Emma Bragdon

Emma serves as the Executive Director of Integrative Mental Health University, which she founded in 2013 to deliver online courses helping people understand the important role of spirituality in mental health through a biopsychosocial and spiritual paradigm. She holds a PhD and wrote her dissertation in the 1980s on supporting individuals in spiritual crisis or spiritual emergency, drawing from field research in Brazil that informed her approach. With well over 45 years in the field, Emma has written seven books, co-produced two documentary films, and contributed numerous podcasts, articles, and book chapters. Her daily work includes writing Substack articles and newsletters, preparing one-hour open houses, developing courses on assisting youth in navigating challenging states of consciousness to build resilience and self-awareness, and managing extensive email correspondence. She performs considerable volunteer work for the nonprofit Integrative Health University and attributes her drive to the need to assist all people, especially young people opening up spiritually who may be in stress. Looking ahead, she seeks to transition administrative duties to a new executive director so she can focus on teaching and spreading awareness of the biopsychosocial and spiritual model of care through podcasts and other opportunities. Her advice to young women entering the industry is to follow their heart and have faith.