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In Person
Pathways to Innovation Conference

Building Resilience from the Gut Up: An Innovative Approach to Mental Wellness

Terri Ward, MS, FNTP, CGP
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Pricing

Information

Date & Time

Location

  • Room 7
    100 Oklahoma City Blvd
    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73109

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Explain how dysbiosis, inflammation, and vagal tone influence stress response, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.

  • Apply at least three practical strategies for promoting gut health and vagal tone, including dietary recommendations, lifestyle modifications, and nervous system regulation techniques.

  • Use gut health and vagal tone insights in their counseling approach, while making appropriate referrals and adhering to ethical guidelines.

Educational Goal

To increase knowledge of how the gut microbiome, inflammation, and dietary choices influence mental health and provide strategies, within one’s scope of practice, to address these connections.

Description

Emerging research highlights the profound connection between gut health, the vagus nerve, resilience, and mental well-being. This workshop explores how the gut microbiome (dysbiosis), inflammation, and dietary choices impact emotional regulation, stress resilience, and cognitive function. Attendees will learn evidence-based strategies for improving gut health, regulating the nervous system, and supporting resilience through dietary recommendations, lifestyle modifications, and vagal toning techniques. This session equips professionals with practical tools to integrate gut-brain insights into their practice while staying within their scope of practice and making appropriate referrals, as necessary.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Terri Ward, MS, FNTP, CGP
Terri Ward is a functional nutritionist, writer, and speaker specializing in gut health and the mind-body-spirit connection. She holds a Master of Science in Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine from the University of Western States and is a Certified Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP). As a contributor to The Epoch Times, she writes evidence-based health guides examining the role of diet, lifestyle, and mindset in disease development, along with natural and complementary approaches to wellness. Terri also provides personalized nutrition consulting through her private practice, with a focus on gut health, inflammation reduction, and stress management. She takes a functional approach to identifying root causes of health challenges, working in collaboration with other professionals to support clients' overall well-being. Her work complements behavioral therapy by offering an evidence-based perspective on how nutrition, gut health, and lifestyle factors influence emotional resilience and mental well-being.