About Dr. Khoury

Bassam Khoury, Clinical Psychologist, PhD
Postdoc, Harvard University
Assistant Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University

Welcome to my website. I am happy to have you here. I hope I can be of help in healing your suffering.

My interest in psychology dates back to my childhood when I started to ask questions about who we are and how we think and feel things. My interest grew during my adolescence and young adulthood, when I became interested in listening to other people’s problems and struggles. Although I was very interested in this process of listening, understanding, and emoting with others, I didn’t think about clinical psychology as a career option at that time. Actually, I went to engineering school and earned a B.A. in electronics and software engineering. I also worked as a software developer/engineer for some years until I realized that I have to heed the call of my true vocation: becoming a clinical psychologist. The change gave me a sense of purpose and happiness that outweighed the stress of dedicating over 11 years of my life to studies.

During those years, I trained as clinical psychologist at both Concordia University and the University of Montreal. I graduated in November, 2013 and started to practice as a clinical psychologist since January, 2014. I started practicing mindfulness meditation in 2005 and got drawn to that in my personal and professional life. Buddhist philosophy is certainly an inspiring part of my life and work. During the years studying for my PhD, I specialized in third-wave cognitive-behaviour approaches, namely mindfulness-based therapies (including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy or MBCT and Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction or MBSR), acceptance (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT) and compassion (Compassionate Focused Therapy or CFT). I wrote and published numerous scientific articles on these subjects.

What does mean being a mindful psychologist?

I consider myself a mindful psychologist. Being a mindful psychologist includes among others adopting a friendly, curious, open, non-judgmental, multiple perspective, creative, compassionate, and focused-in-the-present attitude. I am interested in all psychological problems, including emotional suffering and personality difficulties, abuse/neglect and self-harm/ suicide.

My main goal as clinical psychologist is to help in disentangling the mind from old patterns and help people perceive their internal emotional states and external situations in a distinct, alternative, novel and freeing perspective. I believe that suffering is part of the conditioning of our mind, so it can be unconditioned via a patient, perseverant, mindful, and person-focused therapeutic approach.

Interests

I have multiple interests and I am always very curious about learning new things and advancing my knowledge as psychologist from both a clinical and scientific stances.

Currently, I am pursuing post-doctoral research in social psychology at Harvard University in Professor Ellen Langer’s Mindfulness laboratory, and at McGill University in Professor Bärbel Knäuper’s Health Psychology Laboratory.

I am also interested in integrating software, engineering and computer sciences into psychological assessment and treatment. In addition, I have a formal training in massage therapy and I am a certified massage therapist, but I don’t practice currently.

I hope I can be of help for you in healing your suffering…

Here is a list of my scientific publications

Khoury, B., Schlosser, M., Knäuper, B., Carrière, K., & Chiesa, A. (under review). The effectiveness of meditation retreats: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology.

Khoury, B., Knäuper, B., Pagnini, F., Trent, N., Chiesa, A., & Carrière, K. (under review). Embodied Mindfulness. Mindfulness.

Khoury, B., & Dionne, F. (submitted). Une théorie unifiée de la pleine conscience. European Review of Applied Psychology.

Khoury, B., & Lecomte, T. (2016). Présence attentive et milieu clinique. In S. Grégoire, L. Lachance & L. Richer (Eds.), La présence attentive (mindfulness) : État des connaissances théoriques, empiriques et pratiques. Montreal: Presses de l’Université du Québec (PUQ).

Naeem, F., Khoury, B., Munshi, T., Lecomte, T., Kingdon, D., Farooq, S. (2016).Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) for Schizophrenia: Literature Review and Meta-analysis. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 9(1), 73-86. doi: 10.1521/ijct_2016_09_04

Khoury, B., Sharma, M. Ruth, S. E., Fournier, C. (2015). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals: A Meta-analysis. Psychosomatic Research. 78, 519-528. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009

Naeem, F., Asmer, M. S., Khoury, B, Kingdon, D., & Farooq, S. (2015). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for schizophrenia and related disorders (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews(6). doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011734

Khoury, B., & Pagnini, F. (unpublished). The DSM: Psychometric facts. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy.

Khoury, B., Langer, E. J., & Pagnini, F. (2014). The DSM: Mindful Science or Mindless Power? A critical review. Frontiers in Psychology for Clinical Settings, 5 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00602

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Comtois, G., & Nicole, L. (2013). Third wave strategies for emotion regulation in early psychosis: A pilot study. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. doi: 10.1111/eip.12095

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Gaudiano, B. A., & Paquin, K. (2013). Mindfulness interventions for psychosis: A Meta-analysis. Schizophrenia Research, 150(1), 176–184. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.07.055

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M-A, Paquin, K., Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Mindfulness-Based Therapy: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763-771. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005

Khoury, B. (2013). Pleine conscience, régulation émotionnelle et psychose : états des connaissances et applications cliniques. (Université de Montréal, Montreal). [access thesis]

Tranulis, C., Lecomte, T., El Khoury, B., Lavarenne, A., & Brodeur-Côté, D. (2013). Changing the name of schizophrenia: patient perspectives and implications for DSM-V. PLoS ONE, 8(2), e55998. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055998

Khoury, B., & Lecomte, T. (2012). Emotional Regulation and Schizophrenia. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 5(1), 67-76. doi: 10.1521/ijct.2012.5.1.67

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., & Lalonde, P. (2012). Régulation des émotions et schizophrénie In M. Mikolajczak & M. Desseilles (dir.), Traité de régulation émotionnelle (1^e éd., p. 387-400). Bruxelles, Belgique: Groupe De Boeck SA.

Benoit, A., & Khoury, B. (2012). Les interventions de troisième vague de TCC : thérapies de pleine conscience (mindfulness), d’acceptation et d’engagement (ACT), etc. In T. Lecomte, & Leclerc, C. (dir.), Manuel de Réadaptation Psychiatrique (2 ed.) (p. 301-306). Montreal: Presses de l’Université de Québec.

Conferences and Presentations

Poster or oral presentations

– Local or national:

Goyette, M., Khoury, B. (2014). Sensibilisation à la prévention de la rechute basée sur la pleine conscience : une intégration des autres champs de la santé mentale. To be presented at the Toxicomanie et problématiques associées : agir ensemble, Université de Trois-Rivières (October, 22, 2014).

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T. (2010). Méditation de pleine conscience comme intervention clinique : Une méta-analyse. Presented at the ACFAS, Université de Montréal.

Khoury, B.. (2005). Is Frontal Lobe Inhibition a Predictor of Hypnotizability? Presented at the “Second Annual Concordia University Undergraduate Research Day”

– International:

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M.-A., Paquin, K., Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Mindfulness-Based Therapy: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis. ACBS World Conference XI, Sydney, Australia (July 9-12, 2013)

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Gaudiano, B. A., & Paquin, K. (2013). Third wave interventions for psychosis: A Meta-analysis. ACBS World Conference XI, Sydney, Australia (July 9-12, 2013)

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Comtois, G., & Nicole, L. (2013). Third wave strategies for emotion regulation in early psychosis: A pilot study. ACBS World Conference XI, Sydney, Australia (July 9-12, 2013).

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M-A. (2011). “Mindfulness as a clinical intervention: a Meta-analysis”. Presented at the annual meeting of the “Society for Research in Psychology”, Boston, USA, September, 22, 2011.

Lecomte, T., Khoury, B., Benoit, A., Leclerc, C. (2011).  “Using ACT and Mindfulness in group therapy for individuals with early psychosis –  adaptations and successes”. Oral presentation at the ACBS World Conference, Parma, Italy, July, 13-15 2011.

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T. Development and validation of a group therapy for young individuals with early psychosis using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation. Presented at the “Mind and Life Summer Research Institute”, Garisson, NY, June, 7 to 13, 2009

Lecomte, T., Leclerc, C., Corbière, M., Wykes, T., Wallace, C., Spidel, A., Khoury, B. (2008). Group cognitive behaviour therapy or social skills training for individuals with a recent onset of psychosis? Results of a randomized controlled trial. Presented at the international meeting of cognitive-behavioural therapy for psychosis– Montreal, May, 2008.

Khoury, B. (2008). Acceptance, mindfulness and psychosis. Accepted for the “Mind and life Research Summer Institute” – NY.

Conferences (that I only assisted at):

Meditation and its clinical applications. Private conference organized by Mind and Life institute at Washington DC, November, 2005.

Please if you are interested in any of the listed articles or posters, don’t hesitate to contact me for a copy (for non-commercial use only).