Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from SUNY Buffalo, with 20 years of post-licensure clinical experience. Author of 7 mindfulness-based self-help books, some of which have been translated into Dutch, Chinese, Portuguese, & Estonian.  Member of the Advisory Board of The Mindfulness Project (London, UK) and of the Advisory Board for Evergreen Certifications for Mindfulness-Informed Clinician Certification and for Shame-Informed Treatment.

Over the years, Somov conducted a variety of workshops domestically and internationally on the topics of mindful eating, perfectionism, anger management, and mindfulness applications for addressing worry, dysthymia, insomnia and substance use presentations.  Somov’s work has been discussed in a variety of radio interviews (eg Martha Stewart's Radio/Whole Living,  Fully Alive!, etc.) and mentioned in a variety of print publications (eg Martha Stewart's Body + Soul Magazine, Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine, etc).

Somov offers an original approach to working with perfectionism, self-criticalness, and negative self-view/self-esteem issues.  A recent, randomized study—published by Mindfulness Journal—showed that Somov’s approach (described in his 2010 book Present Perfect) is effective as a standalone intervention. The study found that those who had read the Present Perfect book experienced a statistically significant reduction of self-criticalness, a result that was still maintained at a six weeks follow-up (Wimberley, Mintz, & Suh, Mindfulness, Nov. 2015).

Somov trained and worked in a variety of clinical settings, which include: psychiatric hospitals, university counseling center, county jail, hospice, community mental health centers, family medical practice, cancer hospital, veterans' hospitals, pain clinics, and private practice.

Somov is a Tier 1 SBHP (Star Behavioral Health Provider - a "civilian professional with military culture sensitivity").

Publications & Books

Recent publication:‍ ‍The Case for Conscious Experience Being in Individual Neurons(Jonathan Edwards, P. G. Somov, 2023, in Qeios)

Shitty Best: Logic of Unconditional Self-Acceptance & Radical Compassion (I-Catching Books, 2026)

Books

Mindful Emotional Eating (PESI, 2014): Mindfulness Skills to Control Cravings, Eat in Moderation, and Optimize Coping

Four Legs of Support: Building a Radically Humanistic Relationship of Love (I-Catching Press, 2017)

Anger Management Jumpstart: a 4-Session Mindfulness Path to Compassion and Change (PESI/PPM, 2013)

Reinventing the Meal: How Mindfulness Can Help You Slow Down, Savor the Moment, and Reconnect with the Ritual of Eating (New Harbinger, 2012)

Smoke-Free Smoke Break - Stop Smoking Now with Mindfulness and Acceptance. (New Harbinger, 2011, in press).  Somov, P.G., Somova, M. J.

The Lotus Effect: Shedding Suffering and Rediscovering the Essential Self (New Harbinger). Somov, P.G. (November 2010)

Present Perfect: from Mindless Pursuit of What Should Be to Mindful Acceptance of What Is (New Harbinger). Somov, P.G. (2010)

From Skinthink to Kinthink: The Birth and Death of Duality (I-Catching Press)

The Sixth Battle of Acedia: Meaninglessness - a Mid-Life Opportunity (I-Catching Press)

Neural We: Single Neurons, Multiple Personalities & Redefining the Species (I-Catching Press)

Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating, One Meal at a Time. New Harbinger Publications. Somov, P. G. (2008)

Prairie Mind: Frank Lloyd Wright & Usonian Architecture of Self-Space (I-Catching Press, 2017)

Bottom Feeder: Stories of Partial Awakening (I-Catching Press)

Monkey Business of Being Human (I-Catching Press)

Anapanasati 2.0: Being Breathed Mindfully/to Breathe or Not to Breathe? (I-Catching Press)

Recovery Equation: Motivational Enhancement, Choice Awareness, Use Prevention: a Clinical Curriculum for Substance Use Treatment.

Somov, P.G. & Somova, M. J. (2003)

Choice Awareness Training: Logotherapy and Mindfulness Training for Treatment of Addictions (I-Catching Press)

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Somov, P. G. (2008). A Psychodrama Group for Substance Use Relapse Prevention Training. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 38, 151-161.

Somov, P.G. (2007). Meaning of Life Group:Group Application of Logotherapy for Substance Use Treatment.Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32 (4), 316 - 345.

Somov, P.G. (2000). Time Perception as a Measure of Pain Intensity and Pain Type. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 14(3), 111-121.

Somova, M. J., Somov, P.G., Lawrence, J. L., & Frantz, T. T. (2000). Factors associated with length of stay in a mid-sized, urban hospice.
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, 17(2), 99-106.