Addiction Event Presenters and Topics Available
Topic: Ending the Cycle of Crime and Addiction
Presenter: Barbara Stitt , PhD
Barbara Reed Stitt, PhD, is a former Chief Probation Officer, Author of Food & Behavior: A Natural Connection; Nutritional Guidelines for Correcting Behavior; Impact of Fresh Healthy Foods on Learning & Behavior; and Roadmap to Healthy Foods in Schools in DVD/Video.
Dr. Stitt has been studying the connection between nutrition and behavior since 1963. While working with the courts in Ohio as a probation officer, she developed a program in 1971 showing the relationship between what the people consumed and recidivism. During a period of 7 years, fewer than 15% of the people referred to the program were back in trouble. The results of the study were reported in a front page Wall Street Journal article on June 2, 1977, leading to international publicity and about 1500 presentations across the US and Canada. After marrying Biochemist Paul Stitt, founder of Natural Ovens Bakery, Barbara moved from Ohio to Wisconsin in 1982 and began promoting fresh, healthy foods for students in schools to help prevent future problems. In 1997, they were invited to provide all of the food to an Appleton, Wisconsin, alternative school that was so out of control they had a full-time police officer on staff for 50 students in the morning and 50 students in the afternoon.
The results were so positive in improvements of behavior, attendance, and academic ability that the program was extended to the entire school district of 15,000 students. The Appleton, Wisconsin, alternative school is included in the award winning film,Super Size Me to show how students should be fed. By just changing to fresh foods with no other changes being made, the stunning results show that after 9 years not one of the students from the alternative school had gotten into trouble with the Courts. A 14-minute DVD/video spanning five years of this school is available by going to www.naturalpress.info Barbara and Paul are now retired to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she continues to consult with schools.
Topic: Effective Use of Amino Acids and Other Pro-Recovery Nutrients
Presenter: Lianne Audette, ND, LAc
Christina T. Veselak has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 25 years. She has a private practice in Denver, CO, as a psychotherapist and mental health nutritionist, and specializes in working with recovering addicts/alcoholics, and their family members. Other healing modalities she uses include EMDR, hypnosis and inner child work.
After meeting Julia Ross, from Recovery Systems in Mill Valley in 1988, and using a nutritional approach to heal from a physical illness, Christina studied nutrition at the National Institute of Nutrition Education. She became a Certified Nutritionist in 1993, specializing in nutrition, emotional well-being, and addiction recovery. She successfully integrates her nutritional expertise into her work with clients, adding biochemical testing and referral to medical professionals, acupuncturists, and 12- step programs as needed.
Topic: Effective Use of Amino Acids and Other Pro-Recovery Nutrients
Presenter: Judith Miller, PhD
Dr. Miller is a dedicated family and domestic relations professional with significant experience in family addiction issues. Her background includes child and family investigation, participation in family court status conferences with pro se litigants, respondent attorneys, caseworkers, GALS, therapists, and families. Her track record of success includes dealing with family court matters as a facilitator, mediator and Mental Health Specialist. Dr. Miller’s skills include parenting time evaluation, domestic violence, restraining orders, developing shared-parenting plans, court reporting, facilitating and mediation. Her educational background is in family relations, child and human development, and community and human resources. Dr. Miller is committed to service in the family courts.
Dr. Miller’s science based holistic recovery program focuses on Neurotherapy – utilizes neuronutrient therapy – amino acid supplements targeted to repair brain damage incurred from drugs and alcohol and LENS – Low Energy Neurofeedback Therapy to balance and optimize brain functioning. In addition, Dr. Miller and her well-trained staff use EMDR, EFT, CBT, and other motivational, experiential and trauma therapies in healing their clients.
Courage to Change is an Intensive Residential Program located on the southeastern plains of Colorado. Although Neurotherapy is a core component, the program also utilizes more traditional therapies as well. NA/AA, group and one-on-one counseling to develop coping skills are incorporated on a daily basis.
Topic: How Ear Acupuncture Reduces Relapse
Presenter: Lianne Audette, LaC
Lianne Audette holds a California license and is nationally certified to practice acupuncture. She has been integrating acupuncture into drug and alcohol treatment settings for the past 11 years. These settings have included homeless shelters, halfway houses, drop-in clinics, day treatment, residential and outpatient treatment facilities, and drug courts. In 1990, she founded a privately funded nonprofit community clinic known as Turnabout A.S.A.P. in Santa Monica to provide treatment to low and no income addicts on a walk-in basis.
Audette is a registered trainer for the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA). As such, she offers seminars for drug and alcohol treatment professionals about Acupuncture and Chinese medicine and educates acupuncturists about chemical dependency. She consults with treatment programs interested in adding acupuncture detox to their services and conducts orientations for community health-agency staff and members of the judicial system on the importance of creating acupuncture-based “alternative to incarceration” programs. These sessions include videos, lectures, role playing, and hands-on acupuncture treatment for participants.
Topic: Amino Acids for Stimulant, Opiate, Tranquilizer, and Food Addiction
Mary Braud, MD graduated from Louisiana State University Medical School in 1989. She completed residency training first in pediatrics and later in psychiatry, including a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. After working at a community mental health center for several years, Dr. Braud began her private practice in Denver, Colorado. She works with children, adolescents and adults utilizing an integrative approach combining both traditional and alternative modalities.
Dr. Braud has studied alternative mental health treatments since 2005. This includes training with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Autism Research Institute. She was a consultant for the Riordan Clinic of Wichita, Kansas from 2007 to 2010.
Presenter: Mary M. Braud, MD
Topic: Holistic Wellness and The Pro-Recovery Diet
Pati Reiss is a holistic health counselor, chef and recovery food coach. Her work integrates nutrition, cooking, movement and meditation. She holds a BA of Arts in Human Services and Education from Trinity College. She has completed graduate work in Special Education from San Diego State University. She is a graduate from The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, NYC and is a Certified as a Holistic Health Counselor. She has completed training in Neuro-Nutrient Therapy for Addictive Disorders from The Recovery Systems Clinic Mill Valley, CA.
She has studied nutrition, nutrition for brain chemistry balancing and addictive disorders, holistic cooking, energy body work, reflexology, meditation, qigong, and dance.
Presenter: Pati Reiss, HHC
Topic: Holistic Wellness and The Pro-Recovery Diet
Stan Stokes, is the founder and CEO of Bridging the Gaps, Inc., an integrative substance abuse treatment facility for adults in Winchester, Virginia. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the addictions field, both in the military and private sectors.
Stokes brings an innovative approach to the treatment field, integrating traditional and alternative modalities to addictions recovery. Bridging the Gaps’ highly successful approach to treatment provides a 12 Step–based psychosocial program while focusing on rebalancing brain chemistry and building up the body through the use of oral and intravenous nutritional therapy, acupuncture, exercise, meditation, and other stress reduction techniques.
Stan Stokes, MS, LPC, CAC