Adam Sud is a behavioral wellness & nutrition expert, international speaker, and the founder and CEO of Plant Based for Positive Change, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing research and understanding of how nutrition impacts mental health and addiction. He has studied the use of nutrition in disease reversal under the mentorships of leading plant-based physicians and has worked in mental and behavioral health treatment centers using plant-based nutrition as a tool for strengthening recovery and relapse prevention.

In 2012 Sud was personally struggling with multiple addictions, chronic diseases, and mental health disorders. His life nearly came to an end when he attempted suicide by drug overdose. With the help of treatment and a plant-based diet, he began a journey that led to the reversal of his chronic disease conditions, the cancellation of all medications, and the lowering of his weight from Class III Obesity levels. He is currently 10 years sober.

Alex is CEO of Embark Behavioral Health, a nationally recognized family of programs specializing in treating and healing the effects of complex early trauma. Previously, he was the founder and managing partner of Lia Capital Partners, an acquisition vehicle for cause-related businesses; was Associate Director of Firm-Wide Operations of Cambridge Associates, the world’s largest global investment advisory firm to not-for-profit organizations; held responsibilities in public service while at Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a U.S. government agency that mobilizes private capital for critical world social and poverty challenges; and worked on the Capitol Hill.

​

Alex graduated with Honors from American University with both an Economic Theory and International Relations degree. He earned an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Amanda received her master’s degree and a doctoral degree in Social Work from Wurzweiler School of Social Work where her dissertation focused on the clinical implications of countertransference in the treatment of addiction. She completed psychoanalytic training at The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy in New York City.

Prior to joining The Dorm in 2011, Amanda was the Program Director for New York Center For Living and Flatbush Addiction Treatment Center. Amanda has specialized training in DBT, CBT, addiction and co-occurring disorders, eating disorders, family therapy, EMDR and motivational interviewing. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the New York Academy of Medicine and an adjunct professor at Wurzweiler School of Social Work.

Amanda believes that clients and their families need to be treated holistically and from a strengths-based perspective and has seen firsthand the healing power of the therapeutic alliance.

Dr. Amy Hoyt is certified in Traumatic Stress Studies by the Trauma Research Foundation. She is trained in neurofeedback, somatic practices and addiction and recovery. Dr. Hoyt has been working in the field of trauma for ten years, as a researcher of mass trauma (genocide and apartheid) and individual trauma.  She is an author, podcaster and speaker and is passionate about helping others learn to break free from the chains of past trauma using research and science. 

After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in Organizational Communication, Andrew went to Costa Rica in search of whitewater. During his time in Costa Rica, he fell in love with the Costa Rican people and the wide range of adventure activities the country has to offer. Andrew has been running adventure trips in Costa Rica since 2004. He has rafted and kayaked rivers all over the world, including Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Venezuela. He is trained in Swiftwater Rescue and has also spent time as a White Water Rescue Technician Instructor.

In 2010 he received a Master of Business Administration from Westminster College in Salt Lake City and  pursued a Substance Use Disorder Counseling Certificate through the University of Utah in 2012. He has enjoyed and been inspired by his work with individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addictions at Cirque Lodge, which is one of the top substance abuse programs in the nation.

Andy Goldstrom is a certified parent coach at Parents Journey Coaching. He helps parents and families by deepening their knowledge and furthering their actions. He helps deepen knowledge about their situation, parenting style, and what works and doesn’t by leveraging strengths and helping to develop your own solutions.

He helps put a plan in place to further your actions to act confidently, measure, learn, and adjust with a co-pilot at your side. 

Ann Batchelder is the author of Craving Spring: A mother’s quest, a daughter’s depression, and the Greek myth that brought them together. (Legacy Book Press)

Ann served as Editor of Fiberarts Magazine for ten years. Later, as guest curator for the Asheville Art Museum, she designed and developed three major contemporary art exhibitions featuring internationally recognized artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Ann Hamilton, Sally Mann, Maya Lin, and Laurie Anderson.

She earned an English degree from Kenyon College, a master’s degree (MSW) in psychotherapy from Simmons University, was Acting Director of the International Studies Program at Lesley University, an account executive for a Manhattan advertising agency, and the Director of Special Events for the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Ann has kept a mindfulness practice since 2004, is the mother of two adult children, and lives with her husband in Asheville, N.C. 

Ann Coleman is the host of the Speaking of Teens Podcast. Since 2018, she has been researching and distilling the science of adolescence. She has immersed herself in neuroscience, neuropsychology, emotion theory, emotional intelligence, emotion coaching, mindfulness, and how all of it impacts parenting our teens and tweens. And she wants to share what she's learned... because if we had known then what we know now, life for all of us would have been so much better.

Anne Moss Rogers is a mental health speaker, suicide prevention speaker, mental health education expert, trainer, and consultant. After her 20-year-old son, Charles died by suicide in 2015, AnneMoss wrote her award-winning memoir, Diary of a Broken Mind and the best seller, Emotionally Naked: A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk with co-writer Dr. Kimberly O’Brien.

She has been a TEDz Speaker, was featured in the New York Times, Variety Magazine, and was the first non-clinician invited to speak on youth suicide at the National Institute of Mental Health. A UNC-Chapel Hill alumna, Anne Moss currently lives in Richmond, VA. Her surviving son is a filmmaker in LA.

Dr. Carrie Wilkens is a psychologist with over 25 years of experience in the practice and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for substance use and Post-Traumatic Stress. She is the Co-President and CEO of the CMC: Foundation for Change, a not-for-profit with the mission of improving the dissemination of evidence-based ideas and strategies to professionals and loved ones of persons struggling with substance use. 

She is co-author of the award-winning book Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change, a practical guide for families dealing with addiction and substance problems in a loved one based on principles of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), and co-author of The Beyond Addiction Workbook for Family and Friends: Evidence-Based Skills to Help a Loved-One Make Positive Change.

Cathy is the Co-Founder of Hopestream Community, a CRAFT-trained parent coach and mother of two kids who struggled with substance misuse. She is the Community Director in The Stream, and sits on the Board for Hopestream Community.

Because of her own child's drug use journey, Cathy Taughinbaugh is passionate about supporting parents with research-based skills to help struggling teens or young adults. 

She is the author of The Compassion Antidote: A Path to Change for You and Your Child Struggling with Substance Use.

Cathy is the creator of the Regain Your Hope online course.

She uses a science-based program backed by 40 years of clinical research to empower parents to motivate their teen or young adult child who struggles with alcohol or drug use to seek change.

Cathy's outreach provides a forum for those who need support to care for themselves or their loved ones. 

Cathy has Level 1 Certification in the Invitation to Change approach and holds groups for parents concerned about substance use. 

Cathy's mission is to give parents the clarity, courage, and tools to start helping their child find recovery.

Danielle Schaffer is a lifestyle blogger, podcast host, educator, activist and mom. Cultivator of kindness, weekend warrior and red-carpet wanderer, Schaffer grew up in New York City, earned a master’s degree in education, and taught digital media for almost a decade before shifting her focus to her true passions - family, fashion, decor and travel. Wife to a Navy dentist, and Mom to four, Schaffer is a true city girl turned suburban San Diego mom, who captures the ups, downs of mommyhood across multiple platforms including The Mom Confidential podcast and citygirlgonemom.com website.

In late 2018, Danielle lost her brother, Scott, to an overdose at the age of 33. Schaffer serves as an advocate for breaking gender stereotypes, and she is a champion and spokesperson for combating the opioid crisis.

Dee-Dee was a California Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Level II (CADC-II) for 20 years, finally deciding that her devotion to what works - harm reduction - outweighed any need for the certification and so gave it up.  She continues to be an active member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Dee-Dee also has extensive training in the field of substance use disorders and behavior change,  studying with such experts as Drs. William Miller & Steve Rollnick (Motivational Interviewing), Drs. Scott D. Miller & Barry Duncan, Jane Peller, LCSW & John Walter, LCSW (Recreating Brief Therapy), Dr. Patt Denning (Practicing Harm Reduction Psychotherapy), and the late Dr. G. Alan Marlatt (Harm Reduction; Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention), and many others.  Recently Dee-Dee has added Brainspotting to her repertoire of tools to help with anxiety, trauma, and other mental & physical health challenges.

Derek Bowles is a founding partner of Crossroads and has been a primary therapist since its inception. Derek attended Brigham young University and completed a master’s program in clinical social work. Derek and Cariane, his wife of 20 years, have 3 children: Madison, Myken and Jonah. Derek is an avid fly-fishermen and a mediocre golfer.

Dina was a high school teacher, counselor, admissions director, and vice principal for 36 years. She recently retired to pursue her passion for helping parents and "getting the word out" about substance use being an equal opportunity destroyer that can happen to "good" families too. After years of working with adolescents, she know how the adolescent mind works and can help parents to navigate their child’s SUD (Substance Use Disorder) and move their child into positive change.

She hopes to help parents create boundaries they can live with, while maintaining a healthy and loving dialogue with their children -- no matter what their age or drug of choice. 
She believes that each story is different and, therefore, may require a unique approach. She also believes that each parent handles their child's Substance Use Disorder in their own way and in their own time. 

Dr. Alison LaFollette has diverse experience in the field of therapy and assessment. She began her career as a therapist in community mental health, veteran affairs, and university counseling centers. Later on, she focused on working in a psychiatric inpatient setting, specifically with adolescents and young adults. 

Dr. LaFollette has over a decade of experience conducting psychological and neuropsychological assessments. She has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to assess and evaluate individuals with a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral issues.

Anna Lembke is professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. A clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, keeps an active speaking calendar, and maintains a thriving clinical practice. 

Her latest book, "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021) was an instant New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller. It combines the neuroscience of addiction with the wisdom of recovery to explore the problem of compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world.

Dr. Brad Reedy is a Co-owner and the Clinical Director of Evoke Therapy Programs, an experientially-based therapy program for adolescents, young-adults, and families. Brad’s research and clinical experience includes parenting issues, attachment, adults/adolescents with substance abuse issues, developmental psychology, children suffering with grief and loss, and therapeutic supervision. He has served on the Board of the Utah Department of Child and Family Services, the Board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and the En Garde Arts Board. He is the host of the podcast, "Finding You: An Evoke Therapy Podcast" and author of "The Journey of the Heroic Parent: Your Child’s Struggle and the Road Home." 

Brandon Park obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with honors, from UNLV. He went on studying the mind obtaining his Masters and eventually his Doctoral degree, again with honors, from UNLV. For his Master’s Thesis he focused on social-emotional struggles, but for his doctoral dissertation he changed course due to his fascination with the brain and worked on a project related to the effects of brain damage on attention in adolescence.

During Dr. Parks’ internship and postdoctoral studies, he worked with a wide array of clients suffering from mental illness, fetal alcohol exposure, congenital/developmental disorders (including Autism), and various other wide ranging functional challenges. Through this process, he learned about the power of cognitive rehabilitation, a dynamic field of looking at how we can improve brain function, and Dr. Park went on to create a cognitive training program for 1,200 patients at a state hospital in California.

Crystal Collier, PhD, herself a person in long-term recovery, is a therapist and educator whose comprehensive prevention model, which teaches the neurodevelopmental effects of risky behavior to students, school staff, and families, was selected for the Prevention and Education Commendation from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. Dr. Collier received the Torch Bearer Award from the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals, Outstanding Research Award from the Association of Alternative Peer Groups, and voted Counselor of the Year by the Houston Counseling Association.

The Hope and Healing Center and Institute in Houston, TX, granted Dr. Collier a research fellowship to support the completion of The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide published in 2020. Her FOO Mapping workbook published in 2023, is designed for people who want to map the family-of-origin patterns that no longer serve them.

Dr. Kline is a clinical psychologist with nearly 20 years of experience working with individuals and families in community mental health settings. She has held faculty positions at Boston University and Harvard Medical School and led research studies focused on early course psychosis, adolescent and young adult mental health, and parent-focused interventions. 

She is the author of The School of Hard Talks and the creator of The School of Hard Talks Online. She has published dozens of articles appearing in a range of peer-reviewed scholarly journals, textbooks, and popular magazines, and she has spoken with audiences all over the world about mental health and communication.

Dr. Kline completed her bachelor’s degree at Haverford College, her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her clinical and post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School. 

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.

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 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.

Dr. Janet Sasson Edgette is a licensed child, adolescent, and family psychologist with over 35 years of experience. Built on the principles of engagement, respect, and accountability, her approach resonates with young individuals and instills faith in her ability to assist them. She pushes back against old tenets of psychotherapy that don’t suit adolescents and propose instead a method of conducting therapy with teens and young adults that is far more potent and intentional.

As a psychologist and therapist practicing in Exton (Chester County), Pennsylvania, she shows up for her clients in a very personable and authentic way and engages them in conversations about things that are important to them, leading them toward new ideas, strategies, and perspectives. 

Dr. Jennifer Fernández (PSY 26573) specializes in addiction treatment, including compulsive sexual and stealing behaviors as well as substance use disorders. She received a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and has trained under experts in the field of addiction treatment at the Harm Reduction Therapy Center and Pathways Institute for Impulse Control in San Francisco, CA.

She also consults with family members who want to learn about addiction, the change process, and how they can be supportive to people with addiction.

She provides disability, immigration, and forensic evaluations. Professional trainings are offered to agencies wanting to train their staff on the application of harm reduction psychotherapy, institutions that want to promote evidence-based drug education, and employers interested in supporting their staff with the responsible use of alcohol. 

Grisel is a behavioral neuroscientist with expertise in pharmacology and genetics whose research focuses on determining root causes of drug addiction. She studies sex differences in the role of stress and endorphins on drug reward and works to identify innate factors that contribute to individual differences in the liability toward addiction.

Dr. Stuyt is a board-certified Addiction Psychiatrist and has worked in the addiction/behavioral health field since 1990. She was the Medical Director for the Circle Program, a 90-day inpatient treatment program for persons with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse. She was instrumental in helping the Circle Program become tobacco-free and has been a strong advocate of the need to address all addictions at the same time. She's been incorporating complementary treatments into treatment programs, including the 5-point ear acupuncture NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol and BST (Brain Synchronization Therapy), to help patients recover from addiction and trauma which often underlie addiction and chronic pain issues. Her current mission is to educate as many people as possible on the unintended consequences of the commercialization of marijuana in Colorado, focusing primarily on the effects of high-potency THC on the developing brain.

Dr. Marcy Russo joined Wellspring as the Clinical Director in 2024. In this role, she is responsible for the oversight of therapeutic and clinical services offered across all therapeutic programs, therapeutic school and outpatient services. For over two decades, Dr. Russo has worked in both private and nonprofit healthcare facilities and hospitals. She has worked collaboratively with school and state partners to provide care across all levels of community and congregate care setting, and has experience developing programs and mentoring and supervising teams of clinicians. Her training includes working with trauma, grief, life-transitions adjustments and emergency behavior response.

Dr. Mark McConville is a Clinical Psychologist licensed by the State of Ohio with over 30 years of professional experience in adult, adolescent, emerging adult, and family psychology. Mark serves as a senior faculty member of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland (GIC), a world renowned post-graduate training source for consulting and counseling professionals, and currently chairs GIC’s Advanced Training Program for Working With Children and Adolescents. Mark also serves as Consulting Psychologist to Hathaway Brown School and University School, both in the Cleveland area.

Dr. McConville is also the author of Failure to Launch: Why Your Twentysomething Hasn't Grown Up and What to Do About It, where he breaks the root cause down into achievable, accessible goals and offers a practical guide for the whole family, to help parents instill those skills in their young adults–and to get their kids into the real world, ready to start their lives.

Mary Crocker Cook’s personal experience led her to a career in addiction counseling and to developing an alcohol and drug studies program in 1990 in the field of addiction treatment. Her groundbreaking work is still taught today at San Jose City College. The students apply their lived-experiences toward a career path in substance use programs. The majority of addiction counselors in Santa Clara County attended her program, she said, with thousands becoming certified counselors in recovery, changing lives. Mary has also published many books, including Afraid to Let Go, for Parents of Adult Addicts and Alcoholics.

Dr. Edward (Ned) Hallowell, MD, is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and world authority on ADHD. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School, and was a Harvard Medical School faculty member for 21 years. He is the Founder of The Hallowell ADHD Centers in Boston MetroWest, New York City, San Francisco, Palo Alto and Seattle.

He has spent the past four decades helping thousands of adults and children live happy and productive lives through his strength-based approach to neurodiversity, and has ADHD and dyslexia himself.

Dr Hallowell is a New York Times bestselling author and has written 20 books on multiple psychological topics. The groundbreaking Distraction series, which began with Driven to Distraction, co-authored with Dr John Ratey in 1994, sparked a revolution in understanding of ADHD.

Dr. Ned Hallowell is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and world authority on ADHD. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Tulane Medical School, and was a Harvard Medical School faculty member for 21 years. He is the Founder of The Hallowell ADHD Centers in Boston MetroWest, New York City, San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Seattle.

He has spent the past four decades helping thousands of adults and children live happy and productive lives through his strength-based approach to neurodiversity, and has ADHD and dyslexia himself.

Dr Hallowell is a New York Times bestselling author and has written 20 books on multiple psychological topics. The groundbreaking Distraction series, which began with Driven to Distraction, co-authored with Dr John Ratey in 1994, sparked a revolution in the understanding of ADHD.

Nzinga Harrison, MD, is a board-certified physician with specialties in psychiatry and addiction medicine. She is also the chief medical officer and co-founder of Eleanor Health, an innovative mental health and addiction treatment company. Dr. Harrison holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the Morehouse School of Medicine and sits on the Practice Management and Regulatory Affairs Committee for the American Society of Addiction Medicine. 

Dr. Sinclair  received her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon in 2003. Prior to this she received her pre-medical education at Humboldt State University in Northern California. Her Bachelors in Science in Interdisciplinary Studies allowed her to create her own degree blending three of her passions, science, psychology and art. Her degree major was Biomedical Studies while her minor was in Biological Psychology, a budding field which deals with the neurotransmitters involved with behavior and mood. This combination of education served as a foundation to build upon with her Naturopathic training, and uniquely prepared her for her current practice focus on mood disorders.

With over a decade of experience, Dr. Steven “Steedy” Kontos III creates a welcoming and empathetic therapeutic environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings. He firmly believes in collaboration in therapy, working with you to understand your unique needs and develop practical strategies for growth and healing.

Dr. Kontos specializes in anxiety and depression management, stress reduction, and enhancing self-esteem. He also specializes in working with athletes and currently works in the Athletics Department at The Georgia Institute of Technology. He has extensive experience working with adolescents and young adults navigating life transitions.

Before joining Intown Psychology, Dr. Kontos gained experience working in various clinical settings, including serving as a Clinical Therapist, Collegiate Recovery Program Coordinator, Alcohol and Other Drug Evaluation Coordinator, and Staff Therapist in Sport Psychology at the Georgia Tech. 

Dr. Weston Robins, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a visionary leader in the realm of Radical Youth Work. Dr. Wes has been an advocate both in practice and in academia for a truly humanistic and person-centered approach since he has been in the field– serving youth across levels of care from emergency stabilization to finding their own purpose and spiritual path.

Dr. Wes has spent more than a decade dreaming of a place where youth and clinicians can experience mutual liberation and come into greater mental freedom together, a center where the binds of standardized sociological pressures are cut away and every youth’s inner wisdom can rise up as an undimmable beacon of light and joy.

Dr. Wes serves the team at Eternal Strength with the same value system as he does the families that come to the center, building sacred space, bolstering each individual’s divine strengths, and creating space for synchronicity and enlightenment. 

Eric has been a therapist since 2005, first in residential and therapeutic boarding school settings and for many years as a wilderness therapist and Clinical Director. Eric is well known for his expertise as a family systems attachment trauma specialist, which goes hand in hand with his work with mood disorders, substance abuse, and other addictive behaviors. Eric’s earliest clinical training focused on recovery with the young adult population and throughout his clinical career, he has been able to stay connected to the young adult clinical world either through direct care or in a consulting capacity.

Eric first earned a degree in Behavioral Sciences from Utah Valley University and later earned his Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Brigham Young University. After having worked in a residential setting, with Utah County Division of Substance Abuse, and within the adoption triad, Eric focused his energies toward becoming a therapist.

Erica Lubetkin, LMHC is a nationally board certified mental health counselor.  Her private practice offices are located in the Midtown East area of New York City.  Erica specializes in working with clients who have anxiety and mood disorders, as well as having a specialization in helping clients with addictions and their families.  She utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, and Biofeedback.  She is also one of the few providers in New York who is fully certified in Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), an evidence-based approach for family members and loved ones of those struggling with addiction.

After Eve's 23-year old son, Isaac died of an accidental drug overdose; she was motivated to help save young lives. One year later, in January 2015, Eve founded Bigvision in New York City with a nationwide mission. Isaac Goldberg Volkmar and his initials, IGV, are placed in the center of the Bigvision name. Eve is committed to helping young adults in recovery learn to live fun, meaningful, sober lives by providing entertaining, engaging events and building a community where the Bigvision “family” can hang out in a cool, substance-free environment. Eve is an owner of William Goldberg Diamond, a wonderful family business operating in New York for over 50 years.

Greg has enjoyed working in residential treatment, wilderness therapy, and the inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. He has focused his attention on trauma and providing support to those he serves and strives to be an advocate for trauma survivors. With his dedication to vulnerability and courage, Greg empowers individuals and families to step into trauma, attachment, and addiction through a relational approach, providing an environment in which difficult life experiences can be addressed and explored with safety, empathy and compassion. Through his work with people living with trauma, attachment, substance abuse and addiction, and other mental health difficulties, Greg enjoys creating opportunities to encourage growth and development within those he serves. He also coaches and mentors change within the family unit, working specifically with parents and young and adult children. 

Greg has enjoyed working in residential treatment, wilderness therapy, and the inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. He has focused his attention on trauma and providing support to those he serves and strives to be an advocate for trauma survivors. With his dedication to vulnerability and courage, Greg empowers individuals and families to step into trauma, attachment, and addiction through a relational approach, providing an environment in which difficult life experiences can be addressed and explored with safety, empathy and compassion. Through his work with people living with trauma, attachment, substance abuse and addiction, and other mental health difficulties, Greg enjoys creating opportunities to encourage growth and development within those he serves. He also coaches and mentors change within the family unit, working specifically with parents and young and adult children. 

With extensive experience in the addiction and mental health field, Heather R. Hayes & Associates and her team of expert clinicians will guide you or your loved ones toward healing and recovery. We adhere to a professional, ethical and independent approach to clinical guidance that helps individuals connect with the support services they need. We believe that since every situation is unique, each treatment plan should be tailored to fit the individual’s specific needs.
Heather R. Hayes & Associates specializes in primary mental health, Substance Use Disorder (SUD), concierge crisis management and process addiction interventions. We offer a wide variety of services to meet the specific needs of our clients and the families whom we serve. While Heather R. Hayes & Associates among other things is most known for Trauma-Informed Responsive Interventions™ and long-term case management.

Hilary Moses believes that the best we can do for ourselves, our families and our communities during challenging times is to know when we truly need help, have the courage to track down the right supports and ask for help and to have the willingness to take action with the support of others. While some of the things that occur in our lives are out of our control, we each have the power to do something to effectively work with what we are given.

Since 2001, she has supported adolescents, young adults and their families to uncover their strengths and to fight the victim mentality so that they could take charge of their lives. As a wilderness therapy field staff, therapist and clinical director in two renowned wilderness therapy programs over 15 years, she supported families through the grief they felt over the unexpected challenges they faced and toward a new strengths-based paradigm. 

Jack Hinman (He/Him) is the Founder and Executive Director of Engage Transitions. He has been providing mental health and administrative services to individuals and families in a variety of treatment settings including hospitals, wilderness therapy programs, residential treatment centers and community mental health for over 20 years. Jack is a licensed clinical psychologist who is a passionate and committed clinician and administrator in helping young adults cross that bridge into healthy and engaging independence. This blend of clinical and administrative experience has provided Jack a comprehensive perspective of the therapeutic journey. Jack’s clinical foundations are driven in attachment theory and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Jack has also served on the board of directors for the National Association of Therapeutic Programs and has a local private practice working primarily with young students from the local community.

The story of Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse (formerly Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse) begins with the tragic death of a 19 year old. On the morning of April 25, 2010, our founder Janet Janes went to wake her son Christopher for work. But Chris who’d experimented with the potent prescription drug methadone the night before was already too far gone for medics to revive.

In her grief, Janet knew that “even though Chris had passed away, I felt like I needed to protect other kids. I did not want another family to suffer this pain.” And thus MAPDA was created in 2011 with the help of other grieving mothers who had also suffered similar devastating losses. We move forward in the memories of Chris, Ryan, Josh, Summer, and so many other loved ones we are losing every day. We stand with our many sister organizations fighting this fight and we stand arm-in-arm with parents everywhere who have lost a child.

Jen Murphy has worked in a wide variety of clinical settings within the therapeutic industry from the wilderness milieu to outpatient services and transitional support. She has extensive experience working with a multitude of populations specifically adolescents, young adults, their parents and families. She has become an expert in the field of providing effective parent coaching to parents as they transition their children from out of home and long-term treatment programs.

She is an adjunct faculty member in the Social Sciences Department at Colorado Mountain College. This provides her an additional area of richness in her life each year she teaches. She is an avid mountain biker, skier and traveler. In her personal world, she is constantly trying to learn more about myself and how to pivot on a daily basis with more grace. She always enjoys forced family fun time, with her husband and two sons as they navigate the teenage years.

Jeremy Melloul is the founder of MOLT. He's been through some pretty intense and challenging times in my life. Reflecting back, he realized he wasn’t living his purpose. He was addicted to heroin, lacking a support network and not living his dreams. But then he got clean and sober – a massive transformation that has influenced every aspect of his life, and inspired him to start MOLT.

Jessica Kupferman is co-founder of She Podcasts, and organization that teaches and supports women in podcasting. Through the podcast, group coaching, workshops, webinars, and other educational materials, Jessica and her partner Elsie hope to grow the number of successful woman-hosted podcasts, thereby giving light and voice to the millions of messages that need to be shared with the world.

Jessica Lahey is a teacher, writer, and mom. She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, Vermont Public Radio, and the New York Times, and is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. She is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. Jessica earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two sons and teaches in Vermont.

Joanna Lilley works with families whose young adult (age 18+) is struggling in adulthood despite the best efforts of the family. She interviews the family, treating professionals, and any other parties involved, in order to develop a thorough understanding of the needs of the young adult. Based on her experiences, she is uniquely qualified to find the most appropriate therapeutic resources where the Generation Z and Millennial young adult and family can begin to heal.

She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV and is a Nationally Certified Counselor.  Before entering the consulting field she collectively worked with struggling adolescents and young adults for over ten years. She guided off and on for six years with both state-run and private wilderness therapy programs. She also coaches students on academic probation. 

Jordan Held, LCSW (he/him), is the President & Founder of Relentless Pursuit Therapy & Consulting. With expertise in acute and chronic trauma, support for the LGBTQ+ community, navigating complex family dynamics, and aiding young adults transitioning from treatment settings, Jordan's focus revolves around cultivating healing-centered environments for individuals and their families. His practice is dedicated to breaking negative patterns and fortifying family systems.

As an internationally recognized speaker, Jordan champions the creation of inclusive spaces for gender-diverse adolescents. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles LGBT Center and The Laurel Foundation, actively advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. Furthermore, Jordan leads family support groups through JQ International and Transforming Family and maintains affiliations with the NCTSN and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Julie Merberg is a writer and book publisher who made her son’s health and safety her primary focus when he began to misuse substances at age 16. She received Level 1 certification in the Invitation to Change approach to behavior change, a scientifically-proven CRAFT-based model that incorporates motivational interviewing and acceptance and commitment therapy. (CRAFT is Community Reinforcement and Family Training.) She is also a Mayo Clinic and National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches certified wellness coach. And she has continued her training in areas that resonate and relate to families impacted by addiction including Smart Recovery and conscious parenting. Julie is an advisor to The Stream Community and a member of Selah's spiritual council. She writes a newsletter, The Opposite of Addiction, for families impacted by addiction.

Kristina is a sought-after international keynote speaker who has a unique way of connecting with audiences of all ages. Her first book, Hold On But Don’t Hold Still, was released in 2020, and has since been translated to eight languages. Kristina’s second book, I Can Fix This! (And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself while Parenting My Struggling Child), was released in May 2024, and was featured on Good Morning America, The New York Times and People magazine, among other media outlets.

In 2011, when Oprah crowned Kristina the winner of Mark Burnett’s reality TV competition “Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star,” Oprah said, “What is that THING…that’s so charming and charismatic and connected to the audience that makes you feel like, ‘I know her, I want to be her, I’m like her’… Kristina has all of that. She is an ‘IT PLUS’ girl… I wanna watch her!”

She has quickly become a viral sensation with 2.9 million Facebook followers and over 774,000 Instagram followers.

At only four years old, Kyle Robinson’s life changes dramatically—a man he calls Big Bad Ben, or Triple B becomes his stepfather. Over the next decade, Kyle and his siblings live in terror daily, trying anything to escape his physical and emotional abuse.

With nobody to turn to, Kyle’s urge to escape reality leads him to unhealthy relationships, destructive habits, and multiple run-ins with the law. Still in high school, Kyle is arrested, facing jail, and forced to defend himself in court—altering the course of his life.

Kyle received a B.A. in Political Science from Kent State University and his J.D. from Western Michigan Law School in Lansing, Michigan. He was named a finalist for Best Attorney in an Industry Practice by the New York Enterprise Report. He is licensed to practice law in New York.  Kyle currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio with his dog Booker. 

Lara is a licensed therapist and clinical social worker. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Washington in 2005. She is a past Board President of the Washington State Society for Clinical Social Work and she works as an Affiliate Instructor at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work teaching MSW courses. She was proud to be honored with the MSW Student Choice Teaching Award in 2023. She is also a Washington State approved supervisor for associate social workers seeking licensure.

She began her social work career with “at risk” youth – those in foster care, living on the streets, drug dependent, or court involved. She enjoyed my work with these tough, vulnerable, messy, resilient, quick-thinking young people. She then began working with parents and families in social services and medical settings.

Laura Stack is the Founder of Johnny’s Ambassadors Youth THC Prevention with the mission to educate parents, teens, and communities about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, psychosis, and suicide. Laura wrote the bestselling book, The Dangerous Truth About Today's Marijuana: Johnny Stack's Life and Death Story recounting her 19-year-old son's death by suicide after experiencing psychosis by dabbing and vaping high-potency marijuana concentrates. Described as a woman with unstoppable drive and unwavering purpose, Laura hopes to help other parents, grandparents, teachers (and frankly all adults with teens in their lives) by honestly and boldly sharing Johnny’s story of his high-potency marijuana use, psychosis, and suicide.

Mariely Hernandez, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Division on Substance Use Disorders at Columbia University Medical Center. After completing her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience & Behavior at Columbia College, Dr. Hernandez pursued a master’s in general psychology and researched mood disorders in pediatric and adult populations for 7 years before shifting her focus to research of ADHD and substance use risk during her doctoral studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.

She also runs a part-time private practice, specializing in helping adults with ADHD thrive. Identifying as part of the ADHD community herself, Dr. Hernandez is also a mother to two very active boys, one recently diagnosed with ADHD.

Attorney Mark DeBofsky is a member of the firm as has also served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law (formerly John Marshall Law School) from 2000-2022. He is a prolific author who has written many journal articles and has been a regular columnist for Law360 since 2020 and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin since 2004. Mark DeBofsky is also an annual contributor to the ERISA Survey of Federal Circuits published by the American Bar Association and served for many years as a senior editor of Employee Benefits Law published by Bloomberg. DeBofsky was also recently appointed to the editorial board of Bender’s Labor & Employment Bulletin (LEXIS-NEXIS).

Mark LaPalme is the founder of Isaiah House and has been instrumental in helping thousands of people find recovery. 

In addition to all the incredible recovery programs offered at Isaiah House, it is also host to an FDA trial for the NET device. The NET device has the potential to not only save many more lives, but if approved, will transform the entire world of drug rehab with its ability to reduce the detox process both in duration and side effects. 

Isaiah House inorporates a comprehensive approach used to empower people with tools they need to discover their purpose and transform their lives in recovery. 

Mark McConville, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Beachwood, Ohio, specializing in adult, adolescent, emerging adult, and family psychology. Dr. McConville is a senior faculty member at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and has lectured and taught widely on the subjects of child development, parenting, and counseling methodology.

His book Adolescence: Psychotherapy and the Emergent Self (Jossey-Bass, 1995) was awarded the 1995 Nevis Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Gestalt Therapy theory. He is the author of the Counseling Feedback Report, an innovative and widely used adolescent assessment tool, and is co-editor of The Heart of Development: Gestalt Approaches to Childhood and Adolescence, vols. I & II,(The Analytic Press, 2001). His latest book titled ‘Failure to Launch’ which investigates the root causes of why modern kids are struggling to transition from childhood to adulthood was released in January 2020.

Dr. Martha B. Koo, M.D., FASAM, LFAPA, FCTMSS, is a psychiatrist, board certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine, a psychoanalyst, and a certified psychedelic assisted therapist. She completed undergraduate studies at Princeton University, medical training at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, psychiatry residency training at the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA, psychoanalytic training at the New Center for Psychoanalysis, and psychedelic training at the California Center of Integral Studies. A pioneer in the development and application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Dr. Koo opened the South Bay TMS Therapy Center in 2009. South Bay TMS evolved into the Neuro Wellness Spa (NWS), where Dr. Koo is Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Koo is also the Chief Medical Officer at Clear Behavioral Health and is President of the Clinical TMS Society, on the Board of Directors.

Before Matt LeBris became an award-winning entrepreneur, nationally coveted speaker and a top ranked podcast host, to name a few, he had plenty of hurdles to overcome. From losing his dream of playing professional sports at 17 years old after a devastating injury on the baseball diamond, failing out of college, feeling “lost,” being kicked out of two high schools, Matt’s journey is the perfect example of how anybody can overcome the challenges life throws our way and achieve their own personal definition of success.

Fast forward to today, Matt is a beacon of light through his work, which has positively impacted many lives throughout the globe as he is in pursuit of his North Star goal – impacting 1 billion lives. Today, Matt serves as the Founder of 1B Branding, a NYC based branding agency, Host of top ranked podcast, Decoding Success, nationally coveted public speaker, and philanthropist within the NY collegiate entrepreneurial ecosystem and beyond.

Matt Nannis is the founder of PIVOTPoint WNC. He moved to Asheville, NC in 2013. After about 12 hours, he wanted to leave. This was not how he pictured experiencing mountain town life. This was not the way he figured a new town, fresh start reset looked – moving into a halfway house straight out of treatment wasn’t part of the plan. He couldn’t see it then. It took a while. But slowly, things shifted. He went with it. I met genuine people, hopeful people. Most of the shift came with time outside – outside of comfort, outside of his room, outside of my head. And the people around him seemed to be shifting, too. He decided that he'd invest in himself and in something that would eventually become PIVOTPoint WNC. He continues to be impressed. He keeps finding inspiration. He wants to bring Mary Oliver’s Instructions for Living a Life to others: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

Matt has worked in the mental health field for 20 years. He attended the University of Utah where he earned a bachelors in Psychology and continued on at the University of Utah to earn his Masters in Social Work.  He has worked in various treatment settings from group homes, to acute psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and running an outpatient private practice.  He is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and this has helped him to better recognize the role that trauma can play in an individual’s life. 

Being trained in other therapeutic approaches including Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Sandplay Therapy, and psychoanalytic Jungian Therapy allows for him to have multiple modalities to use as resources to support an individual with where they are at in their journey. 

Nancy Landrum, relationship coach, offers practical guidance to couples who want more from their relationship. Nancy and her late husband experienced the anguish and desperation of trying to save their marriage. Eventually, their journey led them to new skills and taught them how to maintain respect 24/7. They never had another fight because they owned the keys to a happy, loving marriage.

Together, they wrote the first of Nancy’s eight books, “How to Stay Married & Love It: Solving the Puzzle of a Soulmate Marriage”. Today, Nancy continues the legacy they built together.

Noel is a compassionate and experienced Clinical Mental Health Counselor, dedicated to supporting individuals, families, and groups through challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, anger, and interpersonal conflict. With years of experience, Noel is passionate about guiding people through self-exploration, healing, and personal growth in both one-on-one and group settings. Noel has over a decade of experience working with parents, families, and teens struggling with anxiety and depression, underlying trauma and attachment difficulties, and codependency in relationships. Noel loves assisting people in their healing and growth and is drawn towards working with teens, young adults, and families in one-on-one and group settings.

Patrick opened Foundation House in 2002 to pay forward his experience in recovery for young men battling alcoholism and chemical dependency. With more than 25 years of joyful and continued sobriety, Patrick has helped hundreds of men live free from addiction and taught them to embrace a clean and sober way of life.

At Foundation House, Patrick has created an environment that teaches residents not just how to get sober, but how to stay sober through a practical and holistic approach to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. His primary gift is connecting with residents and their families to help them adopt healthy lives and relationships.

Patrick’s introduction to AA and recovery began in 1988. Through inpatient and extended care programs, he has experienced first-hand what works – and what doesn’t – in helping young men to lead successful, sober lives and to grow their kinship with family, friends and work colleagues.

Patrick is the Founder of Sana Counseling. He is a North Carolina Addiction Specialist Professional Practice Board Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and has been working with families affected by substance use for over a decade.

He currently serves on the Behavioral Health Committee at Atrium Health Foundation and on the Advisory Board of For Students, a non-profit organization that helps schools facilitate essential conversations around mental health. He is on the Board of Directors of both, Emerald School of Excellence, the Carolina’s first Recovery High School, and Pivot Point WNC, a non-profit in Asheville, NC, that offers therapeutic wilderness experiences for at-risk youth.

Patrick saw a need in the Charlotte community for a high-end recovery residence for men, and Sana House was born. Sana House is a recovery residence and community for men 18+ providing mentoring and individualized recovery support. 

Patrick Hawkins is the founder of Triple Divide Lodge, a 90-day program combining residential treatment with wilderness therapy for adolescent males ages 14-19 struggling with substance use. He is a Licensed Addictions Counselor who felt called to this work while addressing the same issues himself during high school. Since then, he has led over 50 expeditions with hundreds of teens. An expert in experiential therapy, Patrick’s passion combined with his experience has created a truly unique program for boys.

When I lost my son, Joel, in 2017 to complications due to heroin/meth addiction, I entered a time of deep depression and utter hopelessness. When others tried to offer well-meaning support, they often tried to connect me with “their friend who lost their son in a car accident” or “someone whose child died after a tragic bout with cancer.” 

It’s not the same. 

There is a stigma associated with deaths of this kind and the judgment that says, “they did this to themselves” or “your over/under parenting contributed to their death,” resulting in unrelenting self-abuse riddled with shame, guilt, and an endless list of “woulda-coulda-shouldas” that you will never be able to correct. Those of us who have experienced this kind of loss understand there is no one-size-fits-all to working through grief and an experienced, supportive listening ear assures us these feelings and emotions are completely normal. 

PAUL SOLOTAROFF has been a senior writer at Rolling Stone for twenty-five years (and at Men’s Journal for almost twenty). He covered the NFL concussion scandal, including the Aaron Hernandez story, was the first to report the horror-show conditions at Walter Reade Hospital, and has written a series of stories that helped free innocent men who were doing life without parole in state prisons. Winner of two Genesis Awards and more than a half-dozen selections to the Best American Sports Writing anthologies, Solotaroff is a Pulitzer Prize and National Magazine Award finalist. Six of his earlier stories were optioned for TV dramas or films, including “Original Gangster,” “The Fixer,” “Living the Vida Macho,” “Not Guilty,” and “The Gangster in the Huddle.” This year, four of his stories will be reborn as TV series or prestige documentaries on Netflix, Showtime, the USA network, and Facebook View.

Early in his career, Dr. Schwebel helped open and operate free drop-in centers in Berkeley and San Francisco, California. He also started a private practice and maintained it until recently when travel demands made it impossible to continue. In 1981, he moved to Tucson, Arizona where he directed a community-based drug treatment agency and began to actively engage in local and national media.

Currently he develops materials for The Seven Challenges and remains active in program oversight and clinical direction along with a team of trainers and co-workers. He writes articles and has become a regular contributor to thefix.com and the Psychology Today blog. He remains active in promoting drug policy reform.

Throughout his academic and professional career, Roy J. DuPrez, MEd has worked with a multitude of young adults and at risk youth. He has done an extensive amount of work with community organizations, such as Americorps, The Indigo Movement Inc., Weed and Seed Community Development and The Guidance Center Adolescent Unit. Roy co-founded and developed various community programs, including The Indigo Movement Inc. and Juntos Podemos, which focus on life skills and personal development, community cultural awareness as well as drug abuse prevention and alcohol abuse prevention and rehabilitation.

Roy’s professional career has taken him through the classroom, the outdoors, jails, juvenile, adult drug and alcohol treatment centers, and founder and CEO for Back2Basics Outdoor Adventures since 2010. He has been blessed to live in Flagstaff for over 20 years as an NAU graduate and business professional, and with his family.

A prominent advocate, speaker, author, and media commentator, Ryan Hampton travels coast-to-coast to add solutions to our national addiction and drug overdose crisis. In recovery from a decade-long opioid addiction, Hampton is regarded as a forefront expert and thought leader in America’s rising addiction recovery advocacy & drug policy reform movements. An alumnus of the Clinton White House, he’s worked with multiple non-profits and addiction recovery organizing campaigns. He’s now a prominent, leading face and voice of recovery advocacy and is working to change the longstanding negative narratives about those impacted by addiction, recovery, and overdose.

Through his books and media, organizing campaigns, and social content that reaches millions, Ryan breaks down cultural barriers that have kept people suffering in silence and is helping to inspire a new generation of advocates recovering out loud, pushing for common-sense policy.

A prominent advocate, speaker, author, and media commentator, Ryan Hampton travels coast-to-coast to add solutions to our national addiction and drug overdose crisis. In recovery from a decade-long opioid addiction, Hampton is regarded as a forefront expert and thought leader in America’s rising addiction recovery advocacy & drug policy reform movements. An alumnus of the Clinton White House, he’s worked with multiple non-profits and addiction recovery organizing campaigns. He’s now a prominent, leading face and voice of recovery advocacy and is working to change the longstanding negative narratives about those impacted by addiction, recovery, and overdose.

Through his books and media, organizing campaigns, and social content that reaches millions, Ryan breaks down cultural barriers that have kept people suffering in silence and is helping to inspire a new generation of advocates recovering out loud, pushing for common-sense policy.

Sara joined Wellspring in 2014 as a per diem milieu counselor, a position she held for four years before leaving to explore and pursue a career in community substance use, and mental health treatment that ranged from macro level prevention initiatives to direct care in clinical care.  In 2024, she found her way back to Wellspring as a Psychotherapist and Assistant Director of Angelus House.

Sara has a master’s degree in community psychology from Sacred Heart University and clinical mental health counseling from University of Bridgeport. In addition to her work at Wellspring, Sara maintains a small private practice with a focus on providing EMDR and consultation.  She is working towards completing her PsyD in Clinical Psychology.  Sara enjoys attending live music concerts, spending time in nature, photography and finding joy in laughter.

Steve Andrews is a marriage, family, and individual therapist in Washington State. He specializes in helping his clients develop tools that help them navigate marriage problems, family issues, alife transitions, stress management, and career friction. 

Steve Sawyer, LCSW, CSAC, is clinical director and cofounder of New Vision Wilderness Therapy. He is a dual-licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor, and a nationally recognized trainer in somatic trigger release techniques, Brainspotting, traumatic memory reprocessing, and HeartMath®.

Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and book author best known for his Washington Post and New York Times essays on aging, health, and civility. Steven's 2019 TED Talk, “3 Ways to Practice Civility” has been viewed nearly two million times and translated into 16 languages. 

Steven’s new book, The Joy You Make, will be published in September by The Open Field, Maria Shriver’s personally curated imprint at Penguin Random House. His last book, Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old, was published in 2021 and named one of the New York Times’ “favorite” books of the year (among other accolades). He’s also the author of  Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay & Lesbian Manners and The Lost Hamptons. He’s a past president of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists and a current board member at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Steven is also the 2024 North Carolina Piedmont Laureate.

Taylor Hunt is a devoted practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga yoga. He makes yearly trips to Mysore, India to further his studies under the guidance of his teacher, Sharath Jois. In 2013, Taylor was granted Level 2 Authorization to teach and has had the honor of assisting in the shala on several occasions. Taylor is dedicated to sharing the healing practice with others and providing a community where practitioners can find support in their practice and daily lives. Seeking to preserve the traditional method, Taylor teaches daily Mysore classes at Ashtanga Yoga Columbus and offers workshops around the world. He is also the author of A Way From Darkness and director of the Trini Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the life-changing practice of Ashtanga with those suffering from addiction. He continues to inspire others through his story of personal transformation and accessible approach to the practice.

Tonia was introduced to advocacy in 2012 through an organization supporting families impacted by substance use. She volunteered as a Team Leader before accepting a position with National Center for Advocacy and Recovery in 2018. Tonia is currently the Community Coordinator at NCAAR and works in Government Affairs and Family Advocacy with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey. In 2015, she was trained as a National Parent Coach through the Partnership to End Addiction and a Certified Recovery Coach through Full Recovery. She completed NJ Peer Specialist training in 2018, educates families and participates in statewide meetings to advocate for individuals who use or have used substances. 

Tonia lost her son July 9, 2021 after years of struggling with a co-occurring disorder that resulted in discrimination and barriers that kept him from getting well. Rory was her greatest teacher. 

Trish Ruggles, LCPC, CADC, NCC is the founder of Pathfinder Consulting, a therapeutic consulting practice based in Portland, Maine. Trish has more than 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults. She has been a clinician and addiction counselor in several prominent treatment programs; in 2017, she began working as a therapeutic consultant.