David Hanscom, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon whose practice focused on patients with failed back surgeries, quit his practice in Seattle, WA to present his insights into solving chronic pain, which evolved from his own personal battle with it. He is the author of: Back in Control: A Surgeon’s Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain; and, most recently: Do You Really Need Spine Surgery?—Take Control with a Surgeon’s Advice.
David R. Clawson, MD, a practicing physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor in Seattle, WA, believes in a conservative and holistic approach to treatment prior to more aggressive care. He believes that the body can frequently heal with activity modification, noninvasive therapies and modalities, safe and strategic use of medications, good nutrition, exercise, stress management and quality sleep. He is the current Medical Director of the Non-Operative Spine Care Center at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA.
Les Aria, PhD, a pain psychologist who has been practicing for the past 16 years with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Northern California, served as the Lead Pain Psychologist for Kaiser Northern California to help redesign the chronic pain workshop curriculum to incorporate modern pain science, mindfulness and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Les specializes in treating psychophysiological disorders/persistent pain and medically unexplained problems. His passion for mind-body interventions promotes a unique style to help patients relate differently to their suffering, and thereby shift them into pain recovery and wellness.
Lorimer Moseley, AO, DSc, PhD, FAAHMS, FACP, HonFFPMANZCA, is Director of IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia and founder/CEO of the non-profit initiative Pain Revolution. A pain scientist, clinician and educator, he has published 350 research articles and five books. His contribution to the fields of pain science, management and education has been honored by governments and prestigious professional societies in 13 countries, including Australia’s most prestigious prize for medical and health innovation, the American Pain Society’s Prize for Public Service and the inaugural Clinical Science Prize from the International Association for the Study of Pain. He was judged the ‘Field Leader, Pain and Pain Management’ in the recent Australian Research Awards and in 2020 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of ‘distinguished service to Australia and to humanity at large’.
Tor Wager, PhD, the Diana L. Taylor Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience at Dartmouth College, served as an Assistant (2004-2008) and Associate Professor (2009) at Columbia University, and as Associate (2010-2014) and Full Professor (2014-2019) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Since 2004, he has directed the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, devoted to work on the neurophysiology of affective processes—pain, emotion, stress and empathy—and how they are shaped by cognitive and social influences. Professor Wager and his lab are also dedicated to developing analysis methods for functional neuro-imaging and sharing ideas, tools and scientific data with the scientific community and public.
Jasmine Yohai-Rifkin, MA is an expressive arts therapist who has been instrumental in running the somatic aspects of the workshop. She is currently working with a non-profit in Oakland, CA helping house the homeless.
Babs Yohai, an alumnus of the San Francisco Art Institute and a professional tap dancer who fuses African rhythms with Balinese mask theatre, has joined Drs. David Hanscom and Fred Luskin and her daughter Jasmine Yohai in many workshop retreats at the Omega Institute as well as on the West Coast with her ongoing work in neuroplasticity for those who suffer from chronic pain.
Alberto Villoldo, PhD, a medical anthropologist who has studied the shamanic healing practices of the Amazon and Andes for more than 25 years, is the founder of the Four Winds Society, which trains modern shamans in the practice of energy medicine. He also directs the Center for Energy Medicine in Chile, where he investigates and practices the “neuroscience of enlightenment.”
James W. Pennebaker, PhD is the Regents Centennial Professor of Liberal Arts and Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. An internationally recognized, award-winning social psychologist whose domains of inquiry include: natural language use, group dynamics, personality, the power of expressive writing, linguistics, clinical and cognitive psychology, communications, medicine and computer science, he is the author or editor of 12 books and over 300 articles.
