September 14th, 2026 - Functional Forum (Northern Colorado)

We're excited to return to the Colorado House of Prayer for our September Functional Forum! With plenty of room to gather, it's the perfect opportunity to invite colleagues who would enjoy an evening of networking, learning, and connection. We're also pleased to welcome back Microbiome Labs as our sponsor and presenter for what promises to be another engaging and informative evening.

The conversation about mental and emotional wellness has been missing a critical voice, the gut. Emerging research on the microbiome-gut-brain axis is reshaping how clinicians think about the relationship between intestinal health, mood, and stress response.

This session will explore the science of psychobiotics and takes a focused look at clinically researched keystone strains influencing the gut-brain axis. Participants will review human studies, explore biome-based strategies, and leave with a practical framework for identifying patients who may benefit from targeted probiotic nutritional support.

Science has finally caught up to the conversation.

In this talk, we will:

• Dive into the microbiome-gut-brain axis and its primary communication pathways including the vagus nerve, HPA axis, and microbial metabolite signaling, explaining how gut health may influence stress response, mental health and neurological function.
• Define psychobiotics and examine the evidence for how targeted probiotic strains may support a healthy gut-brain connection, healthy mood, and stress physiology.
• Explore clinical strain-specific research on supporting healthy cortisol levels, managing functional gastrointestinal conditions, cognitive function under everyday stress, and normal sleep quality.
• Apply biome-based clinical strategies through assessing gut microbiome status, identifying who benefits from gut-brain support, and how to incorporate targeted probiotic support into clinical care.

Event Sponsor

Microbiome Labs

Speaker Highlight
Jenny Olson is a nationally board-certified holistic nutritionist with over a decade of experience in the wellness industry. She has served as both a public health educator and a nutrition therapist. In addition to her background, Jenny runs a private nutrition therapy practice where she works one-on-one with clients to develop comprehensive nutrition and healing programs, with a goal of empowering people with the tools and knowledge to cultivate lifelong vibrant health. In 2024, Jenny joined Microbiome Labs as a clinical liaison, where she supports practitioner education and training.

Agenda
6:00 – 6:30 | Socialize & Snacks
(Feel free to bring a snack or beverage to share)

6:30 – 6:45 | Announcements

6:45 – 7:00 | Icebreaker

7:00 – 8:10 | Presentation with Jenny Olson, MNT, BCHN - Minding the Microbiome: Your Second Brain is Talking- Are You Listening? The Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis and a new frontier of biome-based care

8:10 – 8:30 | Networking

We’re really looking forward to another great evening together—hope you’ll join us and bring someone along!

Just a reminder that the best parking is under the Target building at Mulberry and College. A picture is attached to help with location.