Depression Masterclass

Dr Kelly Brogan MD is a Manhattan-based holistic women’s health psychiatrist, author of the book, A Mind of Your Own and co-editor of the landmark textbook, Integrative Therapies for Depression. She completed her psychiatric training and fellowship at NYU Medical Center after graduating from Cornell University Medical College, and has a B.S. from MIT in Systems Neuroscience. She is board certified in psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, and integrative holistic medicine, and is specialized in a root-cause resolution approach to psychiatric syndromes and symptoms.

She is on the board of GreenMedInfo, Functional Medicine University, Pathways to Family Wellness, NYS Perinatal Association, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, Mindd Foundation, the peer-reviewed, indexed journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, and the Nicholas Gonzalez Foundation. She is Medical Director for Fearless Parent and a founding member of Health Freedom Action. She is a mother of two.

Dr Jason Hawrelak PhD is considered one of the leading experts in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions with natural medicines, Jason’s passion for gastrointestinal health, the gastrointestinal microbiota (the inner ecosystem), and probiotics was ignited during the final year of his undergraduate naturopathic training. Subsequently, Jason did his Honours (First Class) and PhD degrees in the areas of the gastrointestinal microbiota, irritable bowel syndrome, and the clinical applications of pre- and probiotics. He has written extensively in textbooks and journals on these topics.

Dr Hawrelak is a naturopath, herbalist, and nutritionist with over 15 years of clinical experience. He regularly consults with patients from all over the globe who come to him for his expertise, extensive background knowledge, and experience in treating gastrointestinal conditions.

Jason has taught health professionals (naturopaths, nutritionists, dieticians, chiropractors, pharmacists, and medical doctors) at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level for the past 15 years. He currently coordinates and teaches the Evidence-based Complementary Medicine Program in the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia) and is the Gastrointestinal Imbalances lecturer in the Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine program at the University of Western States (Portland, Oregon). In July 2015, Jason was awarded a Fellowship from the American College of Nutrition for his significant contributions to the teaching and practice of nutrition in Australia and North America.

Assoc. Prof. Kerry Bone BSc (Hons) is the co-founder and innovation driver at MediHerb, where he serves as Director of Research and Development. In 2016 MediHerb was awarded the American Botanical Council’s (ABC’s) Varro E. Tyler Award for excellence in Phytomedicinal Research.

As part of his educational role, Kerry is Principal of the Australian College of Phytotherapy and also Adjunct Professor at New York Chiropractic College, providing input into their postgraduate applied nutrition program. He also founded the successful Masters of Health Science (Herbal Medicine) course at the University of New England in 2004, and served there as Associate Professor from 2004 to 2012.

Kerry is co-author of more than 30 scientific papers on herbal research, including original research and systematic reviews. He currently serves as the only Australian member of the editorial board of the journal Phytomedicine, the top herbal research journal in the world, and is also on the advisory board of the ABC.

He has also written or co-written six popular textbooks on herbal medicine, including his latest with Simon Mills, the long-awaited second edition of Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy, which was awarded the 2013 James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award by the ABC. Other key texts include The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety (also awarded the James A Duke Award in 2006), A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs and The Ultimate Herbal Compendium. These texts are widely used at naturopathic and medical colleges throughout the world.

Dr Ann Childers MD is a child- and adult-trained psychiatric physician with a special interest in regaining the physical and mental health of children, adolescents and adults through standard psychiatric care integrated with principles of nutrition and sleep.

Dr Childers has published a number of textbook chapters, among them ‘Nutritional Aspects of Psychiatry’ for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: The Essentials (Cheng and Myers, 2011). A local and international lecturer, Dr Childers’ lectures and podcasts are available on the Internet. A member and fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, with membership in the Oregon Psychiatric Physician Association, the American Medical Association, the Nutrition and Metabolism Society and the Obesity Medicine Association, Dr Childers sees patients who desire an integrated approach to psychiatric care, sleep and metabolism management.

Dr Ben Lynch ND received his Cell and Molecular Biology, BS from the University of Washington and his doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine (ND) from Bastyr University.

His passion for identifying the cause of disease directed him towards nutrigenomics and methylation dysfunction. Currently, he researches, writes and presents worldwide on the topic of MTHFR, methylation defects and genetic control.

Dr Richard Brown is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons where he obtained his medical degree 1977. He completed Psychiatry Residency and a fellowship in Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology at New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical College. The recipient of numerous awards, he has authored over 100 scientific articles, books, and book chapters on pharmacological treatments, clinical studies, and complementary and integrative treatments in psychiatry.

A strong interest in natural treatments developed long before medical school. Gathering medicinal mushrooms with his grandfather in the hills of Kentucky, was an introduction to the healing power of plants. Summer visits to Indian reservations in Wyoming opened a world of traditional treatments. As an adult, training in Yoga and Qigong brought further physical, mental, and spiritual development. All of these sources, traditional healing and conventional medical training, contribute to Dr Brown’s understanding and his practice of medicine.

For more than 30 years Dr Brown has taught and worked as a psychiatrist, particularly as a consultant and resource for other physicians and health care providers who need help to treat very complex, treatment-resistant patients. Through the years, he has developed novel treatments—herbs, nutrients, mind-body practices, and emerging technologies — for many who were unable to respond to conventional medicines.

Lara Briden ND is a naturopathic doctor and author of the bestselling books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual with more 20 years clinical experience. She has a strong science background and first worked as an evolutionary biologist at the University of Calgary, before going on to qualify from Toronto’s Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1997.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health and currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormonal and period-related health problems.

Dr Ameet Agarwal ND is a naturopathic doctor and psychotherapist (Gestalt, Family Constellations, EMDR) with years of experience treating physical issues, anxiety, stress, depression, abuse, relationship issues and also working with UNICEF, UN Staff and other large organizations.

He lectures around the world and has been voted top 5 speaker on 3 World summits. This has earned him the recognition of one of the top 43 naturopaths to follow. His book “Heal Your Body, Cure Your Mind” is considered to be one of the most comprehensive natural guides to anxiety and depression.