John M. Grohol, Psy.D. is a human behavior, psychology, and technology expert, developer, and information architect. He is the co-author of Self-Help That Works (Oxford University Press, 2013), the author of The Insider’s Guide to Mental Health Resources Online (Guilford, 1996-2003), and is a published researcher.
After receiving his graduate training in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University in 1995, Dr. Grohol focused on the internet’s ability to bring information, change, and social connectivity to people’s lives. He founded and was the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the world’s largest and oldest mental health resource online, Psych Central. He sold the website to Healthline in August 2020.
Wanting to leverage the social power of online communication learned from his time spent on BBSs in the 1980s and Usenet in the early 1990s, he started the first large-scale online mental health self-help support community online in 1996. He developed numerous open-source programs in the 1990s, including the Open Journal blog software. In 2001, he began one of the world’s largest self-help support group communities, My Support Forums (originally associated with Psych Central), and later, NeuroTalk. Both are still active, thriving online self-help communities.
During his career, Dr. Grohol designed and successfully implemented integrated sites for multiple industries (including mental health, transportation, utilities, non-profits, museums, and others). As COO, he helped bring one of the first and largest online therapy (e-therapy) clinics to popularity in 2000 and led the firm to its successful sale in 2006.
Over his extensive 25+ year career, Dr. Grohol has chaired, keynoted, and presented at dozens of symposia about online mental health and psychology at meetings throughout the world, including SXSW, the American Psychological Association, Psychotherapy Networker, and others.
He has consulted with dozens of health and behavioral health technology companies since the 1990s through his consulting and web hosting business, Liviant.
Whether you’re looking for an outside pair of eyes to review your behavioral health app (or health app that uses behavioral cues), an information architecture design plan, or need a board member (business, scientific, or advisory board), Dr. Grohol can help your business or organization achieve its next level. Contact us today to learn more.