John Christopher, Ph.D

Individual Counseling Bozeman Montana

Located in Bozeman Montana and Virtually via Teletherapy

Interpersonal Psychotherapy Mindfulness Training

Education:

  • PhD The University of Texas: Counseling Psychology (1992)

  • MEd Harvard: Counseling & Consulting Psychology (1987)

  • AB The University of Michigan: The Psychological & Philosophical Foundations of Culture (1984)

  • Interpersonal & Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

  • Focusing

  • Mindful Self-Compassion

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 

  • Biofeedback

John’s therapy approach includes: 

  • Interpersonal & Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

  • Focusing

  • Hakomi

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 

  • Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC)

  • Well-being and Self-Care Support

  • Couples and Relationship Counseling 

  • Biofeedback  

Problems addressed in psychotherapy:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression 

  • OCD

  • Panic attacks

  • Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD

  • Pain, Chronic Disease, Medical Conditions 

  • Grief and Loss

  • Change of Life and Transitions

  • Identity Concerns

  • Self-Esteem

  • Stress

  • Trauma and PTSD

  • School/College Issues

  • Coping skills

  • Emotion Regulation Skills

  • Career

  • Men’s issues

  • Relationship Problems

  • Gay, Lesbian

  • Abuse recovery

  • Codependency

About John Christopher

John Chambers Christopher, Ph.D is a licensed Psychologist practicing psychotherapy and mindfulness in Bozeman Montana and online via Telemedicine. Dr. Christopher is a researcher and scholar who has devoted his life to the areas mindfulness, self-care, well-being, developmental psychology, integrative medicine, attachment and cultural psychology. John was a professor at Dartmouth University, University of Washington, University of Guam and Montana State University. Most recently, he was in private practice in Bozeman Montana. Learn more about John at johnchristopherphd.com

John is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Past-President of the Society of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (a Division of the APA). John is also a Fellow of the Mind & Life Institute. He was a founding member of the Mind & Life Institute’s Ethics, Education and Human Development Project to develop a pedagogy and curriculum to promote the Dalai Lama’s vision of teaching ethics in the schools.  In 2012 and 2013 John was a Fulbright Scholar in India and a Visiting Professor at The University of Delhi. John is a founder of the Bozeman Center for Mindfulness and Mindful Self-Care and currently provides consultation to corporations and businesses, health care agencies, higher education and schools, bringing the practice of mindfulness into these settings to enhance performance and creativity, promote resilience and self-care, and prevent burnout and stress-related illness.

John is an expert in mind/body medicine and stress management and has been teaching Mindfulness for over 30 years. In addition to over 35 years of experience in his own daily practice of meditation and yoga, he brings over 15 years of experience practicing qigong to his practice of integrative medicine. John has pioneered the application of mindfulness to counselor training. His innovative graduate counseling class “Mind-Body Medicine and the Art of Self-Care” was featured in the American Counseling Association’s Counseling Today magazine. His research articles on applying mindfulness appear in the Mindfulness, The Journal of Counseling & Development, Counseling and Psychotherapy Research, The Journal of Mental Health Counseling, The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, and The Teachers College.

Dr. John Christopher is the author of over 60 scholarly articles and chapters. He has written extensively on the cultural, moral, and ontological underpinnings of theories of psychological well-being, moral development, and psychotherapy. For over thirty years, John has been bridging the traditions of science and spirituality, and Western and non-Western healing traditions. He is licensed to practice psychology and counseling in Montana.

Montana Virtual Therapy

We believe that the best therapy is counseling that allows you to easily engage with your licensed mental health professional. Finding a Counselor should easy, but you may live in a location where experienced counselors are difficult to find. Teletherapy is also a good fit if you are busy with work and family obligations and the convenience of sessions from your home or office just makes your life easier. We make virtual appointments simple for our clients who live in Bozeman and throughout the state of Montana using our secure HIPPA-compliant platform SimplePractice. Our therapists are trained to provide high-quality video counseling services and can treat most difficulties using virtual therapy. According to research, remote counseling sessions are just as effective for clients as in-person office visits, however, it might not be the best fit for your individual needs. Send us an email to learn more. We work with clients throughout the state of Montana

How To Find The Right Therapist For You In Bozeman Montana

It can feel overwhelming when you decide to work with a therapist. Our modern world makes finding a therapist online somewhat easier, but there are so many qualified therapists to choose from. Many people begin their therapy search using a popular website called Psychology Today because there are many search options, which makes the process somewhat more streamlined, but still challenging. You may want a counselor with certain skills or life-experience, or gender, race or religion may also play a role for you. When searching for a counselor or psychologist in Montana, it’s important to find someone who not only has the skills, experience and training to help you with your concerns, but someone with whom you feel comfortable—therapists call this a “good fit.” Finding the right therapist for you is the most important aspect of effective therapy and healing, as healing tends to happen in the context of supportive and corrective relationships. If you have been referred by a friend, colleague or physician, we will consider this as well. If we do not feel like we are a good fit for you, we will always make a referral with other experienced counselors within the community.

After you reach out, you will be sent electronic versions of our intake paperwork, which includes confidentiality, policy and insurance information to be completed prior to your first session. If you will be conducting sessions virtually or online, you will be sent a link prior to your session time. When working virtually, we use a HIPPA-compliant video conferencing platform called SimplePractice, which we think is easy and convenient to use. Early sessions will be an opportunity to get to know you better and to clarify your counseling goals. Typically sessions are weekly as this gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with your therapist. Sometimes, if you are experiencing a personal or professional crisis, you may need to meet more frequently. Experience tells us that therapy is most effective when it is weekly and consistent. As treatment goals are met, you will have the opportunity to reevaluate your ongoing counseling needs.

Our Montana Counseling Practice Philosophy

As integrative psychotherapists, we consider all aspects of you and your experience, which includes: home, work, social, cultural, emotional, biological, relational, spiritual, and more. This is a mind-body approach to therapy and counseling. Our counseling philosophy addresses not only your symptoms, but the root cause of your difficulties so you can experience long-lasting healing. This means that we help you process thoughts, feelings and emotions and build healthier coping skills in addition to processing experiences that are held in the nervous system. Our highly-experienced counseling professionals offer a range of evidence-based and research-proven practices to help you transform anxiety, depression and emptiness into acceptance, freedom and connectedness. We work with adults of all ages, sexual orientations and cultural backgrounds, specializing in individual therapy, marriage counseling, couple counseling and family counseling.