Freespira Launches Advisory Council to Help Fuel Expansion Across Health Plan and Employer Markets in 2022

KIRKLAND, Wash., Feb. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Freespira, Inc., maker of the first FDA-cleared digital therapeutic treatment to significantly reduce or eliminate panic attacks, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in only 28 days, today announced a new Advisory Council to support company growth in 2022 and beyond.

"Freespira is at the forefront of the tech-enabled behavioral health treatment space at an incredibly exciting time for health plans, employers, providers and patients, who now have more options than ever before for how, where, and when to access the mental health solutions that they want and deserve," said Solome Tibebu, one of the new Advisory Council members. "The new Advisory Council has the potential to help Freespira make an even bigger impact on patients' lives as the treatment reaches more and more people struggling with panic attacks and PTSD symptoms."

Freespira's Advisory Council members include:

• Hansa Bhargava, MD, is a board certified pediatrician and staff member at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She is the author of the book, Building Happier Kids, and former senior medical director at WebMD. Bhargava has extensive experience in digital health, strategic partnerships, and innovation.
• Avrim Fishkind, MD, has practiced emergency and community psychiatry for the last 25 years. He is the founder of JSA Health Telepsychiatry, one of the nation's first 24/7 telepsychiatry companies, as well as a past president of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry.
• Donald Jones is the co-founder and chair of IMPACT, the Virtual First Medical Practice Collaborative, at The Digital Medicine Society, the professional society for the digital medicine community, and a global thought leader, investor and board member in digital health.
• Amar Kendale is a healthcare technology executive and entrepreneur who previously served as the chief product officer of Livongo and Teladoc.
• Richard Montwill currently serves as a strategic health plan advisor the Employee Healthcare Innovation Roundtable. He is also the former senior vice president of corporate strategy at Optum.
• The Honorable David Shulkin, MD, served as the ninth Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the former Under Secretary for Health. He now works with innovative organizations and companies that support veterans.
• Alan H. Spiro, MD, MBA, is the president and chief medical officer of Laguna Health. He is also the former co-founder of Accolade and previously served as chief medical officer, chief strategy officer and head of data science and analytics for Blue Health Intelligence. 
• Michael Telch, PhD, is a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Texas. He is internationally recognized for his scientific research on the nature and treatment of panic, phobias, trauma and anxiety-related disorders.
• Solome Tibebu is the founder and host of Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech, the leading community for health plans, employers, providers and tech companies to advance access to mental health services through technology and innovation.

"We're excited to welcome our Advisory Council members, each of whom brings unique expertise and shares our commitment to bringing life-changing treatment to more people across the country," said Simon Thomas, president of Freespira. "We expect to use the support and guidance of this prestigious group of professionals as a catalyst for more growth – and we look forward to what we can accomplish together."

Freespira is transforming the treatment of panic attacks, panic disorder and PTSD symptoms by addressing the common underlying physiological factor of these conditions. As an alternative to medications and therapy, the treatment normalizes breathing irregularities developed in response to underlying carbon dioxide (CO²) hypersensitivity, which contributes to the symptoms of panic disorder and PTSD. Freespira provides users with real-time physiological feedback-based training to regulate their respiration rate and exhaled CO² levels. Personalized, virtual coaching guides patients through the care journey to deliver maximum benefits from the twice daily, 17-minute treatments.

Photos of the new Advisory Council members are available upon request.

About Freespira, Inc.

Freespira, Inc. is the maker of Freespira, the only FDA-cleared digital therapeutic treatment proven to significantly reduce or eliminate panic attacks, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in just 28 days. Health plans, self-insured employers and the Veterans Administration provide the company's medication-free solutions to improve quality of life, reduce medical expenditures and support the appropriate use of valuable healthcare resources. Find out how at www.freespira.com.

Media Contact:

Todd Stein
Todd Stein Communications
510-417-0612
[email protected]

SOURCE Freespira, Inc.