to liberate themselves from them.
Dr. Maté will model the process of Compassionate Inquiry with course participants and instruct therapists in the practice of this powerful technique to help clients access deep healing and transformation. This will be both an experiential, participatory workshop where participants will be guided through their own personal process, as well as a training to teach the method of Compassionate Inquiry to health professionals, therapists, and social workers.
You will learn:
Gabor Maté (pronunciation: GAH-bor MAH-tay) is a retired physician who, after 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of four books published in twenty-five languages, Gabor is an internationally renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. His book on addiction received the Hubert Evans Prize for literary non-fiction. For his groundbreaking medical work and writing he has been awarded the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian distinction, and the Civic Merit Award from his hometown, Vancouver. His books include In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction; When the Body Says No; Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection; Scattered: How ADD Originates and What You Can Do About It; and (with Gordon Neufeld) Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers. To learn more, join his e-news list at www.drgabormate.com.
Rob Lowe’s iconic career spans four decades in film, television and theater. He is also an acclaimed author. Rob has been nominated for two Emmys, six Golden Globes and four Screen Actors Guild Awards in which he won two. He has starred in the ‘80s classics St. Elmo’s Fire, About Last Night, and The Outsiders, as well as television classics such as The West Wing and Parks and Recreation. Rob’s incredibly diverse career also includes scene stealing work in Behind The Candelabra, Austin Powers, and Tommy Boy. His two memoirs, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, and Love Life, are both New York Times Bestsellers. He has taken his first memoir and made it into a touring show called Stories I Only Tell My Friends: Live! which has received rave reviews throughout the country and sold out in London.
Most recently, Rob directed and starred in a reimagining of the Oscar nominated classic, The Bad Seed. He Executive Produced and starred in Holiday In The Wild, which was one of the most downloaded movies of the year for Netflix. He also hosts the mental challenge competition series Mental Samurai on FOX. In 2019, Rob joined with Ryan Murphy to Executive Produce and star in the hit drama, 911 Lonestar, which begins its third season in January 2022 and is consistently one of the top rated shows in all of television.
In 2020 Rob launched his podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe, now on the second season. The irreverent yet thoughtful podcasts are conversations with the leaders in the world of entertainment like Oprah, Chris Pratt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Aniston and others. Rob launched another new podcast, Parks And Recollection, in 2021. Co-hosted with show runner Alan Yang, the podcast is a behind the scenes look at each episode of the celebrated comedy classic Parks And Recreation.
Lowe has been married to jewelry designer, Sheryl Lowe, since 1991. They have two sons, Matthew and Johnowen.
Ruth Ann Rigby, CRS currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at BRC Healthcare in Austin, TX. She has been a leader in the behavioral health and addiction recovery field for over 24 years with 25 years in Recovery. She represents the very principles that she strives for every day—honesty, integrity, humility, and grace.
Rigby is a prominent figure in the addiction recovery and mental health industry working with some of the leading treatment providers in the nation. Most recently she was recognized by High Watch Recovery Center with the Marty Mann Award presented in the Fall of 2021. She has also been recognized by a Resolution from former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant in 2020 for her dedication to fighting for those caught in addiction within our communities and nationally. Also in 2020, she was awarded the Fred R. French Award for Excellence presented by C4 Recovery Foundation for her outstanding service in the field of addiction with the emphasis on mentoring and/or educating others. Because of her consistent ethical and professional standards, she was recognized nationally at the 2018 Admissions and Marketing Symposium with the Silver Shoe Award. In 2008, she was appointed by former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to serve on the Mississippi Drug Court Advisory Board to offer her first-hand knowledge and insight into strengthening the Drug Court System.
Rigby has served on the board of numerous community organizations, church leadership committees, and behavioral health associations such as the Mississippi Association of Drug Court Professionals, Central Mississippi Chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency, Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals, American Diabetes Association, National Alliance for Mental Illness (Mississippi Chapter) and National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers.
In her spare time, Ruth Ann serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for Hope and Healing at Broadmoor Baptist Church where she is on-call to work with any family that crosses her path. She is dedicated to fighting for those caught in addiction and ending the cycle of dependency. Her leadership in action has been proven repeatedly by her tireless energy and passion to change and save a person’s life. Ruth Ann, along with her husband LTC (Ret) Joseph Rigby, are cofounders of a 501c3 nonprofit organization called First Responders of Mississippi. They created this organization to help first responders (Individuals, Families and Agencies) in their greatest time of need with assistance, wellness, and hope.
Rigby and her husband Joseph along with their (3) Cocker Spaniels—Graciee, Cailee and Darbee reside in Madison County MS on their farm “Stil-Wurkin Farm”
Barry Jacobson, a former Executive for the Walt Disney Company, is the principal owner of Barry Jacobson Consulting. The firm provides insight and hands-on training to companies in building a culture of excellence, focusing on leadership and management practices, employee engagement, event operations, and customer-centric experiences.
While at Disney, Barry’s leadership roles included Disney Resort Operations, Food and Beverage, Convention Operations, Event Management, and Premium Services. As Director of Event Management, Barry was responsible for planning, organizing, and delivering events directly related to the Disney brand: Disney Corporate Retreats, Board of Director Conferences, Annual Shareholder Meetings, Investor Conferences, marketing press events, and theme park and resort grand openings teams: Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, and the Disney Cruise Line. Barry was selected to lead the Inaugural 2009 D23 Expo, Disney’s first-ever fan exposition held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Most recently, Barry launched the opening of these signature Disney experiences: Golden Oak, a private residential community, Club 33, Disney’s in-park membership clubs, and Disney’s Spa and Salon operations.
Barry’s career has taken him from Disney, the finest name in family entertainment, to the Dallas Cowboys, the greatest name in sports entertainment. As the Cowboys Vice President of Special Events, Barry was responsible for premium services for suites, private clubs, and corporate/stadium wide events, including hosting Superbowl XLV. He was also General Manager with ClubCorp, Director of Convention and Conference Management at Venetian and Palazzo Resort for the Sands Corporation, and Director of Meetings and Education for Meeting Professionals International (MPI).
Jim is a licensed clinician with over 15 years of experience working with sports performance and mental health. Jim started his sports career in broadcasting, working for ESPN radio in Orlando and Tampa. Jim spent 5 years working with the Tampa Rays before transitioning into residential substance use disorder and mental health treatment. Jim spent the next decade working as a therapist, director, and eventually starting a center for young men in early recovery.
With two masters degrees, one in Vocational Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from The University of South Florida, and one in Sports Psychology from Ashford University, Jim has been able to work in both crisis management and performance improvement. Jim is a solution-focused therapist who believes that the mental strength skills needed to succeed in the high performance world, can also benefit those needing to turn their life around. Jim has spent a large part of his treatment experience working in adventure and activity based therapy with young adults. This experience has benefited him greatly when it comes to his more recent work with Major League Baseball, the NBA the NHL, Red Bull and his private practice work with athletes in South Florida. Jim is Certified as a Mental Performance Consultant.
Marvin Ventrell became the CEO of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) in 2015, continuing his 30-year career as a lawyer, association director, teacher, and addiction treatment executive. NAATP, founded in 1978, is professional membership association of addiction treatment providers whose mission is to provide leadership, advocacy, training, and member support services that ensure the availability and highest quality of addiction treatment.
Mr. Ventrell’s career has been devoted to advocating for populations in need and building legal and health care system responses to meet those needs. In addition to serving in executive leadership roles in several national social welfare and justice agencies, he has authored two textbooks on law and social justice, book chapters and professional articles on law, medicine, social services, behavioral health, and addiction treatment and recovery.
Prior to joining NAATP, Marvin served as Program Director at Harmony Foundation, and as a consultant to the CeDAR, both Colorado based addiction treatment centers. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has received distinctions including an American Bar Association National Advocacy Award, the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges Meritorious Service to the Children of America Award, the University of Colorado School of Medicine Award for Career Contributions, and the Innovator Award from given for impact in the field of recovery through innovation, commitment, and dynamic thinking. Under Mr. Ventrell’s leadership, NAATP has emerged as a powerful voice for addiction treatment under his vision of quality, professionalism, equity, and ethics.
He can be reached at NAATP National headquarters in Denver, CO at www.naatp.org, info@naatp.org, or 888.574.1008.
Greg is the award-winning filmmaker of feature length documentaries, The Anonymous People and Generation Found. In 2015, he executive produced the historic UNITE to Face Addiction Rally on the National Mall when tens of thousands of people including from around the world gathered alongside major musicians to end the silence surrounding addiction. He also produced the launch of the first-ever Surgeon’s General Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health: Facing Addiction in America. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC World News, LA Times, and countless other news outlets. He also serves as a member of the United States of Care’s Voices of Real Life advisory group.
Greg is a health policy consultant and communications specialist, providing strategic oversight and direction to numerous initiatives. Most notably, Greg manages the Alliance for Addiction Payment Reform, a national collaboration aimed at improving outcomes for patients, payers, and health systems, and served as a managing editor of the Addiction Recovery Medical Home Alternative Payment Model. Greg has over a decade of experience working with non-profits and government agencies on addiction. As person in long-term recovery from addiction himself, Greg’s work has been dedicated towards creating positive changes in access to quality health care and recovery supports for the over 20 million struggling. Greg received his master’s degree in addiction public policy and media production from New York University.
Annie Peters, PhD, LP, is Director of Research and Education at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), leading the national effort to further understand substance use disorders through collaborative quality improvement and research. Dr. Peters is a clinical psychologist who completed her doctorate at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has been working in the addiction treatment field since 2006, with experience in assessment, psychotherapy, process improvement, compliance, counselor education, and clinical leadership.
Jason is Vice President of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at High Watch Recovery Center. He is a communications strategist with many years of experience in healthcare and advocacy.
Prior to his work at High Watch, Jason was a political operative with years of experience in campaign operations, press, social and digital media, grassroots organizing, and television and direct mail.
He has managed and advised candidates for U.S. Congress, state legislatures, and statewide office. He has also served as an advisor to state party initiatives and has overseen caucus campaign committee efforts.
Jason is a frequent presenter at conferences, seminars, and webinars speaking primarily about public affairs, advocacy, and the ethics of marketing. He is proud of the work that his team does
in maintaining close ties with alumni and in sharing High Watch’s expertise with colleagues both locally and around the world.
Liz Duffy is the Chief Development Officer for Counterpoise. In such role, she is responsible for oversight, strategic planning and implementation for marketing, business development, referral relationships and fundraising. Ms. Duffy is nationally respected in the behavioral health industry, offering more than a decade of director and executive leadership experience. Her creative solutions have positively impacted not-for-profit and for-profit companies within the behavioral health industry, academic realm, and private industry.
In her prior roles as a national business development professional and director at some of the top substance use treatment centers in the country, Ms. Duffy developed strategic initiatives that generated and exceeded organizational revenue goals in both professional and patient acquisition, as well as developed and enhanced successful branding and awareness operations. Her academic and professional relationships help to secure a wealth of resources for Counterpoise partnerships.
Ms. Duffy uses her business leadership skills to drive brand recognition, consumer education and awareness, and to create innovative and collaborative partnerships. She has guided growth and highly successful development campaigns with her not-for-profit partnerships.
Ms. Duffy also has direct client care experience through her prior work on the multidisciplinary clinical team at a world-renowned rehabilitation center. This provides organizational continuity to the Counterpoise mission.
Ms. Duffy holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in International Business Studies from Florida Atlantic University, in addition to being a Florida Board Certified Addictions Professional (CAP), a Certified Mental Health Professional (CMHP), and an Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC).
Nanette Zumwalt is currently recognized as one of the top interventionists and an industry expert, both nationally and internationally. Nanette began working in the field of mental health and addiction treatment nearly three decades ago as a direct care technician at inpatient acute psychiatric hospitals. With her vibrant and engaging personality, knowledge, experience, and sincere desire to help those in need, it is no surprise that her career has included various management titles throughout top national therapeutic schools and recovery programs.
Early on in her career, Nanette notes that she developed a specific passion for the “willing but not able” individuals struggling in treatment transitions. In 2002, Nanette began the journey of developing, building, and growing Hired Power. Under her care and leadership, Hired Power has taken the pioneering role in clinically supporting adolescents, young adults, and adults during the high risk and critical transition periods of recovery.
Daniel S. Valha is the CEO of KDV Consulting, a boutique consulting firm for the meetings industry.
Dan is the former Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations for the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX). He led operations, leadership initiatives, and oversaw event operations, sales, customer service, and exhibits teams. VMX is the largest Veterinary conference of its kind and recognized as one of the top 20 medical conferences and expos in the world. In his previous roles, Dan oversaw meetings and events totaling $100+ million in revenue as Senior Vice President of Global Accounts at ConferenceDirect.
Dan served as Walt Disney World Resort’s Managing Sales Director, which included leading National Sales teams for all Disney properties, Disney Cruise Line, and Resorts around the globe, with a specific focus on the group and convention line of business. In addition, Dan directed the Sales and Marketing efforts as Hyatt Hotels Divisional Director of Sales & Marketing for the Northeast region.
Jerry Schwab is the CEO of High Watch Recovery Center in Kent, CT.
He has over twenty years of experience as an executive with non-profit healthcare organizations.
With Jerry at the helm, High Watch has experienced tremendous growth while remaining true to its mission as the world’s first treatment center founded on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. During Jerry’s tenure, High Watch opened its first-ever sober living opportunities, which it offers on four different properties. High Watch’s new detoxification center provides detox care for the first time in the organization’s history. Jerry and the High Watch team also opened “The Hilltop”, which is a partial hospitalization program situated in an ornate villa in the hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut.
“Wilson’s Bakery and Cafe” opened in the summer of 2021 and is dedicated to providing career opportunities for High Watch alumni and others in the program. Also in 2021, High Watch initiated an effort to educate the world about addiction by starting “High Watch Media”, which is focused on developing films and documentaries about recovery.
Outside of his work with High Watch, Jerry is very active in charitable social service organizations. Domestically, Jerry has served as a municipal Ethics Commissioner, as a Board member of the Pomperaug Health District, and as a member of the Connecticut Department of Public Health EMS Advisory Board and the Council on Alcoholism and Addiction.
Dr. Boff is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Strength and Conditioning Coach who is not only an expert in his profession but is also extremely passionate about the intersection of health, wellness and function. With over 20 years of professional sports experience as a physical therapist and trainer for the NBA, he has been able to transform bodies and change lives with incredible success. His Los Angeles-based company, MHB (Manage your Health and Body) Fitness, grew from his own philosophy to take ownership of managing one’s health and body. MHB Fitness is a concierge health and wellness service that specializes in providing an elite level of individualized client care in addition to consulting services.
With the belief that optimal physical health can only be achieved in conjunction with optimal mental and spiritual health, Dr. Boff utilizes a comprehensive approach incorporating human movement with lifestyle to create customized programs designed to meet the specific goals of each individual.
Dr. Boff has also served as the Director of Sports Medicine for NBC’s reality weight-loss series “The Biggest Loser.” Dr. Boff graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Brandeis University in 1996 and went on to earn an MSPT in 2002 and DPT in 2005 from Simmons College.
Samantha Quinlan works in the Behavioural, Mental and Emotional Health sector and is the founder of the international conference on Addiction -iCAAD. She has extensive knowledge and networks on specialist issues across the world on Addiction and mental health.
Sams reputation in the events industry catapulted when she co-founded the Brighton Fringe Festival in the UK over 25 years ago. Today the month-long city festival attracts over half a million people.
Today Sam is working with The Global Exchange 2022 to deliver a diverse programme of knowledge and skills and is leading a team of experts in developing a programme that honours the four foundation tracks of the conference – Mental Health, Addiction, Wellness and Leadership.
She has devised and delivered programmes for vulnerable adults and young people, adolescents with extreme childhood trauma, workplace leadership and solutions and adults with learning disabilities.
Sam, in her own time and as a volunteer, has helped support 100s of people. She reflects that when she needed help, she was one of a lucky few and could access service without charge or bias, so today she strives to connect those in need to the right help or signpost them to organisations that can help.
Sam likes to build theatre sets in her spare time and would one day love to perform again!
Nikki Soda is a passionate advocate for recovery, experienced marketer, and meeting planner. With over 10 years of nonprofit and corporate meeting planning, she brings an energy and level of professionalism used to create successful outcomes. Prior to working in the healthcare industry, Nikki was an event planner and organized large scale events while working for both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Her background in recovery led her to shifting into the behavioral health field. Previously, Nikki has worked in the capacity of Director of both Business Development and Marketing for nationally recognized treatment facilities, as well as overseeing several Alumni programs while being on the board of the Treatment Professionals and Alumni Services. Advocacy and Public Policy are two passions that Nikki continuously puts effort into, through volunteering and community engagement.
Nikki holds a BA in Communication from the University of Tampa. Her experience working on both the front end and back end of treatment has given her a wealth of knowledge and has contributed to her understanding of systems within the field of substance use.
Gary Seidler has been one of the foremost advocates of the addictions. and mental health field for the past 40-plus years as a book, magazine publisher and professional conference organizer.
Gary began his career as a newspaper reporter, editor, political speech writer, in the Metropolitan Toronto area before joining the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario as its Press Officer. For them he created a trade newspaper, The US Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
In 1976, Gary immigrated once again, to the United States, where he co-founded Health Communications (HCI), a self-help publishing company, and US Journal Training. ( USJT), orchestrating over 250 continuing education conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand for health professionals in the addictions and mental health field.
Gary is the co-author of Chicken Soup for the Recovery Soul, Chicken Soup for the Horse Lovers Soul, Heart Reconnection, and Success Stories from The Heart.
Gary with his life partner, Sheri Laine, an acupuncturist, herbalist, author, and wholeness guide, share Global Synergistic Living (GSL), a consulting group focusing on education, healthy living, loving and communicating.
Gary lives in Santa Monica, CA. He is most proud of his three adult children and three awesome grandchildren.
Robbin Mooney has served in the behavioral health industry since 1998, creating and implementing dynamic marketing solutions, design, and branding strategies for a variety of companies and institutions.
Business development, public relations, and recovery advocacy roles have been her passion, and through these roles she’s found a way to help others find a full and successful life.
Robbin is co-founder and Chief Development Officer of J. Flowers Health Institute, an integrative mental health and medical concierge healthcare center, offering comprehensive health and wellness evaluations and treatment services located in Houston, Texas.
Robbin was recognized in 2021 by the Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce celebrating many of Houston’s leading executive women and men entrepreneurs. Robbin also currently serves on the board of directors for the Humane Society of Southern Coastal Georgia.
Robbin served as the Outreach and Communications Liaison for Crossroads Centre Antigua 4 years which is an internationally recognized addiction treatment program founded by Eric Clapton in 1998 as a holistic, 12- step medical model providing detox and residential services.
Hand-picked by Oprah Winfrey as one of her Super Soul 100 changemakers, Jeff helms Commune Media — offering an assemblage of in-depth wellness courses, podcasts, and other media featuring the field’s foremost experts, including Deepak Chopra, Russell Brand, and Sharon Salzberg. “Our goal is to democratize well-being,” says Jeff. As creator of the global Wanderlust festivals, host of the popular Commune podcast (120,000 monthly downloads), and the author of three books, Jeff presents his audience with knowledge and guideposts to becoming their best selves. Classes, podcasts, and books offer a roadmap to creating a better society through compassion, community-building, and hands-on activism. An expert in mindfulness and a sociopolitical commentator with a degree in political science and American history from Columbia University, Krasno digs to find common ground when people divide along political lines, and offers a path to connection.
Resmaa Menakem, New York Times bestselling author of My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, is a visionary Justice Leadership coach, organizational strategist and master trainer. Resmaa is a leading voice in today’s conversation on racialized trauma. As described by On Being with Krista Tippett, Resmaa “activates the wisdom of ancestors and a very new science, about how all of us carry the history and traumas behind everything we collapse into the word “race” in our bodies. He illuminates why all of the best laws and diversity training have not gotten us anywhere near healing.” Resmaa created Cultural Somatics, which utilizes the body and resilience as mechanisms for growth.
As a therapist, trauma specialist, and the founder of Justice Leadership Solutions, a leadership consultancy firm, Resmaa Menakem dedicates his expertise to coaching leaders through civil unrest, organizational change, and community building. He helps “Justice Leaders realize their potential in the areas of Equity and Race.” Resmaa’s embodied approach which he calls Somatic Abolitionism is a living, embodied philosophy that requires endurance, stamina, and discernment. These can be built, day by day, through reps. These reps will temper and condition your body, your mind, and your soul.
Resmaa successfully coaches, trains and speaks to a diversified array of Justice Leaders who are community activists, police leaders, non-profit executives, CEOs, collegiate and professional athletic directors/managers, healthcare professionals, educators, government and judicial leaders, and the list goes on. Resmaa helps leaders examine and begin to heal the trauma of racialization that thwarts emergence. He coaches leaders on how to do the embodied work to gain the cultural maturity to lead and build community within themselves, their groups, organizations and movements.
Margaret Trudeau is celebrated as Canada’s sensational first lady in the 1970’s, and is respected for her work as a mental-health issues advocate. From becoming a prime minister’s wife at a young age, to the loss of both her son and her former husband, to living with bi-polar disorder, Margaret shares her personal stories to remind others of the importance of nurturing the body, mind, and spirit.
Margaret is the author of four books, including her bestselling title, Changing My Mind, which charts her life’s ups and downs, and her latest title, The Time of Your Life, which offers women an inspirational and practical approach to creating a healthy, happy, secure and satisfying future.
Margaret sits on the Executive Advisory Board of the UBC Mental Health Institute as a community advocate, and she is the Honorary President of WaterAid, a charitable Canadian non-governmental agency that is dedicated to helping poor communities in developing countries build sustainable water-supply and sanitation services. She is also the proud mother to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.