Dr. Ellenhorn is a pioneer and leader in the development and promotion of community integration services, types of care that serve and empower individuals diagnosed with psychiatric and/or addiction issues while they remain in their own communities and outside institutional settings.

Trained as a sociologist, psychotherapist and social worker, he created the first fully operating intensive hospital diversion and wrap-around program in Massachusetts. Ellenhorn later created and led one of the first public Programs for Assertive Community Treatment teams in the state. In 2022, Ellenhorn co-founded CARDEA, a psychedelics based practice that assists those who seek recovery from deep and entrenched psychological anguish, from behaviors that are out of control, as well as those who want a more awakened life and expanded sense of existence.

Dr. Ellenhorn has authored three books on human behavior. Parasuicidality and Paradox: Breaking Through the Medical Model addresses psychiatric hospital recidivism and techniques for diverting hospital use. It was published by Springer Publishing in 2007. His most recent book, How We Change (and the Ten Reasons Why We Don’t), takes a deep dive into the dynamics that influence all human change. Published by Harper Collins, and in seven different languages, How We Change was released in May of 2020. Purple Crayons: The Art of Drawing a Life celebrates our inherent “sacred originality” and establishes a new framework for self-reliance. It was published in 2022. He has authored numerous articles, gives talks and seminars throughout the country, and provides consultation to mental health agencies, psychiatric hospitals and addiction programs.

Dr. Ellenhorn is the founder of the Shifting The Paradigm conferences, a bi‑annual series that addresses humanistic and empowering changes in behavioral healthcare. He is the executive producer of the film, Recovering Addiction: A Public Health Rescue Mission, a documentary on new, less‑oppressive means for understanding problematic substance use and other distressing habits.

Dr. Ellenhorn is the first person to receive a joint Ph.D. from Brandeis University’s prestigious Florence Heller School for Social Welfare Policy and Management and the Department of Sociology.

Eva Altobelli, MD started her career working as a filmmaker in New York City while exploring mindfulness, yoga, neuroscience and expanded states of consciousness. Returning to school, Dr. Altobelli completed a psychiatric residency and fellowship in addiction. Eva is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Her career evolved working in detox, rehab and private practice as well as consulting in psychedelics, addiction and recovery, teaching and mentoring. She is certified in Psychedelic Therapy and Research from California Institute of Integral Studies and by MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies) to treat PTSD with MDMA. She has extensive post graduate trainings ranging from reiki to psychoanalysis. During her career Dr. Altobelli has evolved a holistic practice integrating mind, body and spirit into the healing process. She specializes in creative ways to help clients find their way to recovery and wholeness.

Todd has been in full recovery from addiction since 2009. He works intensively with others to help them achieve a life of satisfying and meaningful sobriety. His approach draws from a diversity of modalities including 12 Steps, CBT, MI, and Mindfulness to deeply address the bio/psycho/social/spiritual aspects of addiction. Todd has worked extensively with Ayahuasca for over 12 years within a variety of settings.

Yarelix Estrada, MSPH, is a first-generation Central American, harm reduction researcher, advocate, community outreach worker and drug checking technician. Yarelix works as a City Research Scientist with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducting drug checking through the founding and implementation of the first multi-site higher-technology drug checking research project in New York City with local syringe service programs and an overdose prevention center. Yarelix is passionate about supporting people throughout the full continuum of drug use, from use for pleasure and healing to overdose prevention. She is dedicated to improving the quality of care for people who use drugs and historically oppressed communities by working to understand the intersectionality between health policy and the societal factors that impact the lives of people who use drugs. She is the director of the New York City Psychedelic Society, is on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Recovery Alliance, the Board of Directors for the Source Research Foundation, on the Advisory Board of the psychedelic media group Psymposia and is an organizer with the Urban Survivors Union and the Alliance for Collaborative Drug Checking. She received her Master of Science in Public Health in Health Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.