Our People & Partners | Fountain of Health

Our People and Partners

Meet Our People and Partners

The Fountain of Health people and partners includes collaborators on leadership, research and education. Our people include a National Leadership Team, the Brain Health and Wellness project team, a National Speakers Bureau, the Thrive MD Program and the World Aging and Brain Health Institute. Learn more below.

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

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.

Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD

Founder, Fountain of Health Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry

David Conn, MD

Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowled

Chris Frank, MD

Dr. Chris Frank MD, FCFP is the Chair of the Health Care of the Elderly Program at the College of Fa

MARGARET GILLIS

Margaret Gillis is the founding President of the International Longevity Centre Canada, part of a gl

Cindy Grief, MD

Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medic

Kiran Rabheru, MD

Dr. Kiran Rabheru is the President of ILC Canada and a professor of psychiatry at the University of

MARK RAPOPORT, MD

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

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

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.

Petal Abdool, MD

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

Paul Blackburn, MD

Dr. Blackburn is a Clinical Instructor in geriatric psychiatry at UBC and former board member and ch

MARGARET CASEY MD

Dr. Margaret Casey graduated from the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine in 1968. In 1972, she began to

Beverley Cassidy, MD

Dr. Cassidy is an Assistant Professor affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie Univ

Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD

Founder, Fountain of Health Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry

CLAIRE CHECKLAND

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

JOHN CHIASSON, MD

Dr. John Chiasson is a family physician practicing in Antigonish with a passion for music and a spec

David Conn, MD

Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowled

KERRY CROFTON

Kerry Crofton is a health educator, concerned parent and member of the International Electromagnetic

JOLENE D’ENTREMONT

Jolene d’Entremont has been a Yoga Teacher, Studio Owner, Breathwork Facilitator and Coach for 20 ye

Cindy Forbes, MD

Dr. Forbes is passionate about health promotion and dedicated to leading healthcare system improveme

ERICA FRANK, MD

Dr. Frank is the Canada Research Chair in Preventive Medicine and Population Health and Professor in

Chris Frank, MD

Dr. Chris Frank MD, FCFP is the Chair of the Health Care of the Elderly Program at the College of Fa

DAVID GARDNER , MD

Dr. David Gardner is a professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N

MARGARET GILLIS

Margaret Gillis is the founding President of the International Longevity Centre Canada, part of a gl

Linda Gobessi, MD

Dr. Gobessi is affiliated with the Geriatric Psychiatry Community Services of Ottawa and is a consul

ELISABETH GOLD, MD

Dr. Elisabeth Gold is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Continuing Professional Developm

AMY GOUGH, MD

Amy is a resident in the geriatric psychiatry subspecialty program at Dalhousie University 2021-2023

Cindy Grief, MD

Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medic

NICOLE HERSCHENHOUS, MD

Dr. Nicole Herschenhous is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie, a perinatal psychiatri

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.

MARGARET CASEY MD

Dr. Margaret Casey graduated from the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine in 1968. In 1972, she began to

Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD

Founder, Fountain of Health Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry

JOHN CHIASSON, MD

Dr. John Chiasson is a family physician practicing in Antigonish with a passion for music and a spec

KERRY CROFTON

Kerry Crofton is a health educator, concerned parent and member of the International Electromagnetic

JOLENE D’ENTREMONT

Jolene d’Entremont has been a Yoga Teacher, Studio Owner, Breathwork Facilitator and Coach for 20 ye

DAVID GARDNER , MD

Dr. David Gardner is a professor with the Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N

ELISABETH GOLD, MD

Dr. Elisabeth Gold is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Continuing Professional Developm

AMY GOUGH, MD

Amy is a resident in the geriatric psychiatry subspecialty program at Dalhousie University 2021-2023

NICOLE HERSCHENHOUS, MD

Dr. Nicole Herschenhous is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie, a perinatal psychiatri

ALEXANDRA MANNING, MD

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

JIM TORBERT, BARCH, MHSA

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

ZENOVIA URSULIAK MD, PHD

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

MICHAEL VALLIS, PHD

Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psycholo

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

Our Researchers: World Aging and Brain Health Institute

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.

*Note: The acronym WABHI is inspired by a Japanese term “wabi-sabi", meaning the intrinsic resilience, value and character of things that are old & time-worn, a concept celebrated in Japanese culture. The research of WABHI focuses on promoting life’s value and meaning, and improving quality of life over time.

The WABHI Team

CHRISTINE A PADESKY PHD

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

DILIP V. JESTE, MD

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

ERICA FRANK, MD

Dr. Frank is the Canada Research Chair in Preventive Medicine and Population Health and Professor in

Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD

Founder, Fountain of Health Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry

MICHAEL VALLIS, PHD

Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psycholo

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

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.

Beverley Cassidy, MD

Dr. Cassidy is an Assistant Professor affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie Univ

Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD

Founder, Fountain of Health Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, MD FRCPC, is a Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry

CLAIRE CHECKLAND

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

David Conn, MD

Dr. David Conn is the Vice-President of Education and Director of the Centre for Education & Knowled

Cindy Grief, MD

Dr. Grief is a Geriatric Psychiatrist at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto, where she is the Medic

Kiran Rabheru, MD

Dr. Kiran Rabheru is the President of ILC Canada and a professor of psychiatry at the University of

MICHAEL VALLIS, PHD

Dr. Vallis, PhD is the founder of the Behaviour Change Institute. He is a registered health psycholo

Our Funders

Wellness Together Canada is funding the Fountain of Health to scale and spread educational webinars and workshops to midlife and older adults across Canada.

Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia is funding the Fountain of Health to offer educational webinars to older adults in Nova Scotia.

"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 Program was 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.

The WABHI Team

Our Partner Organizations

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