Michael Christopher, PhD

Mike has a long-standing research interest in the science and practice of mindfulness meditation and related contemplative practice. Teaching in Thailand in the late 1990s, he began to study and practice Theravāda Buddhism. In his early research he investigated mindfulness measurement, with a particular focus on Buddhist cultural validity of Western mindfulness measures. In recent years, he and his colleagues (Sarah Bowen and Richard Goerling) have developed and studied mindfulness-based resilience training [MBRT]. MBRT targets enhanced stress resilience and improvement stress-related health outcomes among high-stress cohorts. The lab is currently studying feasibility, mechanisms, and biological, behavioral, and psychological impact of MBRT in several trials. When not in the lab, Mike enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, cooking, and growing whatever he can in the garden.