James Hopper

My research and work as a consultant have helped therapists, police officers, prosecutors, judges, senior military commanders and higher education administrators to better understand and respond to victims of child abuse and sexual assault.

I am most often sought for my expertise on the neurobiology of trauma and sexual assault, and on the unique experiences and needs of males who have experienced sexual abuse or sexual assault.

I also train and consult on how meditation and other contemplative practices can transform the brain to bring healing and genuine happiness, and am co-editor of Mindfulness-Oriented Interventions for Trauma: Integrating Contemplative Practices (Guilford Press, 2015).

In addition to providing training across the United States and internationally, I serve as an expert witness for criminal and civil cases in state, federal, and military courts.

I was a founding board member of 1in6, Inc., a national non-profit devoted to serving men who’ve had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences, and wrote most of the content on 1in6’s comprehensive web site.

Since 2018, I have been a therapist and sub-investigator at the Boston site of the FDA-approved and MAPS-sponsored phase 3 trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD.

I’m committed to educating the public through this website, my blog with Psychology Today, my YouTube channel, and media engagements. I enjoy conversations with thoughtful journalists and have been quoted in national media, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, Economist, ABC News, USA Today, PBS and NPR, and featured on radio and television, including CNN and NPR Morning Edition.

Finally, I am a Teaching Associate in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry of Harvard Medical School, and a consultant to the Outpatient Addictions Service of the Cambridge Health Alliance.