Alex Howard explains how unresolved trauma dysregulates the nervous system and shares a practical framework for healing anxiety, burnout, and chronic stress.

Alex Howard shares his personal journey from chronic fatigue and severe anxiety to deep trauma healing, revealing how unresolved childhood experiences can dysregulate the nervous system and shape adult health. He introduces his ECHO model of trauma, explaining why symptoms like panic, depression, addiction, and chronic illness are outcomes—not root causes. This conversation offers a grounded roadmap for restoring safety, self-regulation, and emotional resilience. 

Alex is the Founder and CEO of The Optimum Health Clinic (OHC), one of the world’s leading integrative medicine clinics with a team of 20 full-time practitioners supporting thousands of patients in 50+ countries. Alex and the research team at OHC have published research in a number of leading journals, including British Medical Journal Open, Medical Hypotheses, and Psychology and Health. A randomised controlled trial on the OHC approach has NHS ethics approval and is currently underway in the UK.

Along with founding and leading the OHC practitioner teams for the past 17 years, Alex Howard is an immensely experienced psychology practitioner, having delivered over 10,000 consultations. He has also led the Therapeutic Coaching practitioner programme since 2005, training the next generation of psychology practitioners. Since March 2020, Alex has been documenting his therapeutic work with real-life patients via his In Therapy with Alex Howard YouTube Series.

Erica Hornthal explains how movement, micro-movements, and body awareness reshape mindset, reduce stress, and support mental health healing.

Erica Hornthal shares how movement—far beyond traditional exercise—plays a powerful role in shaping mindset and mental health. She explains how micro-movements, body awareness, and redefining movement can help release stress, manage chronic pain, and prevent burnout. This conversation explores the mind-body relationship, why movement is essential at every stage of life, and how accessible, gentle motion can become a daily tool for emotional resilience and healing.

Erica Hornthal, a licensed clinical professional counselor and board-certified dance/movement therapist, is the CEO and founder of Chicago Dance Therapy. Since graduating with her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling, Erica has worked with thousands of patients from ages three to 107. Known as the “Therapist Who Moves You,” Erica has truly changed the way people see movement with regard to mental health; moving people toward unlimited potential, greater awareness, and purpose by tapping into their innate body wisdom. In addition to her passion for working with cognitive and movement disorders, neurologic conditions, anxiety, depression, and trauma, Erica is an advocate for the field of dance/movement therapy. Erica created the Dance Therapy Advocates Summit in 2020 in order to spread awareness, inspire, and connect individuals and practitioners from all over the world. Erica recently published her first book, Body Aware: Rediscover Your Mind Body Connection, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Improve Your Mental Health With Simple Movement Practices.

Dr. Josh Axe shares how mindset, faith, and belief shaped his recovery from a life-altering spinal infection and why mental resilience is essential for healing.

Dr. Josh Axe opens up about the most difficult health crisis of his life—a spinal infection that left him unable to walk and facing permanent disability. He shares how mindset, faith, visualization, and belief became as critical to his recovery as physical therapies and nutrition. This conversation explores the science of the placebo effect, goal-setting during long healing journeys, and why addressing mental and spiritual health is foundational for overcoming anxiety, depression, and chronic illness.

Dr. Josh Axe is a leadership expert, entrepreneur, and physician. He earned his doctorate from Palmer College and his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Johns Hopkins University. Josh is the cofounder and CVO of Ancient Nutrition and founder of DrAxe.com. His company ranked on the Inc. 500 fastest growing companies two years in a row. He is the bestselling author of Eat Dirt, Keto Diet, and Ancient Remedies. Josh is the founder of Leaders.com, an online platform that provides the latest on breaking news, leadership, business, and wealth. He regularly teaches lectures and trains entrepreneurs on leadership, mindset, and self- development. Josh is married to his wife, Chelsea, and they have two daughters. They live between Nashville, TN, and Dorado, PR, and enjoy cooking, staying active, swimming, and cycling, and prioritize time for their faith and family.

Dr. Neil Nathan explains how vagal dysfunction, limbic imbalance, and mast cell activation block recovery from Lyme, mold toxicity, and chronic illness.

Dr. Neil Nathan joins Dr. Richard Horowitz to explore how vagus nerve dysfunction, limbic system imbalance, and mast cell activation keep chronic Lyme and mold patients stuck in cycles of fatigue, hypersensitivity, POTS, GI issues, anxiety, and inflammation. He explains the “trifecta of sensitivity,” the role of early trauma, how the cell danger response traps the body in survival mode, and why some patients can’t tolerate treatment until their nervous system feels safe. Dr. Nathan outlines practical diagnostic steps and therapies—from vagal stimulators to limbic retraining and microcurrent therapy—to help patients finally move forward.

Neil Nathan, MD, has been practicing medicine for 50 years, is Board Certified in Family Practice and Pain Management, and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine and a Founding Diplomate of ISEAI. He has written several books, including Healing is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses and On Hope and Healing: For Those Who Have Fallen Through the Medical Cracks. He has hosted an internationally syndicated radio program/podcast on Voice America called The Cutting Edge of Health and Wellness Today. He has been working to bring an awareness that mold toxicity is a major contributing factor for patients with chronic illness and lectures internationally on this subject which led to the publication of his book, Mold and Mycotoxins: Current Evaluation and Treatment, 2016 and now to his most recent book Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Environmental Illness.

Dr. Nafysa Parpia breaks down why people with chronic Lyme, mold illness, long COVID, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue are so susceptible to mast cell activation syndrome. She explains how infections, toxins, trauma, structural issues, and lifestyle factors create immune dysregulation that becomes self-perpetuating through the cell danger response. Dr. Parpia outlines her clinical approach—calming mast cells, supporting parasympathetic healing, preparing detox pathways, and layering in detox and antimicrobial treatment—along with how peptides can speed recovery in highly sensitive patients.

Nafysa Parpia, ND, has an independent practice at Gordon Medical Associates, specializing in the treatment of Lyme disease and other complex chronic illnesses such as autoimmunity, mold toxicity, fibromyalgia, environmental toxicity, and gastrointestinal disorders. Her patients with chronic Lyme Disease are typically those who either do not do well with antibiotics or prefer the biological medicine approach to treatment, including a combination of antibiotics and detoxification methods. Over the years of treating these illnesses, she discovered the same methods used with essentially healthy people fostered increased vitality and slowing down of the aging process, leading her to include specialization in health optimization and regenerative medicine.

Connie Zack explains how infrared sauna therapy reduces inflammation, boosts mitochondria, and supports whole-body healing beyond pills.

Connie Zack, co-owner of Sunlighten, breaks down how infrared therapy helps lower chronic inflammation by improving mitochondrial function, circulation, detoxification, oxidative stress, and stress resilience. She explains the differences between far-, mid-, near-infrared, and red light; why infrared feels gentler and more effective than traditional saunas; and how users can optimize sessions through hydration, binders, temperature flexibility, and consistent use. Connie also discusses choosing a safe, non-toxic sauna and how infrared therapy supports mood, longevity, and whole-body healing.

Connie Zack is the co-founder of Sunlighten™, the global leader in infrared light therapy and infrared sauna manufacturing. After seeing how spending time in an infrared sauna transformed her brother’s traumatic health issues, Connie and her husband committed everything they had to helping others through the benefits of nature’s healing infrared light.

They’ve now spent nearly 20 years bringing light, hope, and happiness to people around the world with locations in 13 countries, as well as operating an award-winning day spa at its headquarters location in Kansas City. Sunlighten delivers its promise to help people feel better so they can do more of what they love and live fully through a caring approach that drives innovation, investment, and relationships.

Dr. Christine Schaffner reveals how dental issues, scars, infections, and vagus nerve toxicity silently block healing in chronic illness—and what to do about it.

Dr. Christine Schaffner uncovers the hidden drivers that keep chronically ill patients stuck—interference fields in the mouth, vagus nerve, tonsils, sinuses, and scars. She explains how mercury fillings, root canals, cavitations, lymphatic stagnation, mold, and co-infections like Bartonella disrupt neuroimmune communication, gut motility, detoxification, and autonomic balance. Dr. Schaffner shares practical tools, including dental detox strategies, lymphatic work, vagus nerve support, nasal microbiome care, and scar therapy to help the body regain regulation and move toward true healing.

Dr. Christine Schaffner is a board-certified Naturopathic Doctor who has helped thousands of people recover from chronic or complex illnesses. Through online summits, her Spectrum of Health podcast, network of Immanence Health clinics, and renowned online programs, Dr. Schaffner goes beyond biological medicine, pulling from all systems of medicine and healing modalities–helping patients reclaim their wellness and reveal their brightest light.

Discover Dr. Austin Perlmutter’s insights on neuroinflammation, decision-making, and how lifestyle inputs reshape brain health and longevity.

Dr. Austin Perlmutter explains how chronic inflammation inside the brain shapes mood, cognition, and the everyday decisions that determine our long-term health. He breaks down the roles of the gut, stress, food choices, microglial activation, and disrupted sleep—revealing how these factors create “stuckness” in our thoughts and behaviors. Austin offers practical, science-backed steps to improve sleep, reduce stress inputs, enhance neural plasticity, and reprogram the brain toward healthier choices and longevity.

Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, a New York Times Bestselling Author, and a researcher. He received his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed his internal medicine residency at Oregon Health and Science University. His focus is on helping identify and resolve the biological basis for “stuckness” in the body and brain using lifestyle interventions, and he lectures internationally on this subject. He hosts the Get The STUCK OUT podcast and is a co-producer of the Alzheimer’s, the Science of Prevention Docu-series. His work on immune-mediated depression can be found in the peer-reviewed medical literature. His writing is featured online on MedPage Today, Doximity, KevinMD, Medium, Psychology Today, and MindBodyGreen. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Science and Clinical Innovation at Big Bold Health.

Dr. Jill Crista breaks down how mycotoxins harm the body, why each toxin behaves differently, and what practical steps help patients detox and heal. 

Dr. Jill Crista unpacks the complex world of mycotoxins—how they’re made, why they’re biologically aggressive, and how they disrupt mitochondria, hormones, digestion, and immunity. She explains the unique patterns of toxins like ochratoxin, gliotoxin, and zearalenone, and outlines practical detox strategies and antifungal approaches that help patients finally move the needle on chronic illness.

Dr. Jill Crista is a pioneering Naturopathic Doctor and renowned educator on complex, chronic illnesses, including mold sickness, Lyme disease, post-concussion syndrome, and PANDAS and PANS. She’s the author of the highly acclaimed best-seller, Break The Mold: 5 Tools To Conquer Mold and Take Back Your Health. Through her physician training program, she’s trained over 500 doctors, helping them uplevel their skills to become Mold Literate. She has now turned her efforts to supporting children and teens struggling with PANDAS and PANS. As a mother of children affected by PANS, she has combined the knowledge gained through her clinical and personal experience into an indispensable book titled A Light In The Dark for PANDAS and PANS.

Dr. Deanna Minich reveals how colorful plant foods, fiber, and phytonutrients support detoxification, gut diversity, and healthier stress responses.

Dr. Deanna Minich joins the summit to unpack how colorful foods, phytonutrients, and fiber support detoxification at every level—from gut binding and microbiome diversity to gene expression and antioxidant activation. She explores how stress, hydration, cortisol, and lifestyle rhythms shape our ability to clear toxins and stay resilient, offering simple ways to bring more color, nourishment, and balance into daily life.

Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), is a nutrition scientist, international lecturer, teacher, and author, with over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary supplement industries. Throughout the years, she has been active as a functional medicine clinician in clinical trials and in her own practice (Food & Spirit™), which has now become oriented towards groups, workshops, and retreats. She is the author of seven consumer books on wellness topics, four book chapters, and over fifty scientific publications. Her academic background is in nutrition science, including a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995) and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Medical Sciences (nutrition focus) from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (1999). For a decade, she was part of the research team led by the “Father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and has served on the Nutrition Advisory Board for The Institute of Functional Medicine, as well as on the Board of Directors for the American Nutrition Association. Since 2013, she has been part of the faculty for the Advanced Practice Module in Environmental Health offered by the Institute for Functional Medicine. She has been teaching a graduate-level course in metabolic detoxification at the University of Western States.