John C. Norcross

John C. Norcross (born 1957) is an American professor, clinical psychologist, and author in psychotherapy, behavior change, and self-help.

He is Distinguished Professor and chair of psychology at the University of Scranton and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He also maintained a part-time practice of clinical psychology in Scranton, Pennsylvania for 36 years.

Norcross is author of over 400 publications and more than 23 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 integrative and pragmatic, inspired in part by his interest in pragmatist philosophy, an interest that dates back to his undergraduate years.^: 130

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 attorney 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 Medical School.

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 has received many awards, such as the Distinguished Lifetime Contributions to Education & Training Award from the American Psychological Association and the Pennsylvania Professor of the Year from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He has been elected to the National Academies of Practice and is fellow of a dozen professional associations.