Can you imagine traveling to war-torn villages in Afghanistan at 9,500 feet altitude to teach downtrodden village women safe birthing techniques? Dr. Gladys did, at age 84. Can you imagine helping create the American Holistic Medical Association, introducing acupuncture to Western medicine, writing books, and lecturing internationally while in your 90’s? Dr. Gladys has done all that, and much more. Dr. Gladys McGarey, M.D., M.D.(H), is the unbelievably dynamic, 95-year-old Mother of Holistic Medicine, and she will be keynoting the conference.

Dr. Gladys’ nonprofit, the Foundation for Living Medicine, is actively engaged in changing the world of healthcare to respond to the wisdom of each patient’s “Physician Within.” She has been trailblazing new holistic approaches to medicine for the past 70 years.

Robert McGarey got his Master of Arts degree in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology at Johnston College in Redlands, California in 1978. Thirty years ago in 1986, he founded the nonprofit Human Potential Center in Austin, Texas, which presents programs designed to "spark the creativity, love and playfulness of the human spirit." For the past three decades he has been presenting workshops and working with individuals, couples and families, guiding them towards better communication and helping them embark on a voyage of self-exploration and growth.

He has been a featured speaker at numerous local and national conferences, and over the years has presented over 500 workshops. He has extensive experience and training in a variety of psychological techniques that promote physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

Glenda Taylor is a spiritual teacher and elder who draws on her broad knowledge and experience of cross cultural mythology, earth wisdom, religion and psychology to guide others to experience in depth a more meaningful, balanced, peaceful and joyful life.  Forty-seven years ago, she founded the Fellowship of Comparative Religion, and she is the Director of the Earthsprings Retreat Center in the edge of the Davy Crockett National Forest in East Texas where individuals and groups have been coming for years to find in nature and in each other the beauty and inspiration for a richer life.

In years past she lectured widely on the west coast; today she is in the process of putting much of her body of work into the format of podcasts and videos and other documents on her newly designed website set to be up and running by September 1.  She is a mother, grandmother, a poet and artist, and and by now is known by hundreds of people in several states simply as “Grandma Glenda.”