A message from Dr. Chris Maguth Nezu
About Me
As an experienced, person-centered psychologist, my goal is to provide ethical, evidence-based, individualized care. For the past 38 years, as a licensed and board-certified clinician and Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science at Drexel University, I have worked with hundreds of patients from diverse backgrounds across the lifespan. My approach is grounded in scientific research and clinical expertise and is strengthened by years of teaching at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels, as well as clinical training and mentoring clinical practicum students, psychology interns, and other psychologists. I am committed to creating a safe, compassionate, and respectful space for all individuals, ensuring that every treatment plan is tailored to each person's unique needs and life story. Throughout my career, I have remained steadfast in my devotion to clinical practice, always placing my patients' well-being and dignity at the center of my work.
Professional Credentials & History
Career Highlights
I served as president of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). ABPP is the main non-profit organization in the United States that grants board certification for specialty practice areas in psychology. I am also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association's Society for Clinical Psychology. Over more than thirty-five years in clinical practice, I have held major academic and administrative roles at the Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University, Hahnemann University Hospital, and Beth Israel Medical Center/Mount Sinai School of Medicine. I have also received several national awards as a distinguished psychologist, including a Distinguished Education and Training Award and recognition as a "pioneer" in cognitive behavior therapy from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). I served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor for the U.S. Air Force and a Consultant to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and I co-developed community-based programs to expand mental health access for underserved populations. Internationally, I have served as a Special Professor of Forensic Mental Health and Psychiatry and as an Honorary Professor of Community Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham in England, and as a guest professor or lecturer at universities around the world.
Clinical Research & Scholarly Achievements
I have authored or co-authored more than 175 journal articles and book chapters and 23 books, many translated into foreign languages, and have delivered invited addresses and training workshops worldwide. Among my most significant achievements is co-developing Emotion-Centered Problem-Solving Therapy (EC-PST), an evidence-based treatment endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense for veterans and military personnel. EC-PST equips individuals with practical strategies to build resilience, promote emotional well-being, and reduce suicide risk, and has been deployed across the U.S. and at overseas military bases.
Dr. Chris Maguth Nezu, Ph.D., ABPP
Education & Training
- Ph.D. in Clinical PsychologyFairleigh Dickinson University1987
- Internship / Postdoctoral TrainingBeth Israel Medical Center / Mt. Sinai School of Medicine1985–1986
Licensure
- Licensed Psychologist in Pennsylvania and CaliforniaPA (PS006015) | CA (37050)
Board Certification
- American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP)Clinical Psychology; Cognitive & Behavioral Psychology
Selected Recent Books and Publications
For a complete curriculum vitae that includes hundreds of professional presentations, as well as a full list of books and peer-reviewed publications, contact Dr. Chris Nezu.
- Nezu, C. M. & Nezu, A. M. (2024). Social problem solving, emotion-centered problem-solving therapy, and suicidality. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 31, 441–444.
- Nezu, A. M., Nezu, C. M., Gerber, H. R., & Damico, J. (2019). Emotion-centered problem-solving therapy. Andersson (Ed.), Comprehensive clinical psychology (2nd ed., vol. 6, pp. 129–139). New York: Elsevier.
- Nezu, A. M., & Nezu, C. M. (2019). Emotion-centered problem-solving therapy: Treatment guidelines. New York: Springer Publishing.
- Nezu, C. M., Martell, C. R., & Nezu, A. M. (2014). Specialty competencies in cognitive and behavioral psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Non-Profit & Community Activity
To share a more personal commitment — I am passionate about mentoring young people. In January 2022, I co-founded and became President of Full of Possibilities, Inc., a philanthropic 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides psychoeducational and life skills resources to young women in Kenya. This work empowers young women who would otherwise have limited access to education and training, improving their lives, their peers' lives, and their community. I am committed to helping women worldwide access resources that improve mental health, build resilience to stressful life circumstances, become empowered through education and life skills training, and lower their risk of depression and suicide. For more information about this charity, please visit www.fullofpossibilities.org
- Full of Possibilities Inc.President & Co-Founder
- For more information and donationwww.fullofpossibilities.org
Ready to work together?
Whether you're seeking individual therapy or professional consulting services, Dr. Nezu welcomes your inquiry.
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