About

Simon Goldberg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Core Faculty member at the Center for Healthy Minds. His research focuses on psychotherapy, with a specific emphasis on the effects of and mechanisms underlying meditation- and mindfulness-based interventions. He is currently completing a five-year, NIH-funded K23 award that investigates the delivery of meditation training through mobile health technology. Goldberg has clinical experience working with military veterans and has conducted research on veteran mental health. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Today, CNBC, The Week, and Scientific American. Goldberg has served on the editorial boards of several journals, including the Journal of Counseling Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Psychotherapy Research.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Psychotherapist
• Psychiatry
• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Clinical psychology
• Social psychology
• Mathematics
• Natural Language Processing
• Machine Learning
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cognitive psychology
• Statistics
• Environmental health
• Family medicine
• Internal medicine
• Economics
• World Wide Web
• Econometrics
• Applied psychology

Selected publications

• A journey of acculturation and growth

  Journal of International Students · 2026-04-14

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The experiences of international counseling psychology students (ICPS) across multiple domains of training and their professional identity development were under-investigated. To address this gap, this study used autoethnography to explore the implications of international student identity for one ICPS with a lower socioeconomic background and first-generation college student status. Guided by an open-ended research question, this autoethnography was developed through an iterative, narrative-driven process. Personal and professional sources supported the writing process. Three recurring areas of experience emerged: (1) Adjustment Challenges Related to International Student Identity, (2) Strengths Tied to International Student Identity, and (3) Developing a Social Justice-Oriented Professional Identity through Lived Experience and Training as an ICPS. The findings highlight minority stress experienced by ICPS and the dialectical coexistence of challenges and strengths in their training. Recommendations are provided to professional organizations, training programs, and mentors to enhance culturally responsive training for ICPS.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Bridging the mental health care gap for international students via digital interventions: conceptual foundations and a five-stage model for culturally sensitive design

  2026-03-14

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  International students tend to underutilize and benefit less from traditional mental health services compared to their domestic counterparts. This conceptual and theoretical paper aims to articulate the significance of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) to expand mental health service access for international students, propose approaches for designing culturally sensitive DMHIs for international students, and inspire more rigorous research on these interventions. We explore the definition, types, and efficacy of DMHIs. We outline the unique promise of these interventions in reducing barriers to health service access encountered by international students. Most importantly, a five-stage model is proposed to guide the design and testing of equitable and culturally adapted DMHIs for international students. To illustrate these points, we discuss and critically evaluate existing studies of DMHIs for international students. Recent studies supported the potential benefits of DMHIs for improving international students’ psychological distress and well-being. However, the evidence base remains limited in scope and rigor. Future studies can apply the proposed five-stage cultural adaptation framework to guide the development and evaluation of DMHIs for international students. Researchers may conduct well-powered randomized controlled trials, examine correlates of intervention use, co-develop DMHIs with international students, and integrate DMHIs within the larger system.

  PublisherDOI

• Do Mindful Partners Make a Difference? A Meta-Analytic Test of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model in Dyadic Couples

  2026-03-09

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Objectives: Mindfulness is consistently linked with individual well-being and relationship functioning, yet it remains unclear systemically whether mindfulness reliably “crosses over” within romantic couples — such that one partner’s mindfulness is associated with the other partner’s outcomes once dyadic interdependence is accounted for. We conducted a model-testing meta-analysis (MTMA) based on the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to estimate actor (self-self) and partner (self-partner) effects of mindfulness on couples’ relationship outcomes. Methods: We searched six databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Trials) for quantitative dyadic studies linking one partner’s mindfulness to the other partner’s outcomes across relational domains. Thirty-six independent studies (11,652 couples) met the inclusion criteria. We conducted a multivariate meta-analysis to estimate the six model-implied (APIM) correlations (r*), then computed path coefficients from these estimates. All effect sizes include 95% CIs from 1,000 bootstrap samples. Results: Cross-partner correlations were small but significant (rs* = .14 and .15 for male-to-female and female-to-male associations, respectively). However, corresponding APIM partner effects were close to zero and nonsignificant (βs = –.02 and –.01), indicating no reliable crossover. Actor effects were significant (βs =.21 and .21 for men and women, respectively). Interdependence effects were also significant for partners’ mindfulness (r* = .27) and outcomes (r* = .41), indicating meaningful within-couple covariation. Discussion: Overall, findings do not support a reliable direct partner effect, cautioning against assumptions that mindfulness gains in one partner reliably translate into parallel partner benefits. Implications include prioritizing dyadic processes and couple-level interventions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Two Sides of One Coin: Reconceptualizing the Challenges of International Student Therapists in the United States from a Dialectical Perspective

  2026-02-14

  articleOpen access

  As key players in the internationalization of the counseling profession, international student therapists (ISTs) possess valuable strengths given their cross-cultural experiences. While an expanding body of literature underscores the importance of meeting ISTs’ training needs, the current emphasis leans heavily on their challenges while overshadowing the valuable potentials and strengths ISTs can offer to the field. Exclusive focus on challenges may perpetuate a deficit-based perspective, whereas excessive focus on strengths may run the risk of undermining the practical challenges ISTs often face in training. To bridge this gap, we introduce a dialectical framework rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, naïve dialectism, to reconceptualize the deficit-based perspective on ISTs’ challenges. This framework emphasizes strengths as transferrable outcomes that arise from one’s challenges with effective training. Building on this dialectical framework, we propose a theoretical model to highlight the dynamic interplay between the challenges and potentials often encountered by ISTs as they navigate cross-cultural experiences as bicultural individuals in the U.S. This model captures the essence of how these challenges may serve as potentials and strengths in their professional development. Training recommendations for programs, supervisors, and trainees are discussed. We encourage the field to recognize ISTs not only as learners but as valuable contributors whose unique experiences and insights enrich the counseling profession.

  PublisherDOI

• Bridging the mental health care gap for international students via digital interventions: conceptual foundations and a five-stage model for culturally sensitive design

  PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · 2026-03-14

  preprintOpen access

  International students tend to underutilize and benefit less from traditional mental health services compared to their domestic counterparts. This conceptual and theoretical paper aims to articulate the significance of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) to expand mental health service access for international students, propose approaches for designing culturally sensitive DMHIs for international students, and inspire more rigorous research on these interventions. We explore the definition, types, and efficacy of DMHIs. We outline the unique promise of these interventions in reducing barriers to health service access encountered by international students. Most importantly, a five-stage model is proposed to guide the design and testing of equitable and culturally adapted DMHIs for international students. To illustrate these points, we discuss and critically evaluate existing studies of DMHIs for international students. Recent studies supported the potential benefits of DMHIs for improving international students’ psychological distress and well-being. However, the evidence base remains limited in scope and rigor. Future studies can apply the proposed five-stage cultural adaptation framework to guide the development and evaluation of DMHIs for international students. Researchers may conduct well-powered randomized controlled trials, examine correlates of intervention use, co-develop DMHIs with international students, and integrate DMHIs within the larger system.

  Publisher

• “I definitely think I can flourish”: exploring first year college student experiences in a flourishing-focused class

  Counselling Psychology Quarterly · 2026-01-05

  articleSenior author

  = 8). Thematic analysis was used to analyze semi-structured interviews conducted with the participants. Five themes were identified in the results: 1) applying learnings from the class, 2) cultivating connections with other students, 3) dual focus challenges, 4) positive experiences with meditation, and 5) generating insights and reflections. While most students reported a positive and impactful experience in the class, there was variability across some themes based on students' racial identities and neurodiversity. The findings provide insights into student experiences and perceived mechanisms of the course, which may be beneficial for the implementation and assessment of ASHF and other similar interventions.

  PublisherDOI

• Do Mindful Partners Make a Difference? A Meta-Analytic Test of the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model in Dyadic Couples

  PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · 2026-03-08

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Objectives: Mindfulness is consistently linked with individual well-being and relationship functioning, yet it remains unclear systemically whether mindfulness reliably “crosses over” within romantic couples — such that one partner’s mindfulness is associated with the other partner’s outcomes once dyadic interdependence is accounted for. We conducted a model-testing meta-analysis (MTMA) based on the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to estimate actor (self-self) and partner (self-partner) effects of mindfulness on couples’ relationship outcomes. Methods: We searched six databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Trials) for quantitative dyadic studies linking one partner’s mindfulness to the other partner’s outcomes across relational domains. Thirty-six independent studies (11,652 couples) met the inclusion criteria. We conducted a multivariate meta-analysis to estimate the six model-implied (APIM) correlations (r*), then computed path coefficients from these estimates. All effect sizes include 95% CIs from 1,000 bootstrap samples. Results: Cross-partner correlations were small but significant (rs* = .14 and .15 for male-to-female and female-to-male associations, respectively). However, corresponding APIM partner effects were close to zero and nonsignificant (βs = –.02 and –.01), indicating no reliable crossover. Actor effects were significant (βs =.21 and .21 for men and women, respectively). Interdependence effects were also significant for partners’ mindfulness (r* = .27) and outcomes (r* = .41), indicating meaningful within-couple covariation. Discussion: Overall, findings do not support a reliable direct partner effect, cautioning against assumptions that mindfulness gains in one partner reliably translate into parallel partner benefits. Implications include prioritizing dyadic processes and couple-level interventions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

  Publisher

• Two Sides of One Coin: Reconceptualizing the Challenges of International Student Therapists in the United States from a Dialectical Perspective

  PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · 2026-02-13

  preprintOpen access

  As key players in the internationalization of the counseling profession, international student therapists (ISTs) possess valuable strengths given their cross-cultural experiences. While an expanding body of literature underscores the importance of meeting ISTs’ training needs, the current emphasis leans heavily on their challenges while overshadowing the valuable potentials and strengths ISTs can offer to the field. Exclusive focus on challenges may perpetuate a deficit-based perspective, whereas excessive focus on strengths may run the risk of undermining the practical challenges ISTs often face in training. To bridge this gap, we introduce a dialectical framework rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, naïve dialectism, to reconceptualize the deficit-based perspective on ISTs’ challenges. This framework emphasizes strengths as transferrable outcomes that arise from one’s challenges with effective training. Building on this dialectical framework, we propose a theoretical model to highlight the dynamic interplay between the challenges and potentials often encountered by ISTs as they navigate cross-cultural experiences as bicultural individuals in the U.S. This model captures the essence of how these challenges may serve as potentials and strengths in their professional development. Training recommendations for programs, supervisors, and trainees are discussed. We encourage the field to recognize ISTs not only as learners but as valuable contributors whose unique experiences and insights enrich the counseling profession.

  Publisher

• The effectiveness of second-generation mindfulness interventions on anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

  Clinical Psychology Review · 2026-01-07

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Exercise priming to enhance therapeutic bond and behavioral activation in CBT for MDD: a randomized controlled target-engagement trial with remission signal

  Journal of Affective Disorders · 2026-03-13

  articleOpen access

  Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating condition with frequent relapses. Augmentation strategies may improve psychotherapy outcomes, particularly if they enhance mechanisms of change. Using an experimental therapeutics approach, this pilot trial evaluated whether 30 min of individual moderate exercise immediately before individual cognitive behavioral therapy (ActiveCBT) engages two mechanistic targets (behavioral activation and therapeutic alliance) compared to a time- and attention-matched control (CalmCBT). Forty adults with DSM-5 MDD were severity-stratified and randomized to 8 weeks of ActiveCBT ( n = 19) or CalmCBT ( n = 21). Primary outcomes were the Working Alliance Inventory–Short Revised (WAI; Bond, Task, Goals subscales) and Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS). Depression outcomes included Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) response (≥50% reduction) and remission (HAMD<8) from a masked assessor. Generalized estimating equations estimated group effects across time, standardized as Cohen's d, with a priori success defined as d ≥ 0.35 for both or d ≥ 0.55 for either WAI or BADS. The average standardized effect for WAI-Bond favoring ActiveCBT was d = 0.36 (95% CI: −0.19, 0.90, p = 0.20) and BADS was d = 0.43 (−0.07, 0.94; p = 0.09). Secondary exploratory analyses found a significant remission benefit for ActiveCBT over CalmCBT (69% vs 33%, p < 0.05), with similar response rates. Exercise priming demonstrated directional mechanistic signals in both specific (behavioral activation) and nonspecific (therapeutic bond) targets, with potential remission benefits from exploratory analyses. These findings preliminarily suggest that exercising before therapy could augment CBT and offer a safe, accessible way to potentially boost its antidepressant effects. This study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT06001346 ). • We report a pilot/target engagement trial of exercise vs calm priming of CBT in MDD • Exercising right before therapy enhanced working alliance and behavioral activation • Directional effects met pre-specified thresholds for both alliance and activation • A large remission benefit was found for ActiveCBT in exploratory analyses • Effective group blinding in treatment and assessments led to high internal validity

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Mindfulness training delivered via mobile health to reduce depression and anxiety

  NIH · $786k · 2020–2025

Frequent coauthors

• Richard J. Davidson

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  88 shared

• Tracy L. Simpson

  University of Washington

  53 shared

• Otto Simonsson

  Karolinska Institutet

  45 shared

• John C. Fortney

  VA Puget Sound Health Care System

  39 shared

• Christopher J. Miller

  Harvard University

  36 shared

• Joseph M. Cerimele

  VA Puget Sound Health Care System

  36 shared

• Stephen Gabrielson

  36 shared

• Matthew J. Hirshberg

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  30 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Counseling Psychology

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  2000

• M.S., Counseling Psychology

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  1996

• B.A., Psychology

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  1993