Mental Health and Psychiatry

Sam Vaknin is Visiting Professor of Psychology, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia and Professor of Finance and Psychology in CIAPS (Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies). Sam Vaknin 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.

Personality disorders

Dr. Chakema Carmack is a community psychologist with a specialty in statistics and methodology (Ph.D., Wichita State University; Post-Doc, The Pennsylvania State University). Dr. Carmack currently contributes to the field of prevention science through research that involves elucidating HIV, HPV, and other STI (sexually transmitted infection) disparities in African American and Hispanic American communities. Her focus is on using health behavior theory and biopsychosocial approaches to understand how social and environmental determinants influence mental health and health behavior outcomes. Her research is intended to inform behavioral risk-reduction programs that reflect the unique cultural needs of these populations. Other areas of research focus involve the use of complex adaptive systems methodology and latent variable modeling to explore associations between psychosocial cognitions and sexual risk behavior. Dr. Carmack currently serves as Assistant Professor in the Psychological Health & Learning Sciences Department at the University of Houston, USA.

Health behavior theory

Prοf. Stavros J. Baloyannis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He graduated from the School of Medicine of Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Postgraduate training (a) in Neurology in Aristotelian University and Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, (b) in Neuropathology in Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, Catholic University of Louvain, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (c) in Neurootology and Neuropathology of Auditory pathway in Harvard University, (d). Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, (e) Neuroimmunology, Yale University, New Haven. Research on Blood Brain Barrier in dementias, Blood Brain Barrier in Demyelinating diseases, Mitochondria in Alzheimer’s disease, Synaptogenesis in vivo and in vitro, Neuronal apoptosis in dementias and demyelinating diseases, Dendritic pathology in dementias, Pathology of Golgi apparatus in dementias. Special interests: Neuroethics, Neurolinguistics, Philosophy of Neurosciences, Application of mathematics in Neurosciences, Neurology and the Art. Member of 56 scientific societies in Greece and abroad. Honorary Member of the Academy of Hellenic Air Forces. President of the Society for the amelioration of the quality of life in chronic neurological diseases. President of the Orthodox Medical Association for support of health and medical education in Africa. He was visiting professor in Tufts University, Democretian University, Aristotelian University, School of Theology, Aristotelian University, School of Philosophy. Author of 28 textbooks on Neurology, Neuropathology, Neuropsychology and of 692papers, published in Greek and International Journals on Neurology, Neuropathology, Neuroimmunology and Neuroethics. Head of the 1st Department of Neurology, Aristotelian University for 20 years (1992-2011). Emeritus Professor of Neurology, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece. Director of Research Institute for Alzheimer’s disease and front to temporal dementias.

Neuroethics, Neurolinguistics, Philosophy of Neurosciences, Application of mathematics in Neurosciences, Neurology and the Art.

MS. SUCHI is an experienced International Pre School Principal/Manager who picked up Laughter exercises from many coaches around the world. She then designed ‘Laughter Therapy' which is being used in many places such as hospitals and Senior Activity Centres. She provides individual and group therapy in educational and home settings. A former Manager / Trainer is now engages in building social awareness about Holistic approach for recovery. Be it Depression, Anxiety caused by physical or emotional pain, Death in the family and the harm the unhappiness brings to people, families and communities. Her aim is to encourage people to seek help early and get on the path to recovery. Her works has been featured in local press, TV and Radio and has been an invited speaker at various community clubs and educational Institutions. She has also been awarded by MINDS and various community clubs in recognition of her social work.

Laughter Coach, Neurology/Psychiatry /Public Health, Neurology/Psychiatry /Public Health

Professor WK Tang was appointed to professor in the Department of Psychiatry, the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2011. His main research areas are Addictions and Neuropsychiatry in Stroke. Professor Tang has published over 100 papers in renowned journals, and has also contributed to the peer review of 40 journals. He has secured over 20 major competitive research grants. He has served the editorial boards of five scientific journals. He was also a recipient of the Young Researcher Award in 2007, awarded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Neurology and Psychiatry

Jayashri KULKARNI commenced her appointment as Professor of Psychiatry, The Alfred and Monash University in 2002. She directs a large psychiatric research group, the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc), with approximately 150 staff and students. The Centre is dedicated to discovering new treatments, new understanding and new services for people with a range of mental illnesses. Jayashri Kulkarni completed her MBBS degree in 1981 at Monash University and worked mainly in Emergency Medicine before deciding to specialise in Psychiatry. She became a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 1989 and was awarded a PhD from Monash University in 1997 for her thesis “Women and Psychosis”. Jayashri has pioneered the novel use of estrogen as a treatment for schizophrenia and is internationally acknowledged as a leader in the field of reproductive hormones and their impact on mental health. An expert in Women’s Mental Health, Jayashri was elected the President of the International Association of Women’s Mental Health, a role she commenced in 2017.

Psychiatry and Mental Health