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“DAY OF MIND-BODY WELLNESS” AT 2009 FALL FOR THE BOOK
OFFERS NEW PERSPECTIVES ON AMERICAN HEALTHCARE
Fairfax, Va., August 17, 2009 — The Fall for the Book Festival and GeorgeMasonUniversity’s Center for Consciousness and Transformation will present “An Afternoon of Mind-Body Wellness” on Wednesday, September 23, at Mason’s Fairfax, Virginia Campus. Various programs will offer new research from this growing field and begin to explore the ramifications for American healthcare with scholars and professionals central to that national dialogue.
The day’s events begin at noon with a brown bag lunch with psychologist Todd Kashan, sharing insights from his bestselling book, Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life.
A 1:30 p.m. panel discussion asks, “What is the Role of Mind-Body Healing and Wellness in the Reshaping of America’s Health Policy?” Panel participants include Neal Barnard, MD, founder and chair of the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine; Karen Howard, executive director of the American Association for Naturopathic Physicians; Wayne Jonas, MD, president and CEO of the Samueli Institute and former director of the National Institute of Health Office of Alternative Medicine; Esther Sternberg, MD, an internationally-recognized researcher in brain-immune interactions; and attorney Jim Turner, an advocate of health choices for citizens.
Mark Thurston, senior fellow at the Center for Consciousness and Transformation, hosts a 3:15 p.m. workshop on “Meditation: Theory and Practice for Mind-Body Wellness,” surveying the health-promoting potentials of a personal meditation and offering practical steps for participants.
Other events include a 4:30 p.m. Mind-Body Wellness Knowledge Café, with roundtable discussions on a variety of topics, and a 6 p.m. performance by the Mason Healing Arts Ensemble, incorporating unconventional instruments and vocal techniques with a focus on identity and healing.
Psychiatrist James Gordon, author of Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression, concludes the day’s programming with a 7:30 p.m. talk. An expert in using mind-body medicine to heal anxiety and psychological trauma, Gordon will address the steps people can take to exert control over their own lives and find hope and happiness. A reception precedes this event.
Fall for the Book, Northern Virginia’s oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts, celebrates its 11th year in 2009, welcoming more than 100 authors to events at Mason and throughout Northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland from Monday, Sept. 21, through Saturday, Sept. 26. All events are free and open to the public, thanks to sponsors including GeorgeMasonUniversity, Barnes & Noble, NOVEC, the Fairfax County Public Library, and other generous businesses and organizations. For updated information and a complete list of participating authors and festival locations, be sure to bookmark
Initiated in 2009, Mason’s Center for Consciousness and Transformation is an interdisciplinary research and teaching center at GeorgeMasonUniversity whose mission is to understand the nature and effects of individual and group consciousness and its role in transformative learning and social change. The Center is housed within NewCenturyCollege and is made possible by a generous donation by the de Laski Family Foundation. For information, visit
About GeorgeMasonUniversity
GeorgeMasonUniversity, located in the heart of Northern Virginia’s technology corridor near Washington, D.C., is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. With strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering, information technology, biotechnology and health care, Mason prepares its alumni to succeed in the workforce and meet the needs of the region and the world. Mason professors conduct groundbreaking research in areas such as cancer, climate change, information technology and the biosciences, and Mason’s Center for the Arts brings world-renowned artists, musicians and actors to its stage. Its School of Law is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 50 law schools in the United States.
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