Jennifer Holmes

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Person in Long Term Recovery. I run a successful private practice in New Orleans, LA, specializing in counseling and corporate training. Outside of the office, my passions are gardening, playing bridge, and advocacy work, especially in the area of Stigma Reduction and Substance Use Disorders. I am in the process of moving to Atlanta, GA, where I will continue my private practice and hope to connect with others in the Advocacy world there. Teddy and Jazz Man, my trusty sidekicks/therapy dogs, will be riding shotgun as we embark on this new adventure.

Boarded in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, Forensic Psychiatry and Holistic & Integrative Medicine, Arwen Podesta MD works in Louisiana, with an office in New Orleans. She authored a book on addiction, HOOKED (available on Amazon, see her website, www.podestawellness.com). She was recently awarded the honor of distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatry Association as well as the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is the immediate past President of the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association. She consults to the Louisiana governor’s HOPE committee and is a member of the Attorney General’s Opioid Abatement Taskforce. She is a national speaker, she teaches, consults and is an advocate for integrative best practices for those with addiction and psychiatric needs.

James C. Somers, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA has dedicated over 28 years to psychiatry, working with both adult and adolescent populations. A Distinguished Fellow of the AAPA, he earned his master’s degree from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and a Doctor of Health Science from A.T. Still University. Dr. Somers is a sought-after speaker and lecturer, frequently presenting on mental health, lifestyle, and AI topics at national and international conferences. He has previously served as president of the National Association of PAs in Psychiatry and the Nevada Academy of Physician Assistants, and he recently completed a four-year term as the AAPA liaison to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Based in Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Somers owns and operates an outpatient psychiatric clinic that has provided comprehensive, integrative, and lifestyle-focused mental health care for over 21 years. This past year, he accepted a full-time faculty position at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE), where he heads the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Doctor of Medical Science curriculum. His clinical and research interests include nutritional psychiatry, professional fulfillment, and the role of AI in mental health.