The success of AKESO conference in 2023 has led to the return of this pioneering event in 2024. Akeso, the goddess of curing sickness, sister to Panacea, is the inspiration for this innovative event that embodies our ethos of integrative wellness: the Akeso Lyme Practitioner Training Conference on 31st August and 1st September 2024.
Understanding Tick-Borne Infections
As naturopathic practitioners in Glasgow, we’re fervently dedicated to unearthing healing paths for the most challenging conditions. Presenting a tailor-made weekend symposium for herbalists, naturopaths, nutritionists and other healthcare practitioners working with patients with tick-borne infections, the core of this conference lies in the pursuit of an integrative approach to Lyme disease treatment. Understanding Lyme and its co-infections poses a formidable challenge for both patients and practitioners, AKESO gathering is designed to illuminate a beacon of hope.
What to Expect
The event promises insightful talks from seasoned health practitioners who’ve navigated the intricate terrain of Lyme treatment. Expect engaging case histories accompanied by interactive Q&A sessions, delving into the challenges, practical steps, and real outcomes these practitioners have encountered. It’s an invaluable opportunity to unravel the mysteries of Lyme treatment, share knowledge, and foster collaborative discussions.
You’re invited to secure your spot at this transformative event. Tickets are available for purchase on Ticket Tailor.
Your participation isn’t just a personal investment; it’s a contribution toward a greater cause with all profits generated to be donated to the CLAID clinic.
CLAID Clinic at Napiers
Speaking of the CLAID clinic, we are a cooperative specialising in combatting the long-term effects of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. From Lyme to Bartonella and beyond, we stand steadfast in supporting patients facing recurring or antibiotic-resistant infections. Our holistic approach, combining herbal, naturopathic, and Chinese TCM practices, is complemented by personalised protocols addressing diet, stress, and lifestyle factors.
Continuing a Legacy
Furthermore, our ties with Napiers Herbal Health & Wellbeing trace back to a legacy of healing. Founded by Duncan Napier, whose journey from adversity to herbal expertise remains our guiding light, our commitment to affordable natural healthcare endures. The ethos of TRIED, TESTED, TRUSTED resonates in every herbal remedy we offer, reflecting our dedication to holistic wellness.
Book Attendance to AKESO LYME Conference Today
We invite you to join us at the AKESO LYME Practitioner Training Conference. Let’s experience a collective journey toward unravelling the complexities of Lyme disease and paving the way for integrative healing practices.
Speaker Profiles (In Order of Speaking)
Monica Wilde, MSc, ILADS, Research Herbalist.
Monica founded the Claid Clinic (Claid stands for Covid, Lyme And Infectious Diseases) specialising in the Lyme disease complex, at Napiers the Herbalists in 2019. She has a Masters Degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Lancaster and is a member of ILADS. Exasperated by the negativity around herbal medicines and concerned about polypharmacy, her thesis and subsequent work focussed on the beneficial concomitant prescribing of drugs, herbs and micronutrients. She then specialised in Lyme disease, studying under the renowned herbalist Julie McIntyre who practiced alongside the late Stephen Harrod Buhner who pioneered the herbal treatment of Lyme. Since 2019, Monica has focussed on treating patients with tick borne infections. She is committed to highlighting the plight of these chronically-ill patients who are rarely treated by mainstream medicine, and is dedicated to their treatment through herbal and integrated medicine protocols. Mo is also the author of The Wilderness Cure, winner of the John Avery Award 2022.
Professor John Lambert, M.D., PhD, Infectious Disease Consultant.
Professor Dr. John (Jack) Lambert is Consultant in Infectious Diseases in Dublin at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and Professor at UCD School of Medicine. Dr. Lambert has 25 years of experience in Infectious Diseases covering HIV, Hepatitis C, and other disease areas. He trained in the USA, UK, and worked for 6 years in Baltimore at the John Hopkins Institute and the University of Maryland Institute of Human Virology, where he developed his skills in vaccinology, HIV, and Lyme and co-infections. He has consultant specialty certifications in adult and pediatric infectious diseases, general medicine and pediatrics, and in sexual health (genitourinary medicine). He was head of the National Isolation Unit of Ireland (2010-2018), managing all emerging infections. He is the only infectious diseases physician in Ireland managing Lyme and co-infections, and has developed a private practice seeing such patients.
Kim Stirling, BSc, Medical Herbalist.
Kim is a Medical Herbalist in the Western herbal medicine tradition. She originally qualified as a dental nurse in 1996. As a Lead Dental Nurse for over 20 years in a busy practice, she helped to implement a better ‘patient journey’ including pre and post appointment advice. However, holistic health had always interested her and she qualified in massage in 2001 and 2002 before enrolling in the BSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine degree course at Napier University, Edinburgh – completing her studies in 2007. From 2016, she worked as Compliance Manager for Avena Consultants, reviewing botanical products and herbal supplements – a challenge that required excellent administration, research, legal and scientific skills. Underpinning both her roles was a love of science, therapeutics and research. Kim returned to herbal medicine practice in 2020 and has specialized in Lyme at Napiers Claid Clinic since then. Kim also works as the Medical Secretary for the Claid Clinic based at Napiers Bathgate. Her research skills make her a valuable member of the Lyme disease team – a much under-documented condition which affects many people across the U.K.
Katina Makris,CCH, CIH, Certified Homeopath
Katina Makris, CCH, CIH, is a renowned Certified Homeopath and Certified Spiritual Healer, multi award winning author, host of “Lyme Light Radio” and widely known for her work with Lyme disease, autoimmune illnesses and mind body spirit medicine. She sat on the board of the Council for Homeopathic Medicine Certification for seven years. Her 35 plus years of private practice, motivational speaking and philanthropic work give Katina a broad spectrum of human relations. Katina is a graduate of Duke University and The Stillpoint School of Integrative Life Healing. In the 1980s she was mentored by Dr George Vithoulkas and Dr Francesco Eizayaga. Having overcome ten years of neurological Lyme, she lends insights as patient and practitioner both. Katina inspires and ignites her audiences’ ability to overcome adversity. As one of the few certified Spiritual Healers in the USA, her work at the energetic planes of illness and healing are highly sought after. Her 4 pronged approach for Lyme recovery is widely praised. “My belief is that this is the epidemic of our era that asks us to marry the two hands of health care; the diagnostic tools and pharmaceutical weaponry of allopathic medicine with the restorative therapeutics of natural medicine, for we all know two hands working together are better than one. Tending to the spirit is just as essential as mending the body.”
Hillary Thing, LAc, Master Herbalist
Hillary Thing, MS, LAc. is a Holistic Infectious Disease Specialist with 25 years of clinical experience. She trains health professionals in natural approaches to healing complex disease through the Holistic Lyme Practitioner Mentorship online course and other offerings available through www.uprootinglyme.com. She treats patients AKESO 2024: Herbal Lyme Practitioner Symposium both in-person and via telemedicine at the Nourishing Life Health Center in Kingston, NY (USA). Hillary is also Chief Formulator at Bloom & Reveal Botanicals (www.bloomreveal.com), a company that specializes in herbal medicines for the treatment of chronic health issues and infectious disease.
Natasha Lloyd, BSc, MNIMH, Medical Herbalist.
Natasha is an experienced and qualified medical herbalist in Western herbal medicine, a forager and mycotherapist. She qualified in 2013 from University of East London (after the course was transferred from the School of Phytotherapy). She joined the Claid Clinic in January 2023 and also practices at the Napiers Edinburgh clinic. She is a member and director of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
Dr. Daniel Kinderlehrer, M.D.
Dr. Daniel A. Kinderlehrer, M.D. is a nationally recognized physician with expertise in the fields of nutrition, allergy, environmental medicine, Lyme disease and the healing of mind-body- spirit as a unified whole. Dr. Kinderlehrer co-founded The New England Center for Holistic Medicine in Newbury MA, and has taught extensively, including practitioner training courses at The Omega Institute, The National Institute of Behavioral Medicine, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. He created and organized the Lyme Fundamentals course which is presented annually at the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society conferences. He is the author of many articles in medical journals, the Lyme Times and Psychology Today. His integrated medical practice in Denver, CO focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne illness. Dr. Kinderlehrer is the author of Recovery From Lyme Disease: The Integrative Medicine Guide to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tick-Borne Illness, which was published in March 2021.
Dr. Neil Nathan, M.D.
Dr. Neil Nathan, MD has been practicing medicine for 50 years, and has been Board Certified in Family Practice and Pain Management and is a Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine and a Founding Diplomate of ISEAI. Dr. Nathan has been treating chronic complex medical illnesses for 30 years now, and Lyme disease for the past 20 years. As his practice has evolved, he finds himself increasingly treating the patients who have become so sensitive and toxic that they can no longer tolerate their usual treatments, and his major current interest is in finding unique ways of helping them to recover. He has written several books, including Healing is Possible: New Hope for Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Persistent Pain, and Other Chronic Illnesses and On Hope and Healing: For Those Who Have Fallen Through the Medical Cracks. He has hosted an internationally syndicated radio program/podcast on Voice America called The Cutting Edge of Health and Wellness Today. He has been working to bring an awareness that mold toxicity is a major contributing factor for patients with chronic illness and lectures internationally on this subject which led to the publication of his ebook, Mold and Mycotoxins: Current Evaluation in 2016, (updated 2022), and his best-selling book Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chronic Environmental Illness. Winter of 2021 saw the publication of Energetic Diagnosis, a discussion of the value of intuition and energetic devices as an aid to both diagnosis and treatment of medical illness. His newest book is planned for release next year, Why Am I So Sensitive? (and what to do about it). He can be contacted most easily through his website www.neilnathanmd.com, through which consultations are available. He is currently providing mentorship in the treatment of chronic inflammatory illness to approximately 150 physicians, with Jill Crista, ND and for those interested in mentorship, please use the website to register.
Angela MacRitchie, Naturopathic Herbalist
Angela has been a member of the CLAID clinic co-operative for 5 years. She studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) qualifying as a Naturopath, Naturopathic Nutritionist and Herbalist in 2015. She is now a CNM lecturer and also tutors and mentors CNM students. Prior to this Angela gained qualifications and experience over 19 years in massage forms, reiki and energy therapies. Her philosophy is wellness of the whole person (mind-body-spirit), and needs to be addressed for long term health change to take place. Her clinic is very varied, but focuses mainly on Lyme disease and chronic illness patients. Angela is a passionate advocate for nutrition as a way to promote optimal health. Having experienced the healing power of nature connection and ecotherapy, Angela is a certified Forest Bathing Guide and Nature Therapy Practitioner. Angela is a member of the Association of Master Herbalists (AMH), British Association of Nutritional Therapists (BANT), Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP) & the Unified Register of Herbal Practitioners (URHP).
Dr. Minha Rajput-Ray MBChB, DO, ND DOccMed, DDAM, Dip BSLM/IBLM, FIANE, FRSPH.
Dr. Minha is an integrative physician at the Curaidh Clinic www.curaidh.com in Scotland, providing innovative solutions for pain, chronic disease and work health. Her career spans 20 years as a Medical Doctor with expertise in integrative / lifestyle / occupational / disability / functional / environmental / naturopathic and osteopathic medicine. To further this understanding, Dr Minha successfully secured a highly coveted NIHR (Walport) Academic Clinical Fellowship in Rheumatology and General Medicine, at the Universities of Manchester and Wolfson College, Cambridge and upon completion pursued further training in Occupational, Disability and Environmental Medicine. Another series of health events led Dr Minha to Board Certification in Lifestyle Medicine. Dr Minha has been a recipient of the Mobbs Corporate Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians, Faculty of Occupational Medicine and the Golden Jubilee Fellowship of the Society for Occupational Medicine and the MNI Award at the European Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN).
Professor Leona Gilbert, PhD.
Professor Leona Gilbert is a Docent of Cell and Molecular Biology and the CEO of Te?ted Oy, a university spinoff company that has a goal to get the patient tested so they can be treated and recover quicker. She has a doctorate in biotechnology and a very long experience in bio-innovation and bio-business. She has supervised numerous PhD, MSc and BSc students and her various peer-reviewed articles span turning research results into translational value with developing novel delivery vectors as well as diagnostic platforms. In addition, Gilbert’s publications also demonstrate the thorough investigation of how a common virus or bacterium can contribute to autoimmune diseases. Another highlight in these publications is the demonstration of a multi-disciplinary background and collaborative efforts between clinicians, microbiologists, diagnostic developers, nano-scientists, physicists and engineers. Gilbert’s research initiatives into complete diagnostic platforms and clinical profiling of patients for tick-borne and autoimmune diseases will allow a better understanding of how chronic conditions could be established with infectious pathogens.
Rika Keck, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner
Rika K. Keck is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, FDN-P. She founded NY Integrated Health, LLC, a holistic nutrition, fitness, and wellness company in 2007. Currently she is based in NYC, NY, and in Washington Depot, CT. Rika’s interest in Lyme disease and co-infections began back in 2006 after attending a Lyme disease conference by Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt. Since then, she has committed herself to ongoing studies in the arena of Lyme disease and associated vector-borne infections, biotoxin illness, and other chronic illnesses. Rika also places emphasis on spiritual wellness as part of a healing journey, integrating the somatic-based Feldenkrais Method and other modalities. (She is a certified Feldenkrais ‘Awareness Through Movement’ practitioner.) In 2017, she published her first book entitled, ‘Nourish, Heal, Thrive: A comprehensive and holistic approach to living with Lyme disease’. It’s a resourceful read for individuals during antibiotic or alternative Lyme disease treatment and for those who never fully recovered post-treatment. Her second book is Nourish Your Brain Cookbook: Discover how to keep your brain healthy with 60 delicious recipes that was published in the fall of 2017. Since December 2016, Rika has been a member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). As of 2018, Rika has been a founding member of The Global Lyme Alliance Ambassador Program, which is committed to community education and outreach. Currently she is enrolled in a Holistic Pet Coaching certification program with Dr. Ruth Roberts, incorporation Functional and Chinese Medicine.
Dr. Ron Stram, M.D. Founder of the Stram Center.
My 25 years of work as a board certified emergency medicine physician had prompted me to recognize the need for holistic and preventative care as a means to reduce the debilitation associated with chronic disease so often seen too late in the emergency setting. I felt a strong connection to my original motives for becoming a doctor and decided to expand my career in a new direction by seeking out the Integrative Medicine fellowship program at the University of Arizona with Dr. Andrew Weil in 2001. After successfully completing my two year fellowship training, I felt committed to providing this form of medicine to my own hometown. This inspired me to establish the Stram Center for Integrative Medicine in 2003. The Stram Center’s collaboration between conventionally trained medical doctors with complementary providers is anchored by the respect for the wisdom and science across shared disciplines. More minds working as a team has proved to be more effective in addressing the needs of our patients. Our integrative approach continues to reinforce my belief that when a medical environment focuses on the social, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of individuals with chronic health conditions and their support network, healing can occur. It is my experience that this is the kind of healthcare people are seeking. Every day at the office, I feel privileged to work with my colleagues who share this philosophy of healthcare.
Clare Holohan, BSc, Medical Herbalist.
Clare is an experienced, qualified Medical Herbalist in the Western herbal medicine tradition. She is based in the West Highlands of Scotland, home to deer, livestock, ticks, and Lyme disease. She joined the Napiers Claid Clinic in 2022 also practicing at West Highland Herbal Clinic. She began her degree in Herbal Medicine at the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine in Glasgow. During this time she qualified with a diploma in Holistic Massage and a Diploma in Clinical Aromatherapy. She also studied nutrition, organic growing, practical pharmacy and plant identification. Following the School’s closure in 2010, she transferred to the University of East London where she graduated in 2011 with a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine. Clare takes a patient-centred approach, with the treatment and advice tailored to the individual. By using herbs, nutrition and lifestyle advice, Clare combines her empathetic approach with encouraging her patients to take responsibility for their own health while supporting them in this process. This leads to lasting changes and all-round better health and well-being. Clare is the author of Scotland’s Wild Medicine.
Audrey Marchbank, BSc (Hons), MNIMH, Medical Herbalist.
Audrey graduated from Edinburgh’s Napier University in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine and Phytotherapy. She has practised with the Napiers Claid Clinic since 2022 and also at the Ellwyn Herbal Practice, Napiers Bathgate clinic and Grass Roots Remedies. She has been working with the latter at the Wester Hailes Community Herbal Clinic, a low-cost community clinic offered to residents of Wester Hailes since 2017. The core of Audrey’s belief and vision in practice is to give time for an individual to be heard and to work in partnership together to obtain the best possible health and wellness achievable. Looking at not only a tailored herbal approach but also diet, nutrition and lifestyle as well as emotional wellbeing. To expand her nutritional knowledge, Audrey is studying Nutritional Medicine at Surrey University.
Dr. Ged Corcoran MS, FRCS.
Dr. Ged Corcoran is a retired Consultant in Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, having qualified from the University of London in 1975. He was also the Medical Director of Woodlands Hospice, Liverpool. Ged helped to develop regional and national guidelines for palliative and end of life care and was a consultant to the Analysis and Modelling Working Group on the Department of Health’s ‘End of Life Care Strategy’ 2008. From 2000-2011, Ged was Medical Director of the Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network covering a population of 2.2 million people and involved in the integration of cancer services across 12 major hospitals. After a long career in medicine, Ged was bitten by a tick and contracted Lyme disease. Relapsing after conventional treatment, he explored an integrative approach including herbal medicine.