Dr. Stuart Fischbein, MD OB/GYN has been in private practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Southern California since 1986.  He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1982. He has a long history of support for Midwives and the alternative to the medical model of birth they provide. This interest began during his Cedars-Sinai residency where he had extensive training in vaginal breech and twin delivery and was selected as administrative chief resident and awarded house officer of the year. His experience was enhanced while rotating through LA County-USC Medical Center, at that time the busiest obstetric unit in the country, where he had the good fortune to be exposed to the midwifery model of obstetrical care. After finishing residency Dr. Fischbein was Board Certified by the American Board of OB/Gyn (ABOG)in 1989 and has been a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG) since 1990. Early in his private practice career he was approached by several local “Licensed Midwives” to provide back-up support for women choosing alternatives to hospital based birthing. In 1995 he co-founded, The Woman’s Place, Inc., an innovative model of collaboration between Certified Nurse Midwives and Obstetricians, in Ventura County.  In 2004, he co-authored, Fearless Pregnancy, Wisdom and Reassurance from a Doctor, a Midwife and a Mom, (Fair Winds Press, 2004, 2nd Edition 2010) with long time associate, Joyce Weckl, CNM; and writer, Victoria Clayton.  He has three times been awarded Physician of the Year by the Doulas Association of Southern California  and in 2008 received their first Lifetime Achievement Award.

A long time outspoken advocate of a woman’s’ right to informed consent and refusal and the exercise of her free will, Dr. Fischbein is honored to be on the advisory board of the “Santa Barbara Birth Center” and previously worked in collaboration with the wonderful licensed midwives at the Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center.  He was also a contributor to “Your Best Birth”, a book published in 2009 and authored by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein. Since 2010, Dr. Fischbein continues to provide direct patient care and attend home and birth center births with his midwife colleagues. He has published two papers and one case report highlighting his experiences and continues to travel and lecture on reteaching breech birth.

Dr. Fischbein has made it his goal to teach, speak and write about the normalcy of birth choices, the ethics of respecting a woman’s autonomy in decision making and reasonable, evidence supported options of selected VBAC, breech and twin vaginal birth. Follow him at Dr. Stu’s Podcast and on his Blog.

http://www.birthinginstincts.com/

SARA SCHULTING KRANZ is a professional life and leadership coach, motivational speaker and certified wilderness guide. She specializes in helping those who have suffered hardship or trauma to find forgiveness and strength in their lives through guided wilderness retreats in locations such as the Grand Canyon and the Pacific Rim. Her upcoming book, Walk Through This: Harness the Healing Power of Nature and Travel the Road to Forgiveness, releases November 10,2020, and is available for preorders now. Learn more at SaraSchultingKranz.com.

Alan Arkin has starred on Broadway, television, over 60 films, and has won almost every acting award in North America. In this, his 9th published book, with his characteristic wry humor, he digs into his long time search for meaning, past the seductive glamour of show business.

By the time he was in his early 30’s, his career was in full bloom and he had achieved everything he’d ever wanted, only to find that it was not what he had hoped for. Something was missing: himself.

In Out of My Mind, Arkin speaks openly about the existential crisis which brought him from analysis to the serious study of Eastern philosophy and several teachers who helped him revise his views on almost everything.

In this sort of memoir, the 86 year old actor tells of the adventures, which, as a direct result of decades of meditation, shook his conception of reality and brought him to a new, exciting, and expanded view of what is out there, and the endless mind-boggling adventure into what is possible – not just for himself but for all the rest of us.

Dr. Jyothi Rao, MD, ABAAHP, FAARFM, has been practicing medicine for over 20 years. She received her Doctorate of Medicine (MD) from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and completed her internship and residency at the prestigious New England Medical Center (Tufts) in Boston. Before opening Shakthi Health & Wellness Center, Dr. Rao practiced medicine in New York and Maryland.

A strong proponent of holistic medicine, Dr. Rao is certified in Medical Acupuncture from UCLA. She is also certified in Cardiopulmonary Stress Testing, which is a personalized assessment of cardiac and pulmonary disease, and certified in anti-aging and regenerative medicine.

Dr. Rao is the coauthor with Dr. Monica Aggarwal of BODY on FIRE: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It (2020), an updated revision of their self-published book Finding Balance (2016). For more information visit her website raowellness.com.

Dr. Lisa Koche is triple boarded in Internal Medicine, Bariatrics, and Anti-Aging and Regenerative medicine.

Ever since her own exposure to the medical field due to childhood leukemia and heart failure from chemo, she has been focused on finding the CAUSE of issues instead of treating the symptoms. She attended Emory Medical School and completed her internal medicine residency at USF in Tampa. She started her practice focusing on preventing cardiovascular diseases and obesity. That experience led to further training in alternative medicine, hormones, and nutrition. She is the medical director and founder of Spectra Wellness Solutions, a comprehensive clinic focusing on all aspects needed for total body healing including the ketogenic diet, hormone replacement therapies, and enhancing mitochondrial function. She has a team of gifted healers that work together to create individualized treatment plans. She has several signature programs for optimal performance including the Ignite program featured in her first book, GET LIT.

Dr. Koche has lectured nationally, and has been featured on numerous television and radio segments.

https://spectrawellness.com/