Dr. Junella Chin is an integrative cannabinoid medicine physician, having received her Medical Degree from Touro University and her BS- Nutrition & Food Science, Biochemistry from Cornell University. She is a Board Member of American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine, Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM), Co-founder & Medical Director at Medical Cannabis Mentor, ​Chief Medical Advisor at CannabisMD.com, Miraculo, and Chief Medical Advisor at Artemis CBD Shop. 

For over a decade, Dr. Chin lived and practiced medicine in California, a state with legalized medical cannabis since 1996. Her integrative medical practice focuses on children and adults with intractable epilepsy, autism, cancer, and chronic pain. She has seen firsthand just how much medical cannabis can benefit patients. 

Dr. Chin is a chronic pain survivor. Doctors suggested opiate pain medications, steroids, epidurals, and ultimately surgery to fuse the spine. As a result of her experience, Dr. Chin decided to dedicate her medical career to finding effective, integrative and holistic approaches to patient care. She has been an advocate for better understanding of the science and medicine of cannabis and has been profiled for her work in St. Jude’s Medical Center, Huffington Post, Cornell University, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, and NBC TODAY. 

Dr. Chin and her team of doctors are now bicoastal, servicing patients of California and New York. They have been integrating medical cannabis since 2001. She is a frequent keynote speaker on the science and medicine of cannabis and has spoken at hospitals, conferences, and events all over the world.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Chin discusses her experience with chronic pain, the intricacies of cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD), and how important it is that patients form a relationship with their doctor while being treated. She also talks about how tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) can be used to support our sleep. In the interview, viewers will see how Dr. Chin is a powerhouse of knowledge in medical and consumer perspectives about CBD applications in modern medicine and culture.

Michelle Garnett, Ph. D. is a clinical psychologist and founder of Minds & Hearts, a clinic specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Brisbane, Australia. Michelle has over 25 years of experience in all areas of ASD. She was awarded a PhD for her original research on ASD and psychological health in 2007. She co-wrote the first screening tool for Asperger’s syndrome in 1993, and for girls and women in 2011. Michelle has co-authored four books on ASD and has published peer reviewed journal articles. Her most recent book with Barb Cook is a seminal work on the female presentation, Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism. She has co-authored three books with Professor Tony Attwood on emotion management for children and adolescents. Michelle also provides ASD training for several Australian universities and has been involved with coverage of autism issues by the likes of The Sydney Morning Herald, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), The Courier Mail, and various other media outlets.

Interviewed by our Executive Director, Kristina Spiropoulos, Dr. Michelle Garnett shares the Minds & Hearts vision and goals, as a private clinic for Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC). She also speaks about the importance and value of education, research, and high-quality psychological services such as, screenings and diagnostic assessments. Michelle explains how these services can lead to breakthroughs in research and provide an understanding about ASC locally and globally. During the interview, Michelle also discusses pragmatics and why they are essential to social communication. Through Michelle and the Minds & Hearts team, one can be more enlightened and grasp the true nature of ASC by “working with the mind, through the heart.”

Marya Hornbacher is an award-winning essayist, journalist, novelist, poet, and survivor. Five of her books have been named New York Times bestsellers. She is best known for authoring “Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia” (1999), which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize; the book discusses her back-and-forth journey between bulimia and anorexia. Marya recounts how she thought she was “fat” at the age of five, how she developed bulimia at nine, anorexia at fourteen, and cycled through eating-disorder clinics hospitals until she weighed 52 pounds at age eighteen; this was when Marya was told she would not live longer than a week. 

Though Marya survived her ordeal with eating disorders, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her mid-twenties. Marya went on to write “Madness: A Bipolar Life” (2009), which eloquently described the frightening battle of her experience of mental illness. With the proper diagnosis and treatment for bipolar disorder, came self-knowledge and a remarkably stable life for Marya. 

Marya continues to write poetry, non-fiction pieces, and work in the journalism field. Her writing encopasses many topics, including bulimia, anorexia, recovery, mental health, addiction, and spirituality. Marya is hard at work on her seventh book, a collection of essays on the subject of solitude in women’s lives. She is also closely engaged in advocacy for mental health recovery, and is a frequent visitor to community-based mental health groups of all sizes and kinds, including National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). 

In the interview with our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Marya shares her compelling story and her journey of recovery. Marya discusses how self awareness and self compassion are vital in the process of healing. She also touches on the unintentional/intentional “glamorization” of eating disorders in the media and how the invasiveness of social media consumption plays a role in one’s mind. In addition, Marya provides outstanding writing advice for aspiring memoirists and writers. One can see the passion, honesty, grit and authenticity with which she speaks and writes. Afterall, Marya has stated, “When you deal with nonfiction, you deal with human characters.”

Victoria Garrick is a former Division I and semi-pro volleyball player, TED Talk speaker, mental health and body-image advocate, podcast host, and self-love enthusiast. She is deeply passionate about inspiring, supporting, and motivating people from all walks of life. Victoria walked on to the number one ranked University of Southern California (USC) volleyball team in 2015 and then became a four-year starter. She won a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC)-12 championship, made two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Elite Eight appearances, finished first in the PAC-12 conference with the most total digs in 2018, and ended her career with the top five most digs in USC program history.

Despite a successful athletic career, the high-pressure environment and intense demands of her student-athlete schedule took a toll on Victoria’s mental health. She shared her story of battling and overcoming depression, anxiety, and body image issues as a student-athlete, in her 2017 TED Talk, “Athletes and Mental Health: The Hidden Opponent.” In 2019, Victoria founded a non-profit organization and advocacy group with the same name, The Hidden Opponent, that raises awareness for student-athlete mental health and addresses the stigma within sports culture.

As a retired athlete, Victoria has come full circle with her challenges with mental health and body image. She is an advocate for body positivity and body neutrality. Victoria is an inspiration to young girls and athletes everywhere encouraging them to love their bodies and to be vocal about their mental health. She continues to travel the country speaking on college campuses about mental health and creates daily content for her army of over one million people, who follow her message of authenticity and self-care on social media. 

Interviewed by our Founder and President, Alexandra Nicholas, Victoria shares her story of overcoming the burden of mental health, the important lessons that she has learned about herself on and off the volleyball court, and how the stigma of athletes with mental health has evolved. It is evident that Victoria, through her dedication and support, has created a community of athletes that share their struggles, which helps others know they are not alone. Victoria says, “I hope to influence people to be the best version of themselves, and I hope to do this every day.”