Revolutionising Mental Health Care with Integrative Medicine

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.

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.