John C. Norcross (born 1957) is a university professor, clinical psychologist, and board-certified specialist in psychotherapy, behavior change, and self-help.
He is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Scranton and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He also maintains a part-time practice of clinical psychology in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Norcross is author of over 400 publications and more than 20 books. His two self-help books are Changeology and Changing for Good (the latter with James O. Prochaska and Carlo C. DiClemente). His approach to therapy has been called pragmatic, inspired in part by his interest in pragmatist philosophy, an interest that dates back at least to his undergraduate years, when he wrote an undergraduate honors thesis on pragmatist philosophers such as William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce.
Among his professional books are Psychotherapy Relationships that Work, History of Psychotherapy, APA Handbook of Clinical Psychology, Leaving It at the Office: Psychotherapist Self-Care, Handbook of Psychotherapy Integration, and Self-Help that Works. He has also coauthored 12 editions of the Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical & Counseling Psychology and nine editions of Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (with Prochaska).
Norcross was born in 1957 at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, the son of George E. Norcross, Jr. and Carol Norcross. He and his three brothers (George Norcross III, congressman Donald Norcross, and Philip A. Norcross) were raised in Pennsauken and Merchantville, New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers University–Camden with a B.A. in psychology, the University of Rhode Island with a M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology, and then completed his internship at Brown University School of Medicine.
Norcross has served as president of the American Psychological Association Division of Psychotherapy, the Society of Clinical Psychology, and the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI). He received the Distinguished Lifetime Contributions to Education & Training Award from the American Psychological Association and the Pennsylvania Professor of the Year from the Carnegie Foundation. He has been elected to the National Academies of Practice.
Norcross, J. C., & Popple, L. M. (2017). Supervision essentials for integrative psychotherapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 978-1433826283
Norcross, J. C., Hogan, T. P., Koocker, G. P., & Maggio, L. A. (2017). Clinician's guide to evidence-based practices: Behavioral health and addictions (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195335323
Norcross, J. C., VandenBos, G. R., & Freedheim, D. F. (Eds.) (2016). APA handbook of clinical psychology (5 volumes). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 978-1433821295
Norcross, J. C., & Sayette, M. A. (2016). Insider's guide to graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology (Revised 2016/2017 edition). New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 978-1462525720
Prochaska, J. O., & Norcross, J. C. (2013). Systems of psychotherapy: a transtheoretical analysis (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. ISBN 978-1133314516
Norcross, J. C., Campbell, L. M., Grohol, J. M., Santrock, J. W., Selagea, F., & Sommer, R. (2013). Self-help that works: resources to improve emotional health and strengthen relationships (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199915156
Norcross, J. C. (2013). Changeology: 5 steps to realizing your goals and resolutions. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1451657616
Norcross, J. C., & Karpiak, C. P. (2012). Clinical psychologists in the 2010s: 50 years of the APA Division of Clinical Psychology. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 19(1), 1–12. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2850.2012.01269.x
Norcross, J. C., & Karpiak, C. P. (2012). Teaching clinical psychology: four seminal lessons that all can master. Teaching of Psychology, 39, 301–307. doi:10.1177/0098628312461486
Norcross, J. C. (Ed.). (2011). Psychotherapy relationships that work (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199737208
Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2011). Psychotherapy relationships that work II. Psychotherapy, 48, 4–8. doi:10.1037/a0022180
Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M., & Prochaska, J. O. (2011). Stages of change. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 143–154. doi:10.1002/jclp.20758
Norcross, J. C., VandenBos, G. R., & Freedheim, D. K. (Eds.). (2011). History of psychotherapy: continuity and change (2nd ed). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 978-1433807626
Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2011). Evidence-based therapy relationships: research conclusions and clinical practices. Psychotherapy, 48, 98–102. doi:10.1037/a0022161
Norcross, J. C., & Wampold, B. E. (2011). What works for whom: tailoring psychotherapy to the person. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 127–132. doi:10.1002/jclp.20764
Sayette, M. A., Norcross, J. C., & Dimoff, J. D. (2011). The heterogeneity of clinical psychology Ph.D. programs and the distinctiveness of APCS programs. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 18, 4–11. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2850.2010.01227.x
Norcross, J. C., Ellis, J. L., & Sayette, M. A. (2010). Getting in and getting money: a comparative analysis of admission standards, acceptance rates, and financial assistance across the research–practice continuum in clinical psychology programs. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 4(2), 99–104. doi:10.1037/a0014880
Norcross, J. C., Koocher, G. P., Fala, N. C., & Wexler, H. K. (2010). What does not work? Expert consensus on discredited treatments in the addictions. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 4(3), 174–180. doi:10.1097/ADM.0b013e3181c5f9db
Norcross, J. C., Bike, D. H., & Evans, K. L. (2009). The therapist's therapist: a replication and extension 20 years later. Psychotherapy, 46, 32–41. doi:10.1037/a0015140
Norcross, J. C., Hogan, T. P., & Koocher, G. P. (2008). Clinician's guide to evidence-based practices: mental health and the addictions. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195335323
Norcross, J. C., & Guy, J. D. (2007). Leaving it at the office: a guide to psychotherapist self-care. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 978-1593855765
Norcross, J. C., & Goldfried, M. R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of psychotherapy integration (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195165791
Prochaska, J. O., Norcross, J. C. & DiClemente, C. C. (1994). Changing for good: the revolutionary program that explains the six stages of change and teaches you how to free yourself from bad habits. New York: Morrow. ISBN 978-0688112639
Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: applications to addictive behaviors. American Psychologist, 47, 1102–1114. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.47.9.1102
