Dr. Eric Garland

Dr. Eric Garland is a clinical researcher and psychotherapist specializing in mindfulness science, addiction treatment, and behavioral health. Garland serves as Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, and Director of UCSD ONEMIND (Optimized Neuroscience-Enhanced Mindfulness Intervention Design). Previously, he held the Distinguished Endowed Chair in Research, Distinguished Professor, and Associate Dean for Research positions at the University of Utah College of Social Work and served as Associate Director of Integrative Medicine at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Garland developed Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), a mind-body therapy integrating mindfulness training, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and positive psychology principles for the treatment of addiction, chronic pain, and emotional distress. Supported by more than 16 clinical trials and over $90 million in federal research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, MORE has demonstrated significant clinical outcomes. In a large randomized controlled trial, the treatment reduced opioid misuse by 45 percent nine months after completion, a result that few other interventions have matched among people with chronic pain. Garland has authored two books on the approach: "Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Addiction, Stress, and Pain" and "Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: An Evidence-Based Treatment for Chronic Pain and Opioid Use."

Garland has published more than 280 scientific articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed journals including JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Psychiatry, Science Advances, and American Journal of Psychiatry. A bibliometric analysis of mindfulness research identified him as the most prolific author in the field. His expertise has led to appointments on national science policy panels, including the NIH HEAL Multi-Disciplinary Working Group, which guides federal initiatives to address the opioid crisis. Garland has also briefed the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Congressional Addiction Treatment and Recovery Caucus.

Garland's work has been recognized with honors such as election as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, and Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. He received the University of Utah Distinguished Professor Award. His research and clinical insights have been featured in major media outlets including CNN, New York Times, NPR, Time, and ABC. Garland appeared on Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN podcast "Chasing Life," discussing the role of mindfulness meditation in chronic pain management. As a licensed clinical social worker with more than two decades of clinical experience, Garland is recognized for his contributions at the intersection of neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavioral health.