Education Team
We have a great team for our Education Program. Each component is headed by leading professionals that will bring great insight to the project. Below is a brief outline of the team along with links to detailed pages about each member.
Tom Wootton - President, Bipolar Advantage
Bipolar In Order Workshop and Life Planning Workshop
Tom Wootton is the author of The Bipolar Advantage and The Depression Advantage in both book and video, and Bipolar In Order in book, video, audio book, and eBook. He developed new concepts that he integrated into the first Bipolar In Order workshops in 2002. Since that time he has developed a series of workshops dealing with depression and bipolar. He has been considered a leading consumer advocate and speaker and has been giving talks to consumer groups, mental health leaders, and doctors. He is giving keynote speeches to conferences nationwide on mental health.
Tom's approach to dealing with mental illness and his professional and engaging speaking style have made his talks a 'must' for consumers, family, friends, mental health workers and therapists.
Tom specialized in advanced, accelerative learning systems for many years, which he taught to corporations and schools. He worked in development and training for many internet technology companies. His clients included: Visa, PeopleSoft, Network Associates, HP, Cisco, Baan, Ford, Nortel, Deloitte Consulting, KPMG, Lucent, Sage, Ericsson, Fidelity Investments, British Telecom, NSA, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Nokia, Siemens, EDS, and many more worldwide.
Mental health clients include NAMI organizations nationwide, Kaiser Permanente, Orange County Behavioral Health, Riverside County Older Adult Services, San Bernardino County Behavioral Health, Mental Health Associations throughout California, and DBSA at state and national levels.
Peter Forster, MD
Biopsychosocial Workshop
Dr. Peter Forster is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, an editor of "Emergency Psychiatry" the publication of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry, Past President of the Northern California Psychiatric Society, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. Forster specializes in the assessment of the standard of care in suicidal and crisis patients. An internationally respected expert, he has written many articles on: psychiatric emergencies, mood disorders, anxiety, somatization and managed care.
In his private practice, Dr. Forster specializes in the evaluation and treatment of adult depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), anxiety, panic disorders, phobias and stress reactions.
I believe that caring and respectful relationships are the basis for any kind of healing. In my work with patients I view what we do together as a collaboration. You are the expert in yourself and your feelings, I bring to that collaboration the expertise from my academic experience and training as well as from the care of thousands of patients with similar problems, together we create a treatment plan that will lead to a sustained recovery from a mood or anxiety disorder.
Rochelle I. Frank, PhD
Evidence Based Therapies Workshop
Shelly Frank received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University, and completed her clinical training at the Yale Psychiatric Institute. She specializes in evidence-based treatment of clinically complex emotional and behavioral disorders in adolescents and adults, and also has expertise with couples and families. Dr. Frank completed post-graduate training programs in dialectical behavior therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, and cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy. She has over 20 years of experience across treatment settings.
Dr. Frank was a supervising psychologist within the New York State Department of Mental Health, and in San Francisco was the chief psychologist for a residential treatment program before becoming the clinical director of Family Mosaic Project, during which time she served on numerous policy and programming committees within the Behavioral Health Services division of the Department of Public Health. In addition to her private practice in Oakland, Shelly conducts clinical research on self-monitoring and emotion regulation, and is on staff at Gateway Psychiatric Services.
Dr. Frank is an assistant clinical professor in the Clinical Sciences Training Program at U.C. Berkeley, and in the Department of Psychiatry at U.C.S.F. School of Medicine. Shelly also is an adjunct professor of clinical psychology at Argosy University and a clinical supervisor at The Wright Institute, and is past President of the Alameda County Psychological Association.
Shelly's website is at www.DrRochelleFrank.com
Maureen Duffy, PhD
Relationships Workshops
Maureen Duffy is a professor of counseling and family therapy and a practicing couples and family therapist. She is highly regarded in the marriage and family therapy world and is on the editorial boards of The Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, The Family Journal, and The Journal of Systemic Therapies. She is the Co-Editor of The Qualitative Report, a journal dedicated to qualitative research and inquiry. She is also the Co-Editor of the "Family and Health" column in The Family Journal. Maureen is a co-founder of the International Institute for Human Understanding and of Open U - a new adventure in education for anyone interested in increasing their understanding of interpersonal and inter-cultural relations.
She has presented her work at major professional conferences regionally, nationally, and internationally. In 2006, Maureen was an invited speaker at the Oxford University Round Table on the Psychology of the Child. She is the author of numerous publications in family therapy and qualitative research and her current interests are in the areas of positive psychology, applications of neuroscience to clinical work with couples and families, neurofeedback, and group behavior in the workplace.
Maureen is fascinated by how the brain is shaped by what we think and do and by how often we think and do it. She takes very seriously the fact that the brain changes throughout life and that the direction of those changes is influenced by the quality of our relationships, our behaviors, and our thoughts and feelings. Maureen is personally and professionally committed to breaking the link between the diagnosis of a mental illness and the taking on of the traditional identity of a mentally ill person. She believes that mood disorders like bipolar and major depression are brain disorders, not personal identities, and not primary careers. Her work also extends, with humor and compassion, to the parents and friends and families of those diagnosed with mood disorders.
Brian Weller
Mind Skills Training and Life Planning Workshop
Brian is the creator and presenter for the Bipolar Advantage Mind Skills Workshops. Since the early 1970’s, he has brought meditation to thousands of people across the world. He is a management training development expert to many international corporations including Shell International Petroleum, IBM and Imperial Chemical Industries and has founded 2 businesses specializing in learning skills. His work with the British Civil Service during the 1980’s in organizational transformation seminars and stress management workshops were widely acclaimed.
Brian is one of the founders of the economic localization and sustainability movement and runs seminars for community leaders in the US and Europe who are preparing for peak oil and climate change. His passion for Mind Skills began in the late 1970’s. As one of the originators of mindmapping, his advanced memory, creativity and personal change training has inspired thousands of people in business and public settings to reach their full potential. He is also a strategic advisor to some internet start up companies in California who are creating the next generation of software for the emerging 3.0 semantic web.
Peter Russell, MA DCS
Mind Skills Training
Peter Russell is a fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, of The World Business Academy and of The Findhorn Foundation, and an Honorary Member of The Club of Budapest.
At Cambridge University (UK), he studied mathematics and theoretical physics. Then, as he became increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the human mind he changed to experimental psychology. Pursuing this interest, he traveled to India to study meditation and eastern philosophy, and on his return took up the first research post ever offered in Britain on the psychology of meditation.
He also has a post-graduate degree in computer science, and conducted some of the early work on 3-dimensional displays, presaging by some twenty years the advent of virtual reality.
In the mid-seventies Peter Russell joined forces with Tony Buzan and helped teach "Mind Maps" and learning methods to a variety of international organizations and educational institutions.
Since then his corporate programs have focused increasingly on self-development, creativity, stress management, and sustainable environmental practices. Clients have included IBM, Apple, Digital, American Express, Barclays Bank, Swedish Telecom, ICI, Shell Oil and British Petroleum.
His principal interest is the deeper, spiritual significance of the times we are passing through. He has written several books in this area -- The TM Technique, The Upanishads, The Brain Book, The Global Brain Awakens, The Creative Manager, The Consciousness Revolution, Waking Up in Time, and From Science to God.
As one of the more revolutionary futurists Peter Russell has been a keynote speaker at many international conferences, in Europe, Japan and the USA. His multi-image shows and videos, The Global Brain and The White Hole in Time have won praise and prizes from around the world. In 1993 the environmental magazine Buzzworm voted Peter Russell "Eco-Philosopher Extraordinaire" of the year.
Scott Sullender, PhD
Spirituality Workshop
Scott Sullender is an ordained minister, a licensed Psychologist (#8931) and a Diplomate with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He has over 35 years of professional experience as a pastor, pastoral counselor, organizational executive, psychologist and author/writer. He has made a specialty of providing psychological and career assessments for Protestant ministers and seminarians. Scott serves as the chief administrator of The Lloyd Center. In addition to his work with counseling and assessments, Scott is the primary instructor in the center's Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling program. Consequently, he holds the rank of Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling at San Francisco Theological Seminary.
James W. Jordan, Jr.
Family and Friends Workshop
Mr. Jordan is the Executive Director for NAMI Pennsylvania. He has been Executive Assistant to the Governor of Michigan; a Deputy Secretary in the Pennsylvania Department of Health; and a Vice President in North Broward Hospital District. He has served as the Director for the Department of Health and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health and Public Safety in Essex County, New Jersey and Broward County, Florida.
During the past twenty years he has managed a 1,200-bed psychiatric hospital and a 330 bed geriatric center. He has managed a drug treatment program; 110 bed psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation program; and a sexual assault treatment program. Mr. Jordan established and operated industrial and occupational medicine programs and established two adult level 2 trauma centers and one pediatric trauma center. He designed and managed numerous health care programs ranging from trauma systems to primary care and community programs.
Mr. Jordan established the Michigan Refugee Relief Fund, which raised funds to purchase food, medical supplies, and medical personnel.
Mr. Jordan holds a master's degree in clinical psychology and participated in the Senior Management Program for State and Local Government at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In addition, a scholarship at Nova University was named for Mr. Jordan in recognition of his contributions to health care.
Michael R. Edelstein, PhD
Addictions Workshop
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)/Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dr. Edelstein has an in-person and telephone therapy practice in San Francisco. He is the author of Three Minute Therapy, a self-help book for overcoming common emotional and behavioral problems, for which he has been awarded Author of the Year. The book was a Quality Paperback Book Club/Book-of-the-Month Club Selection, a Behavioral Sciences Book Service Book Club Selection, and an Albert Ellis Institute Selection.
In his practice, Dr. Edelstein specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and addictions, and is one of the few practitioners of REBT in the Bay Area. He is also the San Francisco SMART Recovery Professional Advisor.
Dr. Edelstein lectures nationally and internationally, appears on radio and television, and is published in psychological journals. He writes the advice column, "Ask Dr. Mike," which has appeared in the Mensa San Francisco Intelligencer and In the Know.
Dr. Edelstein was a Training Supervisor and Fellow of the Albert Ellis Institute. He holds a diploma in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and is on the Board of Advisors of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. He is Past President of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy. He is a Certified Sex Therapist and has served as a Consulting Psychologist for the National Save-A-Life League, Inc., the oldest suicide prevention center in the United States.
REBT/CBT is a modern approach to overcoming emotional and behavioral disturbance. It focuses on the present and helps clients take an active role in their recovery. It helps clients identify the unrealistic beliefs at the core of their psychological problems and gives them powerful tools they can use to change their thinking and dramatically improve their lives.
You may find Dr. Edelstein's website at www.ThreeMinuteTherapy.com and an interview with him on Psych Central.
Vincent F. Caimano, Ph.D.
Online Depression Recovery Groups
Vince founded Depression Recovery Groups (www.DepressionRecoveryGroups.com) to help depression sufferers through live web conference meetings. The mission of DRG is to help accelerate the full recovery of people who are living with depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety by providing self-help education and peer support that enhance the care of licensed healthcare practitioners.
Vince holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. While not specifically trained to work as a therapist, Vince's education in psychology and social science research has helped him to work with hundreds of participants support groups and skill-building programs. His experience, training and study of depression have fueled his passion to help others deal with these issues in a supportive environment. He has found great fulfillment in seeing these individuals move to regaining their energy and hope.
Prior to developing Depression Recovery Groups, Vince founded Human Performance Consultation, Inc., a management consulting company that focuses on leadership development and human resource strategy. He has also been an consultant with Accenture, Towers Watson and a HR executive at Hughes Electronics.
Maria Chang-Calderon, PhD(c), MSHR
Career Workshop
Maria is a doctoral candidate at Alliant International University, Marshall Goldsmith School of Management in the field of Organizational Psychology. She has been a Human Resources professional for more than 10 years, specializing in staffing and, most recently, career management counseling for persons with bipolar disorder.
Maria provides an array of career counseling services for management professionals who have bipolar disorder and who are interested in maintaining their competitive edge, as well as those interested in joining the management ranks of major organizations.
She offers professional career management counseling for all persons with bipolar disorder. Maria's counseling services focus on helping individuals build on their strengths in relation to their workplace conditions. These services do not include jobseeker employment placements. This type of career management counseling is aimed at increasing an individual's knowledge, skills, and abilities based on a comprehensive talent assessment, performance coaching, and strategic career development planning.
Maria's research interests include topics such as organization empowerment, inclusion, and social responsibility. She is committed to enabling the success of individuals who have bipolar disorder in professional or management roles within major organizations.
For more information about Maria, please visit her website at mccstalentid.com
Denise K. Hughes, MA
Money Mastery 101 Workshop
Denise is a Financial Coach, based in the Bay Area, with a national clientele. Her mission is to educate and support women and men, in achieving their full financial potential, for themselves, their families and for generations to come.
She teaches others how to grow healthy money mindsets while practicing financial behaviors that lead to financial independence. This is accomplished through on-line content, webinars, teleseminars, group and one on one coaching.
Journalists have rendered Denise an expert in matters relating to: love and money, the psychology of money, couples and money and mastering personal and business finances. Denise is frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Advisor Magazine, Reader's Digest, Parenting Magazine, San Jose Mercury News and California Women's Magazine.
She authors a monthly e-zine for boomer women at www.50fabulous.com. Make Mine a Million, a national organization with a mission to grow women's business revenues to at least one million dollars, appointed Denise as their designated Financial Coach in 2008.
She was an invited speaker for the NorCal 2009 Financial Planners Conference and has done multiple workshops for the Silicon Valley Financial Planning Association.
Denise's unique style and approach are the outcome of an educational background consisting of a Graduate degree in Counseling Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA, a Certificate in Financial Counseling at the Financial Recovery Institute in San Rafael, CA, and a Certificate in Interactive Guided Imagery from the American Holistic Nurse's Association. Denise also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
To learn more about Denise, visit her personal website at www.denisehughes.org
Justin Liu, MD
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Workshop
Dr. Justin Liu completed his undergraduate premedical training at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with honors. Dr. Liu received his Medical Degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Stanford University. Dr. Liu is Board-Certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. For 5 years, Dr. Liu served as the Chair of Back & Trauma Rehabilitation for St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco, California. During that time, he played an active role as a Clinical Professor for the Stanford University Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency Program.
Dr. Liu currently serves as the Medical Director of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California. In both the inpatient and outpatient settings, Dr. Liu coordinates a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation therapists, physicians, nurses, and neuropsychologists to help create therapy programs custom-tailored to each patient's individual needs.
As featured by CNBC, CNET, KTVU-2, KRON-4, AsianWeek, FLYP Media, and Ebony Magazine, Dr. Liu has successfully implemented use of the Nintendo Wii to help treat patients who have sustained various neurological injuries. Dr. Liu continuously strives to further develop the field of "Wii-Hab."
Dr. Liu's website is at www.WiiHabMedicine.com
Ruth Leyse-Wallace, PhD, RD
Nutrition Workshop
Dr. Leyse-Wallace has practiced clinical dietetics in psychiatric hospitals, treatment programs, outpatient clinics, and in private practice for more than twenty-five years.
Her clinical experience includes practice at The Menninger Foundation (Topeka, Kansas), Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital (San Diego, California), Sierra Tucson (Tucson, Arizona), HCA Willow Park Hospital (Plano, Texas) and Osawatomie State Hospital (Osawatomie, Kansas).
In addition to her interest in mental health and the PsychoNutriologic Person, her special areas of clinical interest include the nutrition-focused physical examination, eating disorders, and alcoholism.
Her professional activities also include writing (Linking Nutrition to Mental Health: A Scientific Exploration and The Metaparadigm of Clinical Dietetics: Derivation and Applications) and producing educational materials as well as lectures and workshops for professional and public audiences. She served as an adjunct faculty member at Mesa College in San Diego, California.
Ruth's education includes a PhD from the University of Arizona in 1998, a dietetic internship with a master's degree from the University of Kansas, and graduation with Phi Kappa Phi honors and a B.S. degree from the University of California at Davis. Dr. Leyse-Wallace now lives in Alpine, California. Her website is at www.RuthLeyseWallace.com
Mark Jenkins
Fitness Workshop
When it comes to perfecting body image, Mark Jenkins sets the standard for not only looking good, but feeling good as well. The highly recruited fitness trainer and motivator has worked with an array of prominent figures including Bad Boy CEO (Sean "Diddy" Combs), business executives (Benny Medina, Chris Lighty & Andre Harrell), former Essence director (Susan Taylor), famed lawyer (Johnny Cochran), director (Tyler Perry), radio personality (Angie Martinez) and A-list entertainers (Mary J. Blige, Beyonce', Busta Rhymes, L.L. Cool J, Eve, Q-Tip, Anthony Hamilton, N.O.R.E, Missy Elliott, Brandy, D'Angelo).
Through the lifestyle brand InFitness, the unorthodox health guru is determined to assist people with becoming their phenomenal best. His book, Jump Off: 60 Days to a Hip Hop Hard Body (Harper Collins), is an inspiring success story about the benefits of discipline, following one's dreams, and opening up people's minds to look at exercise as a habit as natural as breathing.
In addition to his personal training schedule, Jenkins also has his hands full in various facets of the fitness business. He developed his own supplement line available at MJE3.com in 2009. He has lent his expertise to various networks including BET, VH-1 and MTV as well as shows such as Fit TV, E! Entertainment, EXTRA, and recently appearing alongside Mary J. Blige on The Tyra Banks Show. Mark is spokesperson for the United Ways Fun Fly & Fit program.
Will Meecham, MD, MA
Writing Workshop and Whole Person Workshop
Will Meecham, MD, MA, studied neuronal electrophysiology as a Biophysics graduate student. After medical school, he trained as an ophthalmologist, and then specialized in ocular oncology and ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. He has published articles about ocular malignancies, eyelid reconstruction, and radiation biology. Until medical issues forced early retirement from surgical work, Dr. Meecham practiced as an oculoplastic surgeon and peri-ocular oncologist at Kaiser Permanente.
As both a physician and a client with a bipolar diagnosis, he has spent many years developing his own approach to mental conditions. He approaches psychic wellness from both biological and spiritual perspectives. He currently contributes regularly to his online journal at WillSpirit.com, discussing topics such as the physiology of psychiatric medications, behavioral approaches to mood management, current societal attitudes toward people with psychiatric issues, and the biological foundations of spirituality.
In the process, Dr. Meecham has experienced the healing benefits of writing. As he works toward a Master's in Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction, he is developing ways of using writing to resolve inner conflicts. The Writing Toward Wellness workshop offers these techniques to the Bipolar Advantage community.
In seeking paths toward increased comfort with his mood fluctuations, Dr. Meecham has also focused on the intimate connection between mental and physical health. As Bipolar Advantage clients understand, mental wellness requires a comprehensive approach that covers many aspects of life. In the Whole Person workshop, Dr. Meecham guides participants toward greater understanding of the physical body's influence over moods, and offers suggestions for how to harness the body's power to heal the mind.
Brian Wetzel
Keynotes and Performances
Brian Wetzel was a professional comedian and speaker whose career and personal life were absorbed by his 20 year struggle with clinical depression and subsequent addiction.
Finally, after ending up at an emergency psychiatric clinic, Brian had to make direct eye contact with depression just to survive. After a visit with a psychiatrist who had a thick French accent, he started finding humor in a disorder that had once threatened his life.
In his autobiographical one man show, "Side by Side: A Journey With Depression - a funny look at serious survival" and his other presentations, Brian blends his experiences with depression with his stage experience and takes his audiences on a unique journey of laughter, truth, and hope. By walking side by side with the affliction, he has learned to survive, strive, and move forward.
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