FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Jim Greif, (703) 993-9118, jgreif@gmu.edu
Art Taylor (703) 774-5079, etaylori@gmu.edu
“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 George Mason University’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 brainimmune 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 mindbody 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 George Mason
University, 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 www.fallforthebook.org.
Initiated in 2009, Mason’s Center for Consciousness and Transformation is an interdisciplinary
research and teaching center at George Mason University 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 New Century College and is made possible by a
generous donation by the de Laski Family Foundation. For information, visit http://cct.gmu.edu.
About George Mason University
George Mason University, 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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