Norcross, John C. (1957-)

John C. Norcross is a professor of psychology and distinguished university fellow at the University of Scranton and an internationally recognized authority on behavior change and psychotherapy. Norcross received his B.A. degree in psychology at Rutgers University (1980) magna cum laude, and his M.A. (1981) and Ph.D. (1984) degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Rhode Island. Norcross is a licensed psychologist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in clinical psychology. He and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Jonathon and Rebecca.

Expertise in a field can result in a singular focus on a circumscribed topic in one or two publications. Norcross has opted for the opposite: a wide focus on several topics of critical import to counselors and psychotherapists. As an educator and trainer, Norcross is among those in the psychology profession who have published across the spectrum and in many very prestigious publications. His extensive contributions to psychological science, training, and practice are in areas such as psychotherapy integration, therapeutic relationships, evidence-based practices, psychotherapist self-care, and practice resources. Norcross has cowritten or edited 15 books, authored 50 book chapters and 250 journal articles, and delivered over 350 professional presentations and workshops in these areas of expertise in 24 countries. The impact of his contribution is found not only in the number of publications but also in their breadth and practicality. He has published in many different domains of psychology, including teaching journals; clinical, school, and counseling journals; integration and eclectic journals; common factors and alliance research journals; and key publications based in social work, education, and psychiatry.

Recognition for his work has included the 1992 Krasner Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) Division of Psychotherapy, the 1992 Pennsylvania Professor of the Year from the Carnegie Foundation, the bestowing of fellow status from the American Psychological Association in 1996, the 2003 Rosalee G. Weiss Award from the American Psychological Foundation, the 2004 Distinguished Psychologist Award from the APA Division of Psychotherapy, and most recently the APA 2005 Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training Award.

In addition to the honors and awards, Norcross has served in prestigious leadership positions in the profession. He is council representative of the APA Division of Psychotherapy, member of the APA Policy and Planning Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Register of Health Services Providers in Psychology. He is past president of the International Society of Clinical Psychology and the APA Division of Psychotherapy and was a member of the APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practices in Psychology.