Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW, is an Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, where he directs UCSD ONEMIND. A leading figure in mindfulness science and addiction treatment, he developed Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), an innovative intervention grounded in cognitive, affective, and neurobiological research. Dr. Garland has led or co-led more than $90 million in federally funded research, including major trials supported by the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense, focused on addiction, chronic pain, and integrative health. Previously a Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Utah, he has also advised national policy through the NIH HEAL Initiative and briefed both the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and Congress on evidence-based approaches to the opioid crisis. With over 280 scientific publications, he has been identified as one of the most prolific mindfulness researchers globally, and his work has been widely featured in major media outlets. A licensed psychotherapist with more than two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Garland integrates mindfulness-based therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and clinical hypnosis in treating addiction, trauma, and chronic pain, and is widely regarded as a leading expert on mind-body interventions for opioid misuse.

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Ben Mushlin is the founder of Searchlight Therapy, a practice dedicated to providing individualized care for adolescents, young adults, and families navigating substance use and mental health challenges. A psychotherapist whose work is informed by his own lived experience with substance use and trauma, he began his career in New York City’s recovery community in sober living residences before moving into roles as a Recovery Coach, Case Manager, and leader of a NYC Department of Health opioid overdose response team. He earned his Master of Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and has held positions as an outpatient psychotherapist, director of a transitional living program for adults with co-occurring disorders, and Clinical Director at a leading adolescent and young adult outpatient program in New York City. In 2026, he authored Lighting the Way: A Parent’s Guide to Walking With Teens and Young Adults Through Substance Use and Mental Health Challenges.

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Stephanie Hazard is a highly sought-after recovery coach and companion. In recovery for 26 years, her experiential knowledge, expertise, and professional training, empower her ability to help others achieve and sustain recovery and wellness.

She is a certified peer recovery specialist (CPRS) as well as a certified Carolyn Costin Institute eating disorder recovery coach (CCIEDC). She has been a Keynote speaker and leads recovery and wellness workshops. She is a member of the International Association of Recovery Coach Professionals (IARCP), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Stephanie also volunteers her time at Silver Hill Hospital, CCAR, and serves on the Advisory Board of Inservice Foundation. Stephanie launched her private coaching practice in 2020 and continues to work with premier recovery support services agencies in the U.S. and internationally.

Her book, Making Sobriety Stick: A Recovery Coach’s Guide to Sustainable Change is being published by Diversion Books on September 22, 20-26 during National Recovery Month, and will be distributed by Simon and Schuster.

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