John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD

John Sommers-Flanagan, PhD, is a professor of counselor education at the University of Montana. In addition to teaching, research, and supervision, John also has a small independent practice. Previously, he was a clinical psychologist and mental health consultant with Trapper Creek Job Corps and served as executive director of Families First Parenting Programs from 1995 to 2003. John was also a co-host of a radio talk-show on Montana Public Radio titled, “What is it with Men?”

Primarily specializing in working with children, parents, and families, John is author or coauthor of over 100 professional publications and nine books. Some of his books, co-written with his wife Rita, include How to Listen so Parents will Talk and Talk so Parents will Listen (John Wiley & Sons, 2011) and Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice (2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2012), Clinical Interviewing (5th ed., Wiley, 2014), and Tough Kids, Cool Counseling (2nd ed., ACA, 2007). In his wild and precious spare time, John loves to run (slowly), dance (poorly), laugh (loudly) and produce home-made family music videos.