Nurturing the Mind: A Dialogue between a Psychiatrist & a Yogi

A Six Week Course with Dr. Nida Chenagtsang & Dr. Caroline Van Damme

Facilitated by Stephen James Pigott, host of the Guru Viking Podcast

Join Dr. Nida Chenagtsang and Dr. Caroline Van Damme for an unprecedented exploration of mental health through the complementary lenses of modern psychiatry and Tibetan healing wisdom. Facilitated by podcaster and educator Steve James, this six-week online course brings together two expert perspectives to illuminate the full spectrum of mental wellbeing.

Over 13 bi-weekly sessions, we'll explore essential topics including attachment theory, trauma, personality development, mood disturbances, anxiety, grief, psychosis, and the intersection of dharma and mental health. We'll learn how Western clinical understanding and Eastern contemplative practices can work together to support healing, resilience, and genuine transformation—for individuals, families, and communities.

Participants will be invited to bring focused questions on particular topics and relevant case examples to the conversation, creating opportunities for fresh insights and practical guidance from both teachers as they respond to specific challenges.
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Format

Live on Zoom
Access to recordings for one year

Spanish Translation will be offered in simultaneous Zoom channel with option to watch video recordings with Spanish subtitles

Schedule

Tuesdays & Saturdays
March 14 - April 25 2026

8:30 - 10am Los Angeles
11:30am - 1pm New York
4:30 - 6pm London
5:30 - 7pm Rome

Check your time zone

This course is open to all—those on a path of self-healing, practitioners working with clients, and dharma students seeking to deepen their understanding of the mind. For those interested in furthering their studies, eligible students may apply to join the next cohort of SRI's Sowa Rigpa Counselor program beginning in Fall of 2026.

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is a traditional Tibetan physician, author, and lineage holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig, the spiritual heart of Tibetan medicine. Born in northeastern Tibet, he trained at Lhasa Tibetan Medical University, completed his clinical work at the Tibetan Medicine hospitals in Lhasa and Lhoka. Alongside this rigorous medical training, Dr. Nida immersed himself in Vajrayana Buddhism with teachers from all the major Tibetan traditions and spent extensive periods in meditation retreat in Tibet.

A pioneering researcher and teacher of Sowa Rigpa, he is the founder and academic director of the Sowa Rigpa Institute and trains students in over forty countries worldwide. His life’s mission is to make the Medicine Buddha’s lineage and the wisdom of Tibetan medicine accessible and alive for people today.

Dr. Caroline Van Damme

Dr. Caroline Van Damme is an adult psychiatrist and family and systemic psychotherapist, based in Belgium. She works at the “Brussels Night Hospital”, specialized in psychosocial rehabilitation for patients suffering from psychotic disorders. She shares the vision that human beings should be regarded in all their dimensions (biological, psychosocial, spiritual and ecological), rather than a purely medical dimension.

Dr. Caroline co-teaches SRI's Sowa Rigpa Counseling Course with Dr. Nida, combining traditional Sowa Rigpa and Buddhist approaches along with modern day psychological approaches to help people suffering from mental difficulties.

Stephen James Pigott

Stephen James Pigott travels internationally leading workshops in somatic enquiry, contemplative practice, interpersonal skills, and high performance. His private consulting practice specialises in the relational and strategic challenges faced by highly visible individuals. Ongoing clients include Oscar-winning actors, multi-Grammy-winning musicians, and leaders in technology and finance.

Steve is the host of the Guru Viking Podcast, which features in-depth interviews with remarkable teachers and scholars of meditation, spirituality, and religion. He is the founder of the Movement Koan® Method, a fusion of joint-nourishing movement and body-based mindfulness. He is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Tibetology at the University of Oxford.