Dr. Joe Flanders

Psychologist

Joe Flanders is a psychologist, entrepreneur, educator and the founder of Refuge, a community of practice specializing in experiential psychotherapy. He is also an Assistant Professor (Professional) in the Department of Psychology at McGill University. Joe has been on a life-long journey in the pursuit of the most effective approaches for cultivating well-being – his own and that of his clients. Accompanying others through their own development, healing and transformation is among the most meaningful aspects of Joe’s life.

More About Dr. Joe Flanders

Joe received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from McGill University in 2008 and went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He founded Mindspace Wellbeing in 2011, a clinic chain in Montreal specializing in mindfulness-based psychotherapy and group programs. In 2021, Mindspace was acquired by Numinus and Joe took on the role of Vice-President of Practitioner Training. Since 2023, he has been focusing on his private practice as well as his role at Refuge.

Joe specializes in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, an innovative, experiential therapy that is especially effective at processing challenging experiences and cultivating present-moment engagement. He occasionally (and legally) introduces psychedelics medicines such as psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine to catalyze on-going psychotherapy with clients who are eligible.

Joe is currently a level 2 IFS therapist. He has been trained to deliver psychedelic-assisted therapy by Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and contributed to their phase 3 clinical trial. He holds the Advanced Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and  Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Facilitation Certificates from the Centre for Mindfulness Studies (CMS) in Toronto and has extensive training in Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Outside of his therapy practice, Joe is active as a therapist trainer and consultant. He has founded and operated 4 companies, served as a workplace well-being consultant, and held an executive position in a publicly traded company. He is a frequent contributor to the media and has hosted 2 podcasts.

Approach

Joe’s approach is grounded in the following values:

  • Connection and relationship-centred care
  • Trauma-informed care
  • Somatics and Embodiment
  • Harm Reduction
  • Evidence-based practice

He practices a form of Experiential Therapy that integrates IFS, Mindfulness and ACT. This powerful synergy offers:

  • A practical framework for setting intentions and tracking progress
  • A map of internal experience
  • A set of skills for supporting safety, connection, and embodiment
  • A methodology for working with challenging experiences
  • A practice for cultivating the “8 Cs” calm, courage, curiosity, clarity, compassion, creativity, confidence and connectedness.

Clients describe Joe as practical, open, non-judgmental, and compassionate. He is equally at home coaching others through work stress as he is going deep into trauma and recovery.

Areas of Practice

Joe is licensed with the Quebec Order of Psychologists and works with people needing support with:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress
  • Work stress
  • Relationship problems
  • Personal & spiritual growth.

Services

He currently provides:

I occasionally have openings for new clients. Please fill out the contact form and I will follow-up with you as soon as possible.

If you’re interested in psychedelic-assisted therapy (with MDMA or psilocybin), please consult this article to learn more about legal access to these treatments and this article to learn about the alternatives if you’re not eligible.

Media

Subscribe & listen to the latest episodes

Joe created and hosted the Mindspace Podcast and briefly co-hosted the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast.