Biography

EDUCATION & EARLY CAREER

James Norwood, PsyD was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1991 and lived in the San Gabriel Valley suburbs until he graduated from college at age 20. Dr. Norwood commenced full-time university work at age 15 through the Early Entrance Program at the California State University of Los Angeles, leaving unattended the last three years of high school. While his B.A. was in the broader arena of Communication Studies and Rhetoric, his primary focus was on the practice of public speaking and debate, which he pursued both in study and competition.

Through the course of Dr. Norwood’s undergraduate career, he began his own personal therapy to address a variety of trying life circumstances at that time. Simultaneously, personal experiences with psychedelic substances exposed him to their potential to further catalyze therapeutic processes. Inspired by these psychedelic and therapeutic experiences and their profound transformation of his life, James Norwood decided to embrace a career in therapy, but not before pursuing his lifelong passion for adventure and culture by traveling to Beijing, China for six months, where he taught English and American History to children and university students respectively.

Upon Dr. Norwood’s return to the United States, he attended Sofia University in Palo Alto (formerly known as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology) to study with the likes of James Fadiman, Ph.D. and David Lukoff, Ph.D., scholars who have done a great deal to understand and legitimize the therapeutic use of psychedelics on the one hand and to destigmatize and promote humane treatment of extreme states on the other. Sofia University’s program incorporated the study of the psychological contributions of Sufism, Buddhism, Aikido, expressive arts practices, and others. After two years of study, Sofia University’s PsyD program underwent a collapse which coincided with financial difficulty in the institution. Therefore, Dr. Norwood continued his studies at The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, CA.

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS & CURRENT ROLES

At The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), James Norwood essentially restarted his studies from a psychoanalytic perspective. He also continued his research into psychedelic therapy, working with Evan Sola, PsyD, and Frank Echenhoefer, PhD, to publish a dissertation on the integration experience of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. It was at CIIS that Dr. Norwood met Michael Guy Thompson, PhD, a psychoanalyst and existential philosopher, who would become a key mentor throughout his career.

In 2024, Dr. Norwood co-founded The Free Association Clinic for Existential Psychoanalysis with Michael Guy Thompson, PhD. As Executive Director, he manages all aspects of clinic development, ensuring it provides existential psychotherapy and psychoanalysis to clients while also offering training to pre-licensed therapists. The clinic supports these therapists in navigating insurance processes and helps them accrue hours toward licensure. More information can be found at freeassociationclinic.com.

Dr. Norwood is also the Co-Founder and Associate Director of the New School for Existential Psychoanalysis, a training program that combines existential philosophy and psychoanalysis in a salon-model format. The program draws heavily on thinkers such as Heidegger, Sartre, and Merleau-Ponty. Dr. Norwood teaches theoretical seminars and leads case conferences, guiding therapists in refining their clinical approach. More details about the school can be found at freeassociation.us.

Additionally, Dr. Norwood founded InPersonTherapy.com, a platform dedicated to countering the increasing virtualization of therapy by making it easier for therapists and clients who value in-person work to connect. InPersonTherapy.com is designed to support those who believe that face-to-face therapy is crucial to the therapeutic process. For more information, visit InPersonTherapy.com.

Dr. Norwood also worked as the Program Director for the Gnosis Retreat Center, a fundraising project aimed at developing a home for people experiencing psychosis as an alternative to hospitalization and forced medication. Although the project is no longer active, the goal of providing alternatives to conventional psychiatric treatments remains an important aspect of his work. Visit gnosisretreatcenter.org for more information.

Since 2017, Dr. Norwood has been a regular presenter at the R.D. Laing Symposium at Esalen Institute, Big Sur, an annual week-long symposium exploring topics in psychoanalysis and philosophy. This event, founded by Michael Guy Thompson, PhD, brings together professionals to engage with the legacy of R.D. Laing. More details about the symposium can be found at rdlaingsymposium.com.