Psychotherapy · Mindfulness · Executive Coaching · Mind-Body Medicine

John Chambers Christopher, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, Fulbright Scholar, and former professor whose work bridges clinical psychology, contemplative traditions, philosophy, and mind-body medicine. With over three decades of clinical, academic, and research experience, he brings a rare depth of formation to his psychotherapy practice — one shaped not only by doctoral training but by years of global scholarship, contemplative practice, and direct clinical work with individuals navigating some of the most complex personal and professional challenges of their lives. He is internationally recognized as a mindfulness expert and among the early clinicians to integrate Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — the evidence-based program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn — into graduate clinical training and hospital-based care. His research on therapist self-care and contemplative education has been published in Counseling Today, Mindfulness, and The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, and his 2006 article on teaching self-care through mindfulness practices remains among the most widely read in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. Dr. Christopher is licensed in New York and Massachusetts and sees clients in New York City, New York State and throughout Massachusetts — including Boston, Cambridge, and the Berkshires — via secure telehealth and in person where available.

Clinical Approach

Dr. Christopher's approach is depth-oriented and integrative. He draws from psychodynamic and relational psychotherapy, attachment science, somatic psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and contemplative traditions — woven together in a framework shaped by decades of clinical depth and scholarly inquiry. This is not mindfulness as a technique or coping strategy. It is mindfulness as a clinical orientation — a way of attending to experience with precision, honesty, and compassion that informs every dimension of the therapeutic work. Combined with psychodynamic depth and mind-body understanding, the result is treatment that addresses not just symptoms but the underlying psychological structures, relational patterns, and somatic states that produce them. The goal is not rapid symptom suppression. It is structural and lasting psychological change — the kind that restores genuine resilience, internal coherence, and the capacity for a more authentic and sustainable life.

Areas of Clinical Focus

Anxiety & Depression — In high-demand environments like New York City and Boston, anxiety can become so normalized that it is no longer recognized as a clinical concern — only as the cost of functioning at a high level. Dr. Christopher's approach to anxiety and depression goes beneath the surface presentation to address the nervous system patterns, relational histories, and internalized expectations that sustain them. Treatment integrates psychodynamic understanding, somatic regulation, and mindfulness-informed awareness to support genuine change rather than symptom management.

Executive Burnout & Professional Stress — Burnout is not simply exhaustion. It reflects sustained nervous system activation, identity strain, and a gradual erosion of the psychological resources that make sustained high performance possible. Dr. Christopher brings specific expertise to the experience of high-responsibility professionals — executives, physicians, academics, and leaders navigating the psychological and physiological costs of their roles. His approach examines both the internal patterns and the structural conditions that contribute to collapse, supporting clients in developing a more sustainable and coherent relationship with their professional lives.

Trauma & Attachment — Early relational experiences and the attachment patterns they produce shape how adults navigate relationships, stress responses, and self-concept throughout life. Dr. Christopher's depth-oriented approach works with trauma and attachment at their root — addressing the emotional, relational, and somatic dimensions of early experience rather than focusing only on symptom reduction. His work is informed by psychodynamic theory, attachment science, and somatic psychology, including Hakomi and Focusing.

Chronic Pain & Mind-Body Conditions — The relationship between psychological experience and physical symptoms is one of the most well-documented and consistently underaddressed areas in mental health care. Dr. Christopher works with individuals navigating chronic pain, psychosomatic conditions, autoimmune illness, and the psychological dimensions of complex medical situations — integrating mind-body medicine, somatic approaches, and depth psychotherapy into a coherent treatment framework. MBSR-informed interventions support nervous system regulation and the restoration of a more sustainable relationship with the body.

Depression & Existential Distress — For many adults, depression is not simply a mood disorder but a signal of disconnection, meaninglessness, or a life that has drifted from what genuinely matters. Dr. Christopher's approach to depression honors this complexity, attending to both the neurobiological and existential dimensions of low mood and hopelessness. His training in philosophy and cultural psychology informs a therapeutic stance that takes questions of meaning, identity, and purpose seriously as clinical concerns.

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy — Dr. Christopher has over four decades of personal contemplative practice and is among the most experienced mindfulness clinicians in the field. His integration of mindfulness into psychotherapy is not supplementary — it is foundational. Drawing from Buddhist psychology, MBSR, Mindful Self-Compassion, and contemplative traditions across cultures, he supports clients in developing a qualitatively different relationship with their own experience — one characterized by greater awareness, self-compassion, and psychological freedom.

Executive Coaching & Consultation

In addition to clinical psychotherapy, Dr. Christopher offers executive coaching and organizational consultation for leaders and institutions seeking not only performance enhancement but deeper psychological coherence, ethical clarity, and sustainable resilience.His coaching work draws on the same depth-oriented, mindfulness-informed framework as his clinical practice — applied to the specific pressures, decisions, and relational dynamics of leadership. This is not behavioral coaching or goal-setting work. It is a serious engagement with the psychological and philosophical dimensions of leading well under complexity and pressure.Organizational consultation is available for healthcare systems, universities, and mission-driven organizations seeking to integrate mindfulness, resilience, and emotional intelligence into their institutional culture.

Training & Credentials

Licensed Psychologist — New York State and Massachusetts

Fulbright Scholar

Former Professor with over 30 years of academic experience

Advanced training in psychodynamic and relational psychotherapy

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — trained in the Jon Kabat-Zinn tradition; among the first clinicians to integrate MBSR into graduate counseling programs

Mindful Self-Compassion trainer and teacher

Somatic approaches, including Hakomi and Focusing

Interpersonal neurobiology

Cultural psychology and cross-cultural research

Mind-body medicine and integrative health

Research & Publications

Dr. Christopher's scholarly work spans clinical psychology, philosophy, cultural psychology, hermeneutics, and mind-body medicine. His publications include peer-reviewed articles in Counseling Today, Mindfulness, The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, and American Psychologist, as well as contributions to several academic volumes on integrative psychology, multicultural therapy, and contemplative education.

Selected Publications

Christopher, J.C. (2018). Let It Be: Mindfulness and Releasement — Neglected Dimensions of Well-Being. Journal of Theoretical & Philosophical Psychology, 38(2), 61–76.

Marecek, J., & Christopher, J.C. (2017). Is Positive Psychology an Indigenous Psychology? In N.J.L. Brown, T. Lomas, & F.J. Eiroa-Orosa (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Positive Psychology. London: Routledge.

Christopher, J.C. (2006). Teaching self-care through mindfulness practices: The application of yoga, meditation and qi gong to counselor training. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. Among the most widely read articles in the journal's history.

Christopher, J.C., Marecek, J., & Wendt, D.C. (2015). Culture revisited. American Psychologist, 70(7), 662–663.

His interdisciplinary research reflects a sustained engagement with the intersection of psychology, philosophy, culture, and contemplative wisdom — and continues to shape how mindfulness and integrative approaches are applied in clinical, organizational, and educational settings.

Availability & Locations

Dr. Christopher sees clients in New York City and throughout New York State via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth. He also serves clients in Massachusetts — including Boston, Cambridge, and the Berkshires — via telehealth and in person at select locations. Additional services are available in Montana and Vermont. Psychotherapy, executive coaching, and consultation are available by appointment.

Working With Dr. Christopher

To inquire about working with John Christopher, PhD, contact the practice or reach out directly via his website. For Dr. Christopher's full clinical profile, research publications, curriculum vitae, and additional information, visit johnchristopherphd.com.

John Christopher, PhD practices in association with Integrative Psychotherapy New York. He maintains an independent practice at johnchristopherphd.com.

Also At Integrative Psychotherapy New York

Kimberly Christopher, LCSW — Psychotherapist, EMDR Specialist & Founder EMDR Therapy NYC · Couples Therapy NYC · Online Therapy New York · Perimenopause Therapy NYC · Trauma Therapy NYC