Mental Health & Sowa Rigpa

Sowa Rigpa Forum 2024

14-16 June 2024

Viljandi, Estonia

Themes explored during the forum

The forum was devoted to the exploration of mental health and wellbeing within Sowa Rigpa, drawing on Tibetan medicine and contemporary therapeutic understanding. Through thoughtful exchange, it invited reflection on ways these traditions may support emotional balance and inner stability.

The first day was dedicated to reflections on mental health through the lens of Sowa Rigpa.
Speakers from Tibetan medicine, psychology, and related fields shared perspectives on emotional wellbeing, psychosomatic balance, and compassionate approaches to care.
The day invited careful listening and dialogue on how traditional knowledge may support resilience and self-understanding.
The second day explored dreams and sleep as meaningful aspects of health, alongside the therapeutic role of medicinal plants within Sowa Rigpa.
Through presentations and discussion, participants reflected on how dream experiences, sleep quality, and traditional formulas may contribute to mental and emotional balance.
The day offered space to consider subtle aspects of healing and restoration.
The final day was devoted to study and the sharing of research within the Sowa Rigpa community.
Students and graduates presented thesis work and independent research, opening space for dialogue, feedback, and collective learning.
The day emphasized continuity, education, and the ongoing transmission of knowledge.

35+ expert speakers from around the world

Dr Nida Chenagtsang སྨན་པ་ཉི་ཟླ།

Traditional Tibetan physician and lineage holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig.
Dr. Chencho Dorji སྨན་པ་རྡོ་རྗེ།

Bhutan’s First Psychiatrist; Professor of Psychiatry at Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences.
Dr. Machik སྨན་པ་མ་ཅིག།

Senior Sowa Rigpa doctor and professor in Amdo, Northeastern Tibet.
Dr. Caroline Van Damme

Senior Psychiatrist, Sowa Rigpa mental counselling in Belgium.
Anu Rootalu-Wachsmann

Sowa Rigpa Practitioner and teacher in Estonia, Buddhist since 1980s
Dr. Olev Poolamets

Senior Andrologist, Sowa Rigpa, Buddhism, in Estonia
Dr. Emilio Gallotta

Medical doctor, Sowa Rigpa doctor, translator
Dr Nyima Tsering སྨན་པ་ཉི་མ་ཚེ་རིང་

Sowa Rigpa Physician in Nepal; Founding Principle of the International College of Sowa Rigpa at Lumbini University in Nepal
Dr. Anastazie Holecko

MD, Sowa Rigpa practitioner, Functional Medicine, Rejuvenation
Dr. Petra Poolamets

Senior Estonian psychiatrist, Buddhist philosophies, in Finland.
Dr. Carroll Dunham

American medical anthropologist, writer and producer for National Geographic, PBS and BBC.
Dr. Cecile Vennos

Head of Quality, Regulatory, and Medical Scientific Affairs at Padma AG
Dr. Diego Hangartner

Specialising in psychopharmacology and addiction, author, public speaker
Erve Sõõru MD, PhD

Pulmonologist, Head of Department of Pulmonology, Confido Medical Centre, in Tallinn, Estonia.

"This conference created a rare space where clinical science, cultural wisdom, and lived experience came together.

— Conference Attendee
What stood out most was the diversity of perspectives. Hearing from practitioners across cultures fundamentally reshaped how I think about holistic mental health care.

— Mental Health Professional
“Every session felt intentional and well-curated. I left with practical insights, new connections, and a renewed sense of purpose in my work.

— Healthcare Researcher
“An inspiring and intellectually rich event. The conversations extended far beyond the sessions and stayed with me long after the conference ended.

— Conference Attendee