Our People and Partners

Meet Our People and Partners

The Fountain of Health includes collaborators on leadership, research projects and education.We have teams of people working together on a National Leadership Team, the Brain Health and Wellness project, a National Speakers Bureau, the Thrive MD Program and the World Aging and Brain Health Institute. These teams are composed of some of Canada’s leading academic physicians, researchers, and leaders of major national health organizations. Explore below.

Our People: National Team

The National Leadership Team promotes knowledge transfer and translation of Fountain of Health™ materials, to the public and to healthcare
providers across Canada. The National Team is responsible for building momentum of the Fountain of Health™ across Canada and internationally
and works in alignment with the Positive Psychiatry Section of the World Psychiatric Association.
 

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Founder, Fountain of Health

Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, and the founder of... Read More

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Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowledge Exchange at... Read More

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Dr. Chris Frank MD, FCFP is the Chair of the Health Care of the Elderly Program at the College of Family Physicians of... Read More

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Margaret Gillis is the founding President of the International Longevity Centre Canada, part of a global alliance of 17... Read More

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Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medical Director for... Read More

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Dr. Mark Rapoport, MD, FRCP(C), is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto... Read More

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Dr. Kiran Rabheru is the President of ILC Canada and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. In 2014, he... Read More

Meet Our Speakers: Speakers Bureau

The Fountain of Health™ National Speakers’ Bureau is a composed of leading academics and clinicians who are helping to build a national wellness movement in Canada. The virtual Bureau is able to reach interested audiences from coast to coast. Talks by our speakers are available for a wide range of audiences: professional groups, clinicians including physicians and allied healthcare providers, community organizations and the general public. Request a Speaker.

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Dr. Blackburn is a Clinical Instructor in geriatric psychiatry at UBC and former board member and chair of the... Read More

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Dr. Petal S. Abdool is a Geriatric Staff Psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Medical... Read More

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Dr. Cassidy is an Assistant Professor affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Her... Read More

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Founder, Fountain of Health

Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, and the founder of... Read More

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Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowledge Exchange at... Read More

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Dr. Chris Frank MD, FCFP is the Chair of the Health Care of the Elderly Program at the College of Family Physicians of... Read More

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Dr. Forbes is passionate about health promotion and dedicated to leading healthcare system improvement. Dr. Forbes is a... Read More

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Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medical Director for... Read More

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Dr. Gobessi is affiliated with the Geriatric Psychiatry Community Services of Ottawa and is a consulting Geriatric... Read More

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Dr. MacNeil is an Assistant Professor in Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University and full-time staff member of the... Read More

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Dr. Aditya Nidumolu is completing his residency training in psychiatry at Dalhousie University. He is keenly interested... Read More

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Dr. Kiran Rabheru is the President of ILC Canada and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. In 2014, he... Read More

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Dr. Vanessa Thoo has completed her subspecialty training in geriatric psychiatry at the University of Toronto. She is a... Read More

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Dr. Van Bussel is a physician leader at St. Joseph’s Health Care, Parkwood Institute, Mental Health Care Building,... Read More

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Nolan Turnbull has a Master of Science Kinesiology and Recreation Management from the University of Manitoba. Nolan... Read More

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Dr. Ward is a geriatric psychiatrist based out of Kamloops, BC. She is the Interior Health (IH) authority Medical... Read More

 

Our People & Partners | Meet Our Speakers | Thrive MD Program Instructors | World Aging & Brain Health Institute | Brain Health & Wellness

Thrive MD Program Instructors

The Thrive MD Physician Wellness Program offers webinars and courses for physician wellbeing.  Program content includes the accredited Thrive MD Foundation Program and the Thrive MD Enrichment Courses, a variety of accredited webinars across all THRIVE health domains. The program is based on the THRIVE © Approach to Wellbeing,  a unique integration of key findings from research on wellbeing, brain neuroplasticity, resilience, preventative medicine, and behaviour change. The Thrive MD Courses are delivered  by experts in the field. 

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Dr. Margaret Casey graduated from the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine in 1968. In 1972, She began to work at the North... Read More

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Dr. John Chiasson is a family physician practicing in Antigonish with a passion for music and a special interest is... Read More

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Kerry Crofton is a health educator, concerned parent and member of the International Electromagnetic Fields Alliance ... Read More

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Founder, Fountain of Health

Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, and the founder of... Read More

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Jolene d’Entremont has been a Yoga Teacher, Studio Owner, Breathwork Facilitator and Coach for 20 years. She has been... Read More

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Dr. David Gardner is a professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. He... Read More

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Dr. Elisabeth Gold is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Continuing Professional Development at Dalhousie... Read More

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Amy is a resident in the geriatric psychiatry subspecialty program at Dalhousie University 2021-2023. Prior to this,... Read More

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Dr. Alexandra Manning MD, FRCPC is a Professor of Psychiatry and founder of the Fountain of Health. Dr. Cassidy is a... Read More

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Dr. Nicole Herschenhous is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie, a perinatal psychiatrist at the IWK, and... Read More

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Dr. Zenovia Ursuliak MD, PhD, FRCPC, is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie... Read More

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Jim Torbert, BArch, MHSA , director of the Atlantic Contemplative Centre (ACC), has been teaching and facilitating... Read More

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Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psychologist practicing at... Read More

Our Researchers: World Aging and Brain Health Institute

 
WABHI Team

The World Aging and Brain Health Institute (WABHI)* is dedicated to research and education promoting healthy aging with a particular focus on positive beliefs on aging & health behaviour change. WABHI was founded in 2016 in affiliation with the Positive Psychiatry section of the World Psychiatric Association, the UCSD Stein Institute for Research on Aging, Baycrest Centre, the Canadian Academy of Geriatric Psychiatry, the Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging.  In June 2016, WABHI hosted the first International Think Tank on Optimal Aging in Halifax, Nova Scotia. WABHI members are prominent international leaders and researchers, whose research contributions provided the inspiration and academic substance behind the Fountain of Health™ Initiative for Optimal Aging. 

 

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Dr. Frank is the Canada Research Chair in Preventive Medicine and Population Health and Professor in the School of... Read More

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Founder, Fountain of Health

Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, and the founder of... Read More

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Founder, WABHI, Past President American Psychiatric Association, USA Dr. Dilip V. Jeste, M.D. is the Past President of... Read More

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Co-Founder of Center for Cognitive Therapy, USA Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Center for Cognitive Therapy... Read More

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Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psychologist practicing at... Read More

Brain Health and Wellness Project Team

The Brain Health & Wellness Project was funded in 2018-19 with a Researcher-Clinician Partnership Program (“RCP2”) grant from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI). Led by the Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health, in collaboration with the Fountain of Health™ initiative, this quality assurance, feasibility project disseminated Health Behaviour Change Toolkit and The Wellness App to help Canadians improve health and wellness one small step at a time.

The Brain Health & Wellness Project offered interested clinicians across Canada the education and support needed to invite patients’ health behaviour change using Fountain of Health™ tools. In over 800 patients combined, results showed significantly improved patient well-being (85% paper users, 80% The Wellness App users) and high levels of patient goal attainment (89% paper users, 90% The Wellness App users). Clinicians who used the tools reported that they were easy to use, well-received by patients and effective in promoting health behaviour change. For more details of the project, see the infographic.

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    Dr. Cassidy is an Assistant Professor affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Her... Read More

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    Founder, Fountain of Health

    Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at Dalhousie University, and the founder of... Read More

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    Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowledge Exchange at... Read More

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    Claire Checkland is the Director of the Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health. She has been working with... Read More

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    Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medical Director for... Read More

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    Dr. Kiran Rabheru is the President of ILC Canada and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. In 2014, he... Read More

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    Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psychologist practicing at... Read More

     

    Our Partner Organizations

     



     

     

     


    Our Funders

    The Thrive MD Physician Wellness Program is an initiative of the Fountain of Health Association, in collaboration with Doctors Nova Scotia and the Department of Psychiatry.

     

    The Thrive MD Physician Wellness Project is funded as part of a 10-year, $115 million commitment by Scotiabank, MD Financial Management and the
    Canadian Medical Association
     to support the medical profession and advance health in Canada.

     

    We would also like to acknowledge generous funding of the Brain Health and Wellness project by the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation.
     

     

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