Dr John Read is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London. He has published over 180 research papers, primarily on the relationship between adverse life events and psychosis; but also on the negative effects of bio-genetic causal explanations on prejudice, anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication, electroconvulsive therapy, and the pharmaceutical industry.

John is Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal [https://iipdw.org] , and on the Board of Hearing Voices Network, England
[http://www.hearing-voices.org]

He is the editor of the scientific journal Psychosis, and the editor/author of several books, including:
Read, J., Sanders P. (2022) A straight talking introduction to the causes of mental health problem’s. PCCS Books.
Read J, Dillon J (eds) (2013). Models of Madness. Routledge.

Beatrice Birch, Executive Director and Founder of Inner Fire- ‘Deep Healing without or minimal Meds’, has worked in integrative clinics, rehabilitation centers and prisons in England, Holland and the USA, where her work calls upon the whole human being: body, soul and spirit. Her belief in the creative human spirit and the choice to be proactive in the healing journey is foundational to all her work.

She has a diploma from the Hauschka Artistic Therapy School, a UK training program. She has 40 years of experience in US prisons and Anthroposophical Medical and Therapeutic centers in England, Scotland, Holland, and the US, working with people from all walks of life and many varied physical and psychiatric conditions.

Founded in 2015, Inner Fire, www.innerfire.us in southern Vermont, is a proactive healing community offering striving individuals the choice to recover from debilitating and traumatic life situations, which typically lead to addiction or mental (soul) health challenges, and strengthen themselves on a deeper soul-spiritual level while tapering slowly from their mind-altering, psychotropic medications. We are not anti-medications but rather we believe in the power of choice.

Dr. Jones is a retired US public general psychiatrist. For the past twenty years he has studied the science, politics, and controversies of psychiatric genetics, with a focus on schizophrenia. He is currently working with David Cohen, PhD (UCLA), on a publication that will be the basis of this presentation.

Dr. Galves is a psychotherapist in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He has worked as a psychotherapist in community mental health centers, in health clinics, and as a school psychologist in public schools. He is the President of MindFreedom International and the author of Harness Your Dark Side: Mastering Jealousy, Rage, Frustration and Other Negative Emotions. Dr. Galves was the ISEPP Executive Director from 2011 to 2013.

Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D. is a leading spokesperson for existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology, an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and formerly Teachers College, Columbia University, and a cofounder and current president of the award-winning Existential-Humanistic Institute. He was also a 2022 candidate for president-elect of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Dr. Schneider is a Fellow in seven Divisions of the APA, the recipient of the Rollo May Award from Division 32 of the APA for “Outstanding and Independent Pursuit of New Frontiers in Humanistic Psychology,” and author/coauthor of 15 books. These include The Paradoxical Self, Horror and the Holy, The Psychology of Existence (with Rollo May), Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology, Existential-Humanistic Therapy (with Orah Krug), The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, Awakening to Awe, The Spirituality of Awe, The Polarized Mind, The Depolarizing of America, and his latest book: Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World. Dr. Schneider’s current focus, which draws on the psychology of Otto Rank, is on the existential bases of as well as alternatives to polarized states of being. This includes his workshops as facilitator of the Experiential Democracy Dialogue, a one-on-one conflict mediation approach for people struggling with contrasting views and backgrounds.

Dr. Schneider’s work has been featured in such outlets as the New York Times, Vanity Fair, the Guardian, USA Today, Forbes Health, and BBC World News. He has also been an invited speaker internationally at such venues as all four World Congresses of Existential Therapy, workshops and conferences in China, Japan, Germany, France, Lithuania, Russia, the UK, Greece, and Turkey, as well as nationally for the California State Psychological Association, the New York State Psychological Association, Upstate Medical University (New York), the Global Psychology Alliance (APA), the Harvard Alumni for Mental Health, Howard University, William Alanson White Institute of Psychoanalysis (New York) and many other universities and organizations.

For more information on Dr. Schneider’s work visit https://kirkjschneider.com as well as his YouTube channel “Corps of Depth Healers,” which serves as a resource for depth psychological approaches to social crises: https://www.youtube.com/@CorpsofDepthHealers-ws9nq.

Dr. Stolzer is a Professor of Child and Adolescent Development at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She currently teaches infant child, and adolescent classes and is an internationally recognized researcher. For decades, Dr. Stolzer has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and has presented her research at the national and international levels. She has won various prestigious research and teaching awards and has been a passionate child advocate for over 35 years. Dr. Stolzer’s research interests include the connection between unprovoked mass murder and psychiatric drugs, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the meteoric rise of psychiatric diagnoses, the biocultural implications of attachment parenting, the multivariational effects of labeling children, and challenging the existing medical model which seeks to pathologize normal-range human behaviors.

Dr. Tasch is a board certified psychiatrist in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She attended Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and completed a residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. She does mostly inpatient work along with consulting for adolescent residential treatment services. Because current psychiatric treatment can lead to impaired functioning and lifelong disability, she is devoting much of her career to people who have been harmed by the mental health system including legal work for people who have committed violent crimes after taking psychiatric drugs. She believes that people can live strong, powerful lives with the correct approach using psychotherapy, nutrition, and meditation. She also believes people should receive the very best treatment for mental health problems and with proper help they can live life with joy and abundance. Dr. Tasch was recently appointed to the ISEPP Board of Directors.

Chuck Ruby, PhD, is a licensed psychologist who has been in private practice in Maryland since 1998. He was trained in clinical psychology at the Florida State University between 1991 and 1995 and awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree. He also served with the US Air Force from 1979 to 1999 achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Most of his military service was with the Office of Special Investigations, providing criminal, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and counterespionage support to worldwide military installations and resources. Dr. Ruby is the author of Smoke and Mirrors: How You Are Being Fooled About Mental Illness – An Insider’s Warning to Consumers, published in 2020. He is the current Executive Director of the International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry, which challenges the traditional notions of mental illness and mental health.

Sean Gunderson is a survivor of nearly 17 years of unjust, forced mental health treatment in the Illinois forensic mental health system. Due to their tenacious pursuit of their own health and wellness, they were able to secure their freedom earlier than anticipated without a requirement to take psychiatric drugs.

Since returning to the community, Sean has earned their certifications as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. Furthermore, Sean graduated from Northeastern Illinois University as Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA and additional honors for the completion of a thesis, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Psychiatric Survivor: Exploring the Paradigm Shift in Mental Health.”

During this lengthy period of detention, Sean engaged in a daily wisdom practice founded in meditation and yoga. These practices have continued to form the foundation of their life in the community. Sean continues to cultivate the contentment that helped them survive the lengthy and unjust detention through a daily wisdom practice founded in meditation, yoga, breath work, and physical exercise.