Dr. Richard Sears is a licensed psychologist in the state of Ohio (#6272). He is board certified in clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), and a Fellow of the Academy of the American Board of Clinical Psychology (ABCP). He is also a past president of the board of the Cincinnati Academy of Professional Psychology.
Dr. Sears runs a private psychology and consulting practice in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is Director of the Center for Clinical Mindfulness & Meditation. He was full-time core faculty in Union Institute & University’s Doctor of Clinical Psychology program for 9 years, and adjunct professor in the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program. He is an Annual Adjunct Full Professor for UC Psychology, Full Professor (Volunteer) of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the UC College of Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor at Wright State University School of Professional Psychology, and clinical/research faculty at the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. He is also a psychologist contractor with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, where he conducted research on MBCT for PTSD with Dr. Kate Chard. He also worked with Dr. Sian Cotton at the UC Center for Integrative Health and Wellness and with Dr. Melissa DelBello at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on projects involving the first studies of fMRI brain scans on the effects of mindfulness training for children and adolescents. He has been teaching Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy courses for over 20 years, and presents workshops on mindfulness, MBCT, ACT, psychotherapy, Zen, martial arts, and other topics across the the United States and internationally.
Dr. Sears received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Raj Soin College of Business, and received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He also received a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University, where he was a member of the board of regents.
Dr. Sears is author of over a dozen books: Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life in this Moment (Wiley-Blackwell); ACT with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook to Get You Unstuck from Anxiety and Enrich Your Life (PESI Publishing); The ACT Flip Chart (PESI), Myths of Mindfulness (Sequoia); The ACT Flip Chart (PESI Publishing); Consultation Skills for Mental Health Professionals (with Dr. John Rudisill and Dr. Carrie Mason-Sears, John Wiley & Sons); Mindfulness in Clinical Practice (with Dr. Robert Denton and Dr. Dennis Tirch, Professional Resource Press); Perspectives on Spirituality and Religion in Psychotherapy (with Dr. Alison Niblick, Professional Resource Press); Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (with Dr. Kathleen Chard, Wiley-Blackwell); and Building Competence in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Transcripts and Insights for Working With Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Other Problems (Routledge Mental Health); The Resilient Mental Health Practice: Nourishing Your Business, Your Clients, and Yourself (with Dr. Jennifer Ossege, Routledge); The Sense of Self: Perspectives from Science and Zen Buddhism (Palgrave MacMillan); The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Mindfulness Toolbox (PESI Publishing); The Paradox of Honor: Hopes and Perspectives of Muslim-American Women (with Dr. Tayeba Shaik and Dr. Jennifer Ossege, Routledge); and Group Therapy for Voice Hearers: Insights and Perspectives (with Dr. Andrea Lefebvre and Dr. Jennifer Ossege, Routledge).
In addition to his business, consultation, and clinical experience, he is a seventh-degree black belt in Ninjutsu (receiving the warrior name Watoshi), a licensed private pilot, a licensed Light Sport Repairman Maintenance – Airplane (LSRM-A), is a certified Independent Rotax Maintenance Technician (iRMT), and received past certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. He once served as a personal protection agent for the Dalai Lama of Tibet with his teacher, Stephen Kinryu-Jien Hayes. He has studied the Eastern Wisdom traditions and meditation for over 35 years (mindfulness, Buddhism, Zen, Tendai mikkyo, Vajrayana, etc.), receiving the name of Geungsan Jishou Dharma. He has received Bodhisattva ordination in Tendai, initiation as a Gyoja in the Kasumi-An Shugendo mountain warrior tradition, Zen Master transmission and authority to teach koans under Wonji Dharma, and received ordination as a Bhikkhu in the Vietnamese Zen tradition of Thich Thien An under Suhita Dharma. He recently retired as Guiding Teacher of the Five Mountain Zen Order.
