Mental Health and Psychiatry

Dr. Michele Flynch, Ph.D., RN, is the Associate Dean of Nursing and Generic Bachelor of Science Program at Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York, United States. She holds a Ph.D. in Nursing from Pace University and is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Columbia University School of Nursing, conducting interdisciplinary informatics and data science research to advance health equity. With a background in intensive care nursing, education, and leadership, Dr. Flynch has made significant contributions to nursing science and education. Her research focuses on critical care practices, examining the impact of physical restraints on patients' families. Her recent publication, "Disrupted Sensemaking—Understanding Family Experiences of Physical Restraints in ICU: A Phenomenological Approach in the Context of COVID-19," explores a critical aspect of ICU care during the pandemic. As a Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar, Dr. Flynch has also contributed to international research projects, including work on health behaviors in Ghana.

Prior to joining academia, Phuti Kgadima worked within the mental health setting for almost seven years. His interest in mental health led to his recently approved ambitious community engagement project, which seeks to forge collaboration between the mental health practitioners, traditional healers and the social work academics. He has also published scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals in the area of gender, families and sexuality.

Neuseli Marino Lamari, physiotherapist, university professor at the Medical School of  São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP) – Department of Neurological Sciences, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology.

Master's and doctoral degrees in health sciences, associate professor of physiotherapy, advisor in three multiprofessional residency programs – FAMERP – Ministry of Education and Health.

Founder, member, and technical manager for 41 years of the Lamari Clinic, which is a reference center for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and Hypermobility in Brazil.

Member of Extended Working Group of the Brazilian Health Ministry for the drafting of Ordinance No. 199 of January 30th, 2014, which established the National Policy of Integral Care for People with Rare Diseases.

Member of Extended Working Group Extended Working Group of the Brazilian Health Ministry for the drafting of the Guidelines for Comprehensive Health Care for Women with Disabilities and Reduced Mobility (2015 – 2016).

Founder and organizer of international congresses on Hypermobility, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Pain in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021 and scheduled for 2024.

Cited in the book “Ehlers-Danlos: La maladie oubliée par la medícine” (published in France in 2018 by French physician Claude Hamonet) among the 12 professionals worldwide as a reference in the topic of hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes.

Cited in the book "Ehlers-Danlos Hipermovible Disautonomía y Fibromialgia" (published in Chile by rheumatologist Dr. Jaime Bravo), among the six pioneering professors in this disease.

Author with Prof. Dr. Peter Beighton (medical geneticist – University of Cape Town - author of the Hypermobility assessment criteria) of the book "Hypermobility in Medical Practice." Springer Nature. 2023. Author of several national and international scientific articles. Speaker at various international congresses.

Interviewed by the most-watched TV network in Brazil in 2015 and 2020 as a reference in hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Dr. Ching-Chi Hsu stands as a stalwart figure in the field of mental health, with a career spanning over three decades, dedicated to the understanding and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. His journey epitomizes commitment, expertise, and innovation in psychiatric care.

Currently serving as the Board of Director of WizcareHospital in Taichung Taiwan, and CEO of WizcareMCA, Dr. Hsu's leadership extends beyond clinical practice. He is also the Chairman of the Taiwan Medical Tourism Association, championing efforts to promote Taiwan as a destination for world-class medical care.

Dr. Hsu's formidable expertise is rooted in a robust foundation of training and extensive clinical experience. Beginning his residency at prestigious institutions like Taipei Veterans General Hospital and Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, he garnered invaluable insights into mental health care. 

His subsequent roles as Director of the Psychosomatic Medicine Division at Taoyuan Veterans Hospital and Superintendent of Wizcare Hospital-Taichung further honed his skills in patient care and management.Taiwan's national insurance system ensures equitable access to mental health services for patients , as well as fostering practical knowledge accumulation among professionals like Dr. Hsu.

Education lies at the core of Dr. Hsu's journey, as agraduate of Kaohsiung Medical University, he pursued advanced studies at institutions such as National Taiwan University and Johns Hopkins University, culminating in a doctoral candidacy at National Tsing Hua University. His doctorate dissertation from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Association Between Length of Stay, Medical Expense, and Psychiatric Patient Dumping – A Study of Provider Competition under Global Budgeting in Taiwan,wasnominated as the Outstanding Dissertation Award of Academy Health USA.

Dr. Hsu's academic prowess extends to his Doctorate Dissertation from HeilongJiang University of Chinese Medicine, where he conducted groundbreaking research titled "Clinical Observation of Benefiting Qi, Nourishing Heart, Tranquillization Method in Treating Insomnia (Spleen-Heart Deficiency Type)." This pioneering study aimed to integrate ancient medical principles, as outlined in the works of the king of medicine to treat sleep disorders nowadays. His innovative approach and dedication to bridging traditional wisdom with modern medical practices earned him recognition within the academic community.

As a keynote speaker at Mental Health 2024 in Paris, Dr. Ching-Chi Hsu would like to share he and his team's latest dissertation, Difference of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Profiles among Normal Cognition, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia Patient, which found the new evidence and formula, on the base of the big data from NACC National Alzheimer Cooperating Centerdata repository, by selecting over 2,000+ valid cases from over 40,000, that CSF biomarker calculations are a potential hope of Alzheimer's dementia staging.

Contact Dr. Ching-Chi Hsu at chi7hsu@gmail.com or on +886 936408608.

Dr. Joan Neehall, Ph.D., clinical psychologist with diplomate status in forensic psychology is pioneering change in organizations and individuals. She is the founder of the Happiness Control Panel, a viral Ted X speaker, and the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Happy Is The New Healthy. A trauma survivor, she teaches how to access post traumatic growth and resilience.

She presents a unique blend of expertise (over 35 years), relatability, and actionable insights tailored specifically for the corporate world through keynote speaking and training seminars. She offers a deep understanding of the science of happiness, grounded in the latest research and practical applications, coupled with years of real-world experience.

Her presentations are customized to address the specific challenges and opportunities faced by businesses, providing concrete strategies and customizable solutions for immediate implementation. Her dynamic speaking style captivates audiences, blending storytelling, humor, and interactive exercises to create a memorable and impactful experience.

She goes beyond inspiration to deliver measurable outcomes, offering practical metrics, and evaluation frameworks to track progress and measure the impact of happiness initiatives on key business outcomes such as employee engagement, retention, and performance.  In essence, her ability to combine expertise with practical relevance, engaging delivery, and a results-oriented approach sets her apart as a speaker who not only inspires but also empowers organizations to harness the power of happiness for lasting change and success.

Sam Vaknin is a former Visiting Professor of Psychology, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia and on the faculty of CIAPS (Commonwealth Institute for Advanced Professional Studies). He is the author of Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited and other books about personality disorders. His work is cited in hundreds of books and dozens of academic papers. He spent the past 6 years developing Cold Therapy: a treatment modality for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Over the years, with dozens of volunteers, he found that it was effective with clients suffering from a major depressive episode as well.