in Denver July 23 - 24, 2019
Summit will feature change makers from the education, healthcare, government and humanitarian fields in an effort to adopt concrete solutions to improve early intervention, treatment and stigmatization of mental health.
DENVER - The National Summit for Mental Health and Mental Fitness: Practical Solutions for Creating a Culture of Peace, hosted by The International Association of Human Values (IAHV) and America Meditates, is the first mental health and fitness summit of its kind. In partnership with Mental Health Colorado and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Summit is a two-day event that will converge at East High School in Denver the morning of Tuesday, July 23 and commence the evening of Wednesday, July 24, 2019 with the largest meditation event in U.S. history at City Park. The event aims to disrupt outdated approaches to mental health by bringing in experts and change makers to share their unique vision and expertise with the goal of producing an integrated mental health model that focuses on the whole person.
Barbara Van Dahlen , founder and president of Give an Hour Psychologist and ranked one of the 100 most influential people in the world will open the conference; American Author, Writer, and Activist and the Presidential candidate for 2020, Marianne Williamson will be closing the conference. Expert speakers at the Summit include Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , celebrated humanitarian and peacemaker; Tim Ryan , Congressman and Presidential candidate OH-13, co-chair Military Mental Health Caucus; Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, assistant secretary-general for strategic coordination for the United Nations; Dr.
Nata Menabde, executive director, World Health Organization Office at the United Nations; Ed Perlmutter , Congressman & Co-Chair of the Gun Violence Task Force in Congress CO-07 (by video); Bill Milliken , founder and vice chairman, Communities in Schools; Bob Roth , CEO of the David Lynch Foundation and author of the NY Times bestseller, “Strength in Stillness;” and Emma Seppala , science director, Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.
More than 46 million Americans (1 in 5) experience mental illness every given year – which, if left untreated, can cause tremendous suffering to those impacted and their families and costing the U.S. almost 200 billion dollars a year. The Summit aims to bring together experts with varied expertise from diverse fields to build a holistic approach for faster interventions, lower cost treatments and efficient ways to curb violence and crimes through mental health prevention. Experts will discuss and present integrated strategies that enhance positive emotions, life satisfaction and spirituality while addressing biological,
cultural and economic approaches to treating mental health.
“We’re bringing together incredible thought leaders, change makers and influencers to share their gifts, their ideas, their innovation,” said Katherine Winter-Sellery, chairwoman of America Meditates and the Summit. “Never has there been a better time to open the dialogue about critical issues in mental health and collaborate across silos, to build innovative solutions, and to address mental illness and its impact in all sections of society.”
Attendees at this year’s Summit will hail from multiple professions, backgrounds and parts of the world, providing for unique networking opportunities to contribute to a movement that changes the way we think about and manage mental health in our communities.
Summit events include:
● Tuesday, July 23 and Wednesday, July 24: For two days, The Summit will bring together pre-eminent leaders, and experts to discuss and present practical strategies that combine medical treatments of mental health with effective adjunctive approaches that cover the “whole” person, including complementary and alternative strategies (CAM).
● Wednesday, July 24: The Summit will conclude with the largest meditation event in U.S. history, America Meditates. Beginning at 4 p.m. in Denver’s City Park, America Meditates will bring together community, raising awareness and inspiring the public to stand together for better mental well-being.
Tickets:
● Ticket prices for the Summit range from $75 to $300, click here for the link to register.
● America Meditates in City Park is free to attend, registration is requested and donations are accepted. Click here for the link to register.
“This is our opportunity as a community to lead the way for us to be able to model what we can do as a collective to collaboratively support the change that we want and get way upstream on this social situation creating a new social construct - compassion, belonging, and kindness,” Winter-Sellery explains.
For event details and to register, visit summit.americameditates.org .
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About International Association of Human Values
The International Association of Human Values (IAHV) offers programs to reduce stress and develop leaders so that human values can flourish in people and communities. We foster the daily practice of human values – a sense of connectedness and respect for all people and the natural environment, an attitude of non-violence, and an ethic of social service. Our programs enhance clarity of mind, shift attitudes and behaviors, and develop leaders and communities that are resilient, responsible, and inspired. To learn more, visit us.iahv.org .
About America Meditates
America Meditates aims to bring people together in order to generate a shift in consciousness and inspire healthier and happier people. Past research has shown that getting one-percent of the population to meditate in a given area, which affects mental health and wellbeing, is shown to reduce crime by 24-percent, leading to a healthier society. By bringing people together in a peaceful meditation with the intention of better mental health, America Meditates will raise awareness and inspire the public to stand together for better mental wellbeing. To learn more, visit americameditates.org .
