Revolutionising Mental Health Care with Integrative Medicine

Robert H. Lustig, MD, MSL, is Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, and member of the Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF. Dr. Lustig is a neuroendocrinologist, with expertise in metabolism, obesity, and nutrition. He is one of the leaders of the current “anti-sugar” movement that is changing the food industry. He has dedicated his retirement from clinical medicine to help fix the food supply any way he can, to reduce human suffering and to salvage the environment. Dr. Lustig graduated from MIT in 1976 and received his MD from Cornell University Medical College in 1980. He also received his Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree at University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2013. He is the author of the popular books Fat Chance (2012), The Hacking of the American Mind (2017), and Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine (2021). He is the Chief Science Officer of the non-profit Eat REAL, he is on the Advisory Boards of the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health, the Center for Humane Technology, Simplex Health, Levels Health, and ReadOut Health, and he is the Chief Medical Officer of BioLumen Technologies, Foogal, Perfact, and Kalin Health.

In addition to being a respected clinical psychiatrist for more than 20 years, Dr. Matt Bernstein is Accord’s chief executive officer and one of the leading voices in the emerging field of metabolic psychiatry. After graduating summa cum laude from Columbia University in New York, N.Y., with a bachelor’s degree in English literature, he received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa.

Dr. Bernstein then trained at the MGH McLean Psychiatry Residency Program in Belmont, Mass., where he served as chief resident. He remained at McLean Hospital after residency as a psychiatrist-in-charge and later served as assistant medical director of its schizophrenia and bipolar inpatient program. Dr. Bernstein has developed his passion for community-based care as the chief medical officer at Ellenhorn, a sister program of Accord, where he has pursued alternative ways (such as a focus on metabolism, nutrition, circadian-rhythm biology and exercise in brain function) to help individuals achieve their best levels of functioning without relying solely on traditional psychiatric approaches. In addition to serving on the clinical advisory board at Metabolic Mind, Dr. Bernstein is known for organizing the first-ever public conference on metabolic psychiatry in 2023.

Emeran A Mayer is a Gastroenterologist, Neuroscientist and Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the Executive Director of the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience and Founding Director of the Goodman Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA. He has published 428 scientific papers, co edited 3 books and has an h-index of 125. He published the best selling books The Mind Gut Connection in 2016, The Gut Immune Connection in June 2021, and the recipe book Interconnected Plates in 2023. He has recently produced a documentary film for PBS on the mind gut immune connection, and is featured in a piece by MasterClass.com on the same topic.

A renowned speaker, and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development.

Rather than offering quick-fix solutions to these complex issues, Dr. Maté weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers people to promote their own healing and that of those around them.

After 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, Dr. Maté worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental 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; The Cost of Hidden Stress; Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder; Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers; and The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture.

His next book, Hello Again: A Fresh Start for Parents and Their Adult Children is expected in 2026. Gabor is also the creator of a psychotherapeutic approach, Compassionate Inquiry, now studied by thousands of therapists, physicians, counselors, and others in over 80 countries. More on his books and programs can be found here.

Patrick McKeown is a leading international authority on the Buteyko Method. Educated at Trinity College Dublin, he completed his clinical training in Russia and was accredited in 2002 by the method’s founder, the late Dr. Konstantin Buteyko.

For the past twenty three years, he has taught functional breathing to help children and adults with respiratory, sleep and mental health disorders. The author of ten books published in 16 languages, Patrick has trained thousands of healthcare professionals in the Buteyko Method, in over 50 countries worldwide.

Patrick’s bestselling books include:

• The Oxygen Advantage (2015) which explores improving sports performance by addressing dysfunctional breathing patterns and simulating high altitude.
• The Breathing Cure (2021) which is a deep dive into the science of breathing. It explores functional breathing for a wide range of health conditions, and breathing exercises suitable for adults, children and teens.
• Patrick’s co-authored article, Breathing Re-Education and Phenotypes of Sleep Apnea: A Review is published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Dr. Nasha Winters, ND, FABNO, is a pioneering expert in metabolic health with a specialized focus on oncology. Renowned for her innovative approach to integrative cancer management, she is committed to transforming the landscape of chronic health disorders through research, education, advocacy, and innovation.

Transitioning from clinician to educator, Dr. Winters has built a reputation for her expertise in integrative metabolic oncology and evidence-based metabolic therapies, making her a highly sought-after speaker. She has developed clinical educational programs that connect hundreds of clinicians, equipping them with the knowledge to effectively implement vetted integrative therapies in cancer management, thereby extending patient lifespans and significantly improving outcomes.

As the co-founder and visionary behind the nonprofit Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health (MTIH), Dr. Winters shapes its mission, drives research priorities, and spearheads fundraising initiatives to support patient treatment. Her goal is to make the metabolic approach to cancer accessible to all, ensuring that more individuals benefit from this groundbreaking perspective.

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He received his doctorate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he wrote his dissertation on the regulation of the medical uses of psychedelics and marijuana and his Master’s thesis on a survey of oncologists about smoked marijuana vs. the oral THC pill in nausea control for cancer patients. His undergraduate thesis at New College of Florida was a 25-year follow-up to the classic Good Friday Experiment, which evaluated the potential of psychedelic drugs to catalyze religious experiences. He also conducted a thirty-four year follow-up study to Timothy Leary’s Concord Prison Experiment. Rick studied with Dr. Stanislav Grof and was among the first to be certified as a Holotropic Breathwork practitioner. His professional goal is to help develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics and marijuana, primarily as prescription medicines but also for personal growth for otherwise healthy people, and eventually to become a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. He founded MAPS in 1986, and currently resides in Boston with his wife and puppy, with three empty rooms from his children who have all graduated college and begun their life journeys. Learn more about Rick by listening to his Origin Story, watching his TED Talk, and watching his SSDP talk about lessons for political activism from a series of his psychedelic experiences.

Felice Gersh, MD is a multi-award winning physician with dual board certifications in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She is the founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, a practice that provides comprehensive health care for women by combining the best evidence-based therapies from conventional, naturopathic, and holistic medicine. For 12 years, she taught obstetrics and gynecology at Keck USC School of Medicine as an Assistant Clinical Professor, and she now serves as an Affiliate Faculty Member at the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Felice is a prolific writer and lecturer who speaks globally on women’s health and regularly publishes in peer-reviewed medical journals. She is the bestselling author of the PCOS SOS series and her latest book, Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know.

As a triple-board certified nutrition expert and Fitness Hall of Famer, JJ is a passionate advocate of the healing power of nutrition, and is mission driven to change the way the world sees aging and longevity.

She has launched 2 multimillion-dollar businesses, including a 7-figure personal brand, and founded the Mindshare Collaborative, the most influential professional community in health, having propelled more New York Times bestsellers, PBS specials, and 7 figure brands than any other community.

JJ is a prominent TV and media personality who co-hosted TLC’s Freaky Eaters and was the nutrition expert for Dr. Phil’s Weight Loss Challenges. She’s made numerous appearances on PBS, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, Access Hollywood, and The TODAY Show. She also speaks regularly, commanding audiences of 10,000 or more, and has shared the stage with other highly sought-after experts including Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Lisa Nichols, Gary Vaynerchuk, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dan Buettner, Mary Morrissey and more. She regularly teaches for Tony Robbins’ Life Mastery Program.

JJ is the author of four NY Times bestsellers: The Virgin Diet, The Virgin Diet Cookbook, JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet, and JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook. Her book, Warrior Mom: 7 Secrets to Bold, Brave Resilience, shares the inspirational lessons JJ learned as she fought for her son’s life.

Evidence of JJ’s far-reaching impact can be seen in the millions of views on her YouTube channel, Instagram and Facebook, and through her popular podcast Well Beyond 40 with JJ Virgin, which has more than 20 million downloads and counting.

JJ is a 3x Inc. 5000 Founder and a top 10 finalist for the John C Maxwell award. As an authority on transformational leadership, she has coached some of the biggest names in health and transformed the lives of millions of people around the world.

Dr. Alexis Jazmyn Cowan is a Princeton-trained PhD in molecular biology. Her primary focus in graduate school was studying the impact of disparate dietary inputs (fasting vs feeding, ketogenic vs high carb diets) on metabolism within and between mammalian organ systems. Following graduation in December 2021, Dr. Cowan started her private consulting practice working with athletes and highly motivated individuals on health and performance optimization, as well as teaching coursework. She then returned to school for a postdoc in the Thaiss lab at University of Pennsylvania in 2023 to work on building out a multi-omics metabolome and transcriptome imaging platform. It was during this time she began fervently studying quantum and circadian biology, and subsequently had an awakening around the importance of light and its role in regulating human biology at the deepest level. Almost overnight, Dr. Cowan reinvented her private practice and social media messaging to focus fully on education and implementation around the science and practice of living in alignment with circadian and quantum biologic principles. She also started her podcast Undoctrinate Yourself around this time to bring actionable and engaging long-form content on these topics to the masses. Now, Dr. Cowan is in the process of planning and acquiring resources to build out The Light Lab: a decentralized, privately funded research laboratory that will be the first of its kind to perform experiments with stringent light controls, and studying the effects of full-spectrum sunlight on human biology broadly and mitochondrial health and function more specifically.

Find Dr. Cowan on Instagram and X @dralexisjazmyn.

Dr. Olivia Ly Lesslar is an Australian medical doctor with a diverse background that includes International Relations and diplomacy. With advanced studies in skin cancer medicine, clinical nutrition management, and current work towards a Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Psychotherapy, Dr. Lesslar is dedicated to pioneering a new paradigm in healthcare.

A strong advocate for decentralized and patient-centered medical models, Dr. Lesslar seeks to challenge the traditional dominance of big pharma, big agriculture, and big food. She envisions a healthcare system that fosters open discourse and debate rather than adhering to rigid algorithms dictated by a select group of experts. Her commitment is to expand the array of tools and options available to patients, promoting a model that prioritizes flexibility, accessibility, and patient autonomy.
Dr. Lesslar is the Director of Functional and Longevity Medicine at Cingulum Health in Sydney, where she integrates innovative practices and adjunctive modalities TMS for neurological and psychiatric issues in addition to traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, she serves as the Chief Medical Advisor at Human Regenerator (UK), focusing on cold atmospheric plasma technology, and the Chief Medical Officer at Atlus, a plant-based clinic in Australia. She is also the Medical Director at several companies including Liber8 USA, dedicated to mind-body medicine, Veteran Peace USA, which supports veteran mental health, and she serves as Science Director at Sens.ai, a neurotechnology firm from Canada. She is an advisor on the “Future of Wellness, Beauty and Longevity” with the Gaïa Department of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH) in Paris, France.
She has great interest in space exploration and astromedicine, Olivia is the Vice-President of the Women in Defence Space Alliance (Finland), a Health Span XPrize Team Member with the Space Research Aging Institute, and she helped design and implement the citizen astronaut program at Everest Health concierge clinic in Washington D.C. which is affiliated with the longevity non-profit The Methuselah Foundation. Dr. Lesslar also collaborates with other international clinics such as LifeSpan Medicine (LA), Wellgevity (UK), Queensland Allergy (Australia), and is the Resident Medical Consultant for CFS Health, an online recovery program for myalgic encephalomyelitis.

In academia, she is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Griffith University’s National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases and a faculty lecturer at the Geneva College of Longevity Science. Dr. Lesslar is also a member of the Medicine International Council at the National University of Singapore. She has lectured at Oxford University (UK), Bond University (Aus), The National University of SIngapore and Berkeley University (USA).
A recognized leader in integrative medicine, Dr. Lesslar spoke at TEDx Melbourne in November 2022 on patient agency and chronic disease. She was featured in the NYC Journal 50 under 50 in 2021 for her innovative contributions to healthcare. Dr. Lesslar serves on the science, medical or clinical advisory boards of the Advanced SpaceLife Research Institute (USA), Audicin (Finland), L’evive Labs (Malaysia), Mind Medicine Australia, Oxford Healthspan (UK), The Naked Pharmacy (UK), Holistic Health Institute (Australia), The Darbon Institute (Australia), Simplr Health and Simplr Medika International (Australia), Ways2Well (USA), Hemisphere Management Group (Australia), and she is a Trustee of the British College of Functional Medicine.

William Shaw, PhD is board certified in the fields of clinical chemistry and toxicology by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry. Before he founded Great Plains Laboratory, Inc., Dr. Shaw worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Children’s Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine, and Smith Kline Laboratories. He is the author of Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD, originally published in 1998 and Autism: Beyond the Basics, published in 2009. He is also a frequent speaker at conferences worldwide. Dr. Shaw is the stepfather of a child with autism and has helped thousands of patients and medical practitioners to successfully improve the lives of people with autism, AD(H)D, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, bipolar disorder, chronic fatigue, depression, fibromyalgia, immune deficiencies, multiple sclerosis, OCD, Parkinson’s disease, seizure disorders, tic disorders, Tourette syndrome, and other serious conditions.

Erika Gray, PharmD is a UCSF-trained pharmacist, educator, national speaker, and the visionary co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of ToolBox Genomics and MyToolBox Genomics. As a leader in functional medicine and genomics, she has spent the last two decades helping individuals and practitioners decode the complex relationship between genetics and health.

Through an innovative digital platform, Dr. Gray specializes in translating genetic insights into actionable, personalized health strategies, empowering people to take control of their well-being. With expertise spanning pharmacy, genomics, and functional medicine, she is passionate about demystifying complex science and equipping others with the tools they need to optimize their health. Dr. Gray is dedicated to reshaping the future of personalized medicine—one gene at a time.

Dr. Hausman-Cohen has been in the field of integrative medicine for over 25 years. She is the co-author of publications on a range of topics including nutrigenomics, utilization of genomics for improving outcomes in Autism and dementia, and a textbook chapter relating to using genomics to identify modifiable contributing causes and improve outcomes in cognitive decline. She is the co-founder of both Resilient Health Austin and IntellxxDNA™ – a genomics clinical decision support tool being used across the county, that empowers clinicians to practice precision medicine in both academic and private practice settings. She and her co-founder developed IntellxxDNA as an answer to an unmet need in the medical community; the need for an accurate, evidence-based genomics tool geared at helping clinicians practice true root cause medicine, whether the patient has mental health concerns, cognitive decline, autism, or medical mysteries. Dr. Hausman-Cohen received both her master’s degree and medical degree from Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Don Grant is an internationally recognized and award-winning media psychologist, author, published researcher, Doctoral Addictions Counselor, educator with specific expertise in technology’s impact on mental health, and the National Advisor of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, served as the 2022 President of the APA Division 46 (The Society for Media Psychology & Technology), currently serves as a Division 46 Executive Board Member At Large, Chair of the APA (D46) “Device Management & Intelligence” committee, is an APA Advocacy Division Partner Liaison, APA Division Science Partner, and Treasurer of the California Psychological Association Division VI (Media Technology and Communication).

Dr. Grant designs, presents, and facilitates “Healthy Device Management” and “Good Digital Citizenship” treatment strategy and educational training workshops for clinicians, practitioners, educators, parents, and academic communities. He is a globally respected and popular conference keynote speaker, webinar, podcast, onscreen broadcast interview guest, and print content contributor on device related behaviors, addiction, and media psychology. Some of his interview and publication contributions include: The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider, APA Monitor on Psychology, NewsNation, Wondermind, ABC News, CBS News, NBC networks, Fox News, CNN, The Daily Show, and a two-page People Magazine story about him and his work.

His current research includes a large-scale study in partnership with the Newport Healthcare Center for Research and Innovation investigating his theories surrounding the potential impact of a caregiver’s device use behaviors on attachment bonds. Outcomes of this now considered seminal study evidenced mother-figure device-centric behaviors were significantly associated with more insecure attachment with a child. Additionally, caregiver device-centric behaviors were positively associated with child device-centric behaviors. Dr. Grant is also engaged in explorations of the identity construct effects of social media, para-social mediated relationships, and cyberaggression targeted towards adolescents, teens, young adults, families, and our culture/relationships-at-large.

Other current projects include an international publisher commissioned “Healthy Device Management and Practices of Good Digital Citizenship” guidebook and companion treatment curriculum workbook designed specifically for practitioners, treatment programs, and educators, serving as Chapter Leader, Co-Editor, and contributing author in collaboration with a cohort of global experts on several chapters to be published in a special handbook by Springer Publishing (in partnership with Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development), as a chapter author on the beliefs, behaviors, and impacts of device-centric engagement for two academic handbooks with specific focus on device-centric behaviors, serving on the Advisory Panel in collaboration with the APA and Google on behalf of a scientific summary regarding online video content for teens, and working with the “Youth Services Committee” of the National Association of Behavioral Healthcare on the development and launch of “Safe Connections,” their new national “Youth Services Cyberhealth” campaign.

Barbara Nosal, PhD, has worked with teens, young adults, and families in the field of mental health and addiction treatment for almost 30-years. She held supervisory and leadership positions, as well as served on the faculty of National University and University of Phoenix. As Founding Clinical Director of Newport Academy, she developed their clinical and family treatment model. As Chief Clinical Officer of Newport Healthcare she oversees clinical operations and services at their residential and outpatient programs. Dr. Nosal holds a Doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology and Masters’ degrees in Counseling Psychology and Human Services. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Specializing in attachment and relational trauma, Dr. Nosal integrates family systems concepts with attachment-based practices to heal childhood trauma and deepen relationships amongst family members.

Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, published researcher and international educator. His mission is to help people improve their health by targeting the biological basis of “stuckness” in our brains and bodies. His writing, presentations, podcasts, and online educational programs explore how environmental factors influence our cognitive and mental state and have reached millions. Dr. Perlmutter has been featured on PBS, Rolling Stone, MedPage today, Newsweek, Medical News Today, NPR and a wide range of other media outlets. He is a co-producer of the Alzheimer’s, the Science of Prevention series, and host of the Better Brain Blueprint series. Dr. Perlmutter currently serves as the managing director at Big Bold Health, a food-as-medicine company focused on helping people rejuvenate health through better immune function, where he has published a pioneering study exploring the effects of plant nutrients on human aging through epigenetics. He is also a consultant to the Helfgott Research Institute, where he is working on a study looking at the epigenetic, metabolic, microbiome and immune effects of ayahuasca.

Dr. Joseph Pizzorno is a transformational leader in medicine. As founding president of Bastyr University in 1978, he coined the term “science-based natural medicine.” This set the foundation for Bastyr to become the first accredited institution in this field anywhere in the world and validated that medicine that promotes health rather than just treats disease could be credibly taught, researched, and practiced. As co-author of the Textbook of Natural Medicine (first edition 1985, fifth edition 2020), he established the scientific foundation for health promotion medicine. With over 100,000 copies sold in four languages, it not only helped reestablish naturopathic medicine as an important part of the healthcare system but also provided the scientific foundation for the transformational fields of integrative and functional medicine throughout the world.

A naturopathic physician (licensed since 1975), educator, researcher, and expert spokesman, he is editor-in-chief of PubMed-indexed IMCJ, founding board member and three-time chair of the board of IFM, founding board member of American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and a member of the science board of Bioclinic Naturals. He was appointed by Presidents Clinton and Bush to two prestigious government commissions to advise the President and Congress on how to integrate natural medicine into the healthcare system. He is author or co-author of six textbooks for doctors and eight consumer books, including one with his wife Lara.

Dr. Richard Horowitz is a board-certified internist and the medical director of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center, an integrative medical center specializing in the treatment of Lyme and other TBD’s. He has treated over 13,000 Lyme and TBD patients in the last 40 years and is one of the founding members and past president elect of ILADS and past president of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation (ILADEF). Dr Horowitz also previously served as a member of the HHS Tick-borne Disease Working Group and NYS Department of Health TBDWG. For dedicating his life to helping those stricken with this devastating illness, he has been awarded the Humanitarian of the Year award by the Turn the Corner Foundation and awards from Project Lyme. Dr H is also the author of two best-selling books on Lyme disease and chronic illness, Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease (2013, St Martin’s Press, NY Times Best Seller), and How Can I Get Better? An Action Plan for Treating Resistant Lyme and Chronic Disease (2017, St Martin’s Press, National bestseller). He recently released his first science fiction/climate change novel, Starseed R/evolution, The Awakening. He will be releasing his third science book through Simon and Schuster on comprehensive answers for chronic disease late in early 2026.

Dr. Achina Stein is a DO physician, Board Certified psychiatrist and has been in practice since 1994. She is a certified practitioner of the Institute for Functional Medicine, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She was awarded the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award by NAMI-RI in 2008. Located in RI, she is the co-owner of private practice, Functional Mind LLC.

As a #1 Amazon International bestselling author of What If It’s NOT Depression? Your Guide to Finding Answers and Solutions, she has a You Tube Channel, has been a keynote speaker, and interviewed about her pioneering work as a functional medicine psychiatrist on many podcasts and summits.

Julie Matthews is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and published researcher who received her master’s degree in medical nutrition, with distinction, from Arizona State University. She has specialized in children’s nutrition and complex neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly autism spectrum disorder for 22 years. She is the author of The Personalized Autism Nutrition Plan, and co-author of two research studies demonstrating the efficacy of nutrition and therapeutic diet intervention for autism spectrum disorder. You can learn more about Julie and her programs for parents and practitioners at: http://NourishingHope.com and http://BioIndividualNutrition.com

Dale Bredesen, M.D., is internationally recognised as an expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers The End of Alzheimer’s (Avery, 2017) and The End of Alzheimer’s Program (Avery, 2020). He has held faculty positions at UC San Francisco, UCLA, and the University of California San Diego, and directed the Program on Aging at the Burnham Institute before coming to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in 1998 as its founding president and CEO. He is currently a professor at UCLA.

Ashok is an internationally renowned Speaker, Filmmaker & Health Practitioner who has dedicated his life to supporting people through chronic illness, and achieving their potential.

Ashok suffered from ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, around 25 years ago when he was studying at Cambridge University. Through neurological research that he conducted, he managed to get himself 100% better. He then set up a clinic to treat others, and then published his findings as part of a program for patients.

He has published several medical papers, and has supported randomized controlled trials on Long Covid, ME/CFS, & Fibromyalgia, showing that the approach is effective, and is continually researching these conditions.

Practicing in New Orleans, Arwen Podesta, MD is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with sub-specializations in addiction medicine, forensic psychiatry, and integrative medicine. She opened Podesta Psychiatry LLC in 2012, with a team of top providers- a multidisciplinary collaborative model with nutrition, psychotherapy, acupuncture and psychiatry. Dr. Podesta’s primary focus is access to integrative mental health and addiction treatment, with a whole health focus for all. She teaches (Tulane and LSU), consults for courts (civil, Re-entry, Drug), is Medical Director of Lake Wellness IOPs, and author of HOOKED. She is the immediate past president of the Louisiana chapter of the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and is the President of the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association. She consults to the Louisiana governor’s HOPE committee and is a member of the Attorney General’s Opioid Abatement Taskforce. She was recently honored as a distinguished fellow of both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Podesta regularly travels to teach and speak on the topics of Addiction Medicine and Integrative Psychiatry.

Neil Nathan, MD has been practicing medicine for over 50 years, and has been Board Certified in Family Practice and Pain Management and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine and a Founding Diplomate of ISEAI. He has written several books, including Healing is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses and On Hope and Healing: For Those Who Have Fallen Through the Medical Cracks. He has hosted an internationally syndicated radio program/podcast on Voice America called The Cutting Edge of Health and Wellness Today. He has been working to bring an awareness that mold toxicity is a major contributing factor for patients with chronic illness and lectures internationally on this subject which led to the publication of his ebook, Mold and Mycotoxins: Current Evaluation and Treatment, 2016, (now updated to 2022), and then to his best-selling book Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Environmental Illness.

Winter of 2021 saw the publication of Energetic Diagnosis, a discussion of the value of intuition and energetic devices as an aid to both diagnosis and treatment of medical illness. His newest book is planned for release by January, 2024, The Sensitive Patient’s Healing Guide.

He can be contacted most easily through his website www.neilnathanmd.com, through which consultations are available. He is currently providing mentorship in the treatment of chronic inflammatory illness to approximately 200 physicians, with Jill Crista, ND and for those interested in mentorship, please use the website to register.

Dr. Nathan has been treating chronic complex medical illnesses for 30 years now, and Lyme disease for the past 20 years. As his practice has evolved, he finds himself increasingly treating the patients who have become so sensitive and toxic that they can no longer tolerate their usual treatments, and his major current interest is in finding unique ways of helping them to recover.

Everest Goldstein, M.Ed, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, IFMCP, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner certified in functional medicine and founder of Everest Functional Psychiatry and Wellness, one of the only Functional Psychiatry practices in Texas.

She obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Princeton University and then went to work for Teach for America as a bilingual elementary school teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer. During this time, she also received her Master of Education from Southern Methodist University. Realizing the great need for mental health services in the community, Everest decided to follow her passion and earned her Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner degree from Vanderbilt University and her functional medicine certification through the Institute for Functional Medicine.

Everest has experience working in a variety of psychiatric settings, including inpatient psychiatry, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, outpatient psychiatry, private practice, integrative psychiatry, and consult liaison psychiatry. Beyond running her own private practice, she speaks internationally on functional psychiatry and also works as a consultant for psychiatric practices and start-ups.

She takes a holistic approach to healing and believes in the connection between the body and mind. Integrating lifestyle, diet, medicine, and other innovative technologies, she views each patient individually to help them take control of their health and improve their quality of life and wellbeing. Her goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and expand access to care through advocacy and education.

Dr. James Greenblatt is a functional and integrative medicine trailblazer who has treated thousands of patients since 1988. After receiving his medical degree and his psychiatry residency, Dr. Greenblatt completed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He was the Chief Medical Officer at Walden Behavioral Care for nearly 21 years and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine.

Dr. Greenblatt has lectured internationally on nutritional psychiatry and the role of functional medicine in the treatment of mental illnesses. He is the founder and CMO of Psychiatry Redefined, the leading continuing education platform for mental health providers. He is the author of eight influential books, including the bestseller Finally Focused.

Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is best selling author of The Hormone Fix and Keto-Green 16 and MenuPause. Dr. Anna is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She holds special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. 

She lectures frequently on those topics and shares the secret behind the ebb and flow of intimacy as she demystifies the fascinating hormonal changes over time. She will help you discover how the “love hormone”, Oxytocin can breathe life into your relationship, and how Cortisol can take it away – and how the delicate balancing act of those hormones can reignite your libido and support a healthy relationship, most importantly the one you have with yourself.

She is sassy, blunt, speaks from the heart and has a wonderful sense of humor, and this is why we call her The Girlfriend Doctor, because everyone needs a friend like her! 

She has personally developed natural products to help women balance hormones and thrive through menopause including the highly acclaimed Julva® cream for the vulva and MightyMaca® Plus, a powerful superfood blend.  She lives in Dallas with her daughters, horses and dogs.

Where can you find her?:

• https://drannacabeca.com
• https://www.facebook.com/DrAnnaCabeca
• https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

Kat Toups, MD, DFAPA, IFMCP, is a distinguished Functional Medicine psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and thought leader in the field of cognitive health.

She is the Principal Investigator of the first successful multi-modal precision medicine clinical trial to reverse cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease—showing measurable improvement in 84% of participants.

With decades of clinical and research experience, Dr. Toups combines psychiatry, functional medicine, and cutting-edge research to uncover and address the root causes of cognitive decline. Her innovative, personalized approach has made her a sought-after speaker, educator, and mentor in the Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention community.

Christina Veselak, MS, LMFT, CN received her MS in Counseling Psychology from San Francisco State University in 1983 and became a Certified Nutritionist through the National Institute of Nutrition Education in 1993, specializing in Mental Health Nutrition for mental health and addictive issues. She has maintained a private practice since 1985 and fully integrated nutrition into her work as a psychotherapist and relapse prevention specialist since 2001.

She was so excited about the powerful results she was seeing in her practice that she founded the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition in 2015 to teach other practitioners how to achieve the same results. In 2022 she founded the non-profit organization, Eating Protein Saves Lives, Inc. to share this information with the general public. Christina has consulted for supplement companies, IV Amino Acid Detox Programs, and Residential Treatment Programs, helping them integrate this life-saving nutritional approach into their offerings.

Christina Veselak is a dynamic public speaker with an enthusiastic following. Christina is committed to staying abreast of the rapidly growing science of orthomolecular & nutritional psychiatry and is passionate about sharing her knowledge with both the general public and professionals in the fields of addiction recovery and mental health treatment. She believes that the time has come for brain nutrition to become part of the conversation! Her vision as a global changemaker is to make this life-saving information available to all people.

Eldra Jackson III has harnessed the power of transformation and tapping into his human potential. As a 24-year inmate in the California prison system, he was given ample opportunity to turn inward, and when he discovered Inside Circle, his inner journey took a significant turn, which led to his release in 2014.

Today, in addition to being the executive director of Inside Circle, the sea-changing non-profit organization that offers weekly peer support group circles focused on assisting incarcerated men to heal their trauma and take responsibility for their choices, Eldra is a writer and sought-after public speaker who says it became vital for him to speak on the topics of community, at-risk youth advocacy, mental health, effective criminal justice rehabilitation and turning around toxic masculinity.

Nicole Cain, ND, MA, author of acclaimed book Panic Proof, is a leading expert in trauma-informed, and integrative approaches for mental and emotional wellness. With a degree in clinical psychotherapy, training in EMDR, and a license as a Naturopathic Physician in the state of Arizona, her approach to mental health is multidisciplinary: medical, psychological, and holistic.

Dr. Cornish, a highly regarded physician, provides integrative medicine services to a diverse global patient community. Currently serving as the Functional Medicine Director of the Amen Clinic East Coast Division, she specializes in autoimmune diseases, hormone imbalances, Lyme disease, autism, environmental toxicity, gut imbalances, neurology, and various other chronic conditions. Employing a holistic approach, Dr. Cornish identifies the root causes of health issues within the body’s biological systems, offering comprehensive treatment to both adults and children. Her treatment philosophy is integrative and evidence-based.

Dr. Cornish serves as the Treasurer of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) and has led the development of their ILADS fellowship program. She is also an active training physician with the organization.

Within Amen Clinics, Dr. Cornish has been instrumental in developing the Neuroinflammatory Intensive program—a two-week inpatient initiative addressing neurological complications arising from chronic infectious diseases, mold illness, and other chronic inflammatory conditions, including brain imaging.

Dr. Cornish’s educational journey includes earning honors at Brown University for her undergraduate studies and obtaining her medical degree (M.D.) from Brown University Medical School. She further refined her skills through a family medicine residency at Georgetown University.

As a Howard Hughes Medical Fellow, Dr. Cornish conducted translational research at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH), working under the guidance of Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. She currently serves as the Treasurer of the Board for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.

Acknowledged as an authority in her field, Dr. Cornish was honored as Northern Virginia’s Top Doctor for Family Practice in 2021 and 2022. She has also been recognized by Continental Who’s Who as an Exceptional Woman in Healthcare, highlighting her professional excellence at Amen Clinics.

Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Cornish is passionate about education, regularly conducting webinars to inspire medical professionals and patients to better understand functional medicine. Her aspirations include contributing to research on Alzheimer’s, Lyme Disease, and pediatric autoimmune diseases, with plans to write a book detailing her experiences. She is also a proud mom of triplets.

Dr. Heather Sandison is the NYT bestselling author of “Reversing Alzheimer’s The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition and Protect Brain Health”. She is a renowned naturopathic doctor specializing in neurocognitive medicine and the founder of Solcere Health Clinic, a premier brain optimization clinic based in San Diego, and Marama, a residential program changing memory care to memory recovery. Dr. Sandison is dedicated to supporting those suffering with dementia and is the primary author of peer reviewed research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. She is shattering common misconceptions about Alzheimer’s teaching lifestyle change protocols that keep your brain sharp at any age.

Food Mood Expert Trudy Scott, a certified nutritionist, educates anxious individuals about nutritional solutions for anxiety. She is known for her expertise in the use of targeted individual amino acids, which offer hope and immediate relief from anxiety so other underlying root causes and dietary changes can be addressed with ease. She also educates about the nutritional solutions for the social anxiety condition pyroluria and the harmful effects of benzodiazepines.

Trudy is the author of The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings and host of The Anxiety Summit, an online educational platform for both consumers and health professionals and dubbed “a bouquet of hope”.

Trudy also educates health professionals via the Anxiety Nutrition Institute, sharing research and practical how-to steps. Learn more at www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com

Trudy is passionate about sharing the powerful food mood connection because she experienced the results first-hand, finding complete resolution of her anxiety and panic attacks.

Susi Amendola holds both an ERYT 500 with Yoga Alliance and a C-IAYT with the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

Susi founded the Omaha Yoga & Bodywork Center, one of the first and oldest yoga centers in the Midwest. She worked diligently to create programs to train yoga teachers, sponsor well-known speakers on yoga, and bring the healing practices of yoga to businesses, schools, and the community. Today, the center is called Yoga Now, and since its inception in 1983 has served as a stronghold in the community.

In 1993, she joined Ornish Lifestyle Medicine, a Medicare-approved intensive cardiac rehab program, as a stress management specialist and senior trainer. The program includes Yoga and meditation as part of a multidisciplinary approach to healing. For decades, she has traveled extensively to train and mentor hospital teams in delivering this intervention.

As Susi helped others with the practices that turned her own life around, she gathered their stories of health and healing, which served as the inspiration for her teachings and her new book, The Centered Heart: Evidence Based Mind Body Practices to Stress Less and Improve Cardiac Health. With her expertise in both the ancient practices of Yoga and the medical world, Susi’s teachings and classes are unlike anything else you will find. Her teaching style is heart-centered, nurturing, practical, and empowering. She continues to practice, teach, and inspire others to listen deeply to the healer within.

As a teenager, Susi began to experience crippling anxiety and depression, and doctors offered little help. One day, her mother took her to a yoga class at a local yoga institute, and Susi experienced an overwhelming sense of calm that she didn’t know was possible. Yoga became her refuge, and slowly, she began to find her way back to health.

This experience led her to Pennsylvania, where she became a resident at a yoga institute. There, she spent time working in and managing the vegetarian kitchen while attending daily classes in yoga, meditation, and philosophy. She took workshops in all kinds of health-related topics, ate vegetarian meals, and walked outside in the fresh, open mountain air. The structure, the food, the yoga practices, the sense of community, and living in nature became the foundation and the foothold that Susi needed to find her way back to herself.

After several years of study, work, and practice, she and her new family decided to move to Omaha, Nebraska, to be closer to family