The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives, and that begins within.
Dr. Thekla Ross is a clinical psychologist, national leader in addiction medicine, and trusted advisor at the intersection of mental health, technology, and human connection. For more than two decades, she has helped reshape the fields of behavioral health and healthcare operations through evidence-based practice, compassion-driven leadership, and innovative harm reduction strategies.
She spent 14 years at Kaiser Permanente, where she directed national addiction operations and research, spearheaded the organization’s Harm Reduction Strategy, and co-created a nationwide initiative to support the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals during the pandemic. In addition to her health system leadership, she has served as a strategic advisor to the NIH and guided tech companies in guiding us back to human connection
An experienced communicator and educator, Dr. Ross has taught self-compassion and clinical communication skills to medical students, physicians, executives, and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad. Her teaching spans programs at the University of Colorado, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Hazelden Betty Ford, among others.
Today, she is widely recognized as a leading voice on digital harm reduction and self-compassion in the age of social media. She also serves on the board of a public art and sculpture garden on the shores of Lake Michigan.
