Robert Christopher Barden

R. Chris Barden, Ph.D., J.D [ ] is a national expert in law, science, and optimal performance. He received his graduate training at the Univ of MN, U.C. Berkeley, the Palo Alto VA/Stanford Univ. Medical Ctr, and Harvard Law School.  He has testified as an expert witness on legal and science issues in many state and federal courtrooms (civil, criminal, and family law) as well as before multiple state legislatures. He has given invited training addresses to the American Bar Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the U.S. Surgeon General's Conference, and at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a expert/trainer in Optimal Performance Systems he has taught NBA All-stars, Olympic athletes, ATP tennis professionals, US Navy fighter pilots, Harvard Law students, and business-medical-political leaders.  As a trial attorney, Dr. Barden has litigated complex science issues in several dozen states including a record jury verdict and a record settlement. As a scientist and public policy reformer, Dr. Barden has published in the leading science-professional journals in the fields of child psychology, social psychology, personality psychology, surgery, public policy, law, and legislation. He is the recipient of two national science awards for research in the study of emotion, coping, and resilience. His legislative and policy efforts to reform and improve the emergency medical system for children have been widely adopted throughout the U.S. His reform efforts to protect the public from hazardous mental health practices including "recovered memory therapy" and "rebirthing therapy" have largely eliminated such practices. His efforts to implement informed consent rights in the mental health system have been largely adopted throughout the U.S. He is currently working to incorporate science-based coping-resilience training into the U.S. education system. Dr. Barden can be contacted at or