Dr. Christopher Menard

Dr. Menard is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in both Illinois and Tennessee with online Telehealth appointments available across much of the USA via PSYPACT. Dr. Menard offers therapy for adult individuals, couples, and groups. Telehealth continues to be available for Illinois residents. Nashville residents can find Dr. Menard at Tapestries Counseling Center in the Bellevue area of Nashville or online through Telehealth. Dr. Menard is a graduate of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and he completed his internship and post-doc at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition to working with individual, couples, and leading group based interventions, Dr. Menard taught for many years at University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign campuses Psychology Department). He trained and supervised Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy practicum instructors through the two-semester Psych-546 course for 10-years. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that MBCT is as effective as antidepressant medication in preventing relapses of major depression. Additionally, Dr. Menard taught the undergraduate two-semester Psychology-340/341 Service Learning Mindfulness class and has been among the University of Illinois Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students. Dr. Menard provided Mindfulness Training (e.g., Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Insight Meditation, & Finding Peace in a Frantic World) for University of Illinois faculty, staff, and students from 2011 - 2023. He also led Mindfulness Training for numerous community groups including, Champaign-Urbana K – 12 school teachers, University High Laboratory High School students, Champaign County Jail inmates, Danville prison inmates, and Rosecrance addiction recovery clients. From 2006 to 2016, Dr. Menard provided neuropsychological assessment services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Psychology Department’s Psychological Services Center and provided neuropsychological assessment training and supervision to Clinical-Community PhD students with a specialization in ADHD and High Functioning Autism/Aspergers. Dr. Menard co-authored two research articles on mindfulness. One study in which Dr. Menard was a collaborator demonstrated the benefits (reduced distress) of mindfulness for individuals experiencing tinnitus; the second study demonstrated the benefits (reduced stress, reduced craving, reduced substance use) of mindfulness for individuals recovering from addiction. In addition to the mental health applications of mindfulness based interventions mentioned above, Dr. Menard has also studied Buddhist Vipassana meditation, and was a member of the Prairie Sangha from 2012 - 2023. He led beginner Vipassana meditation sessions for many years on Monday nights for this group at the Urbana Quaker Meetinghouse. In addition, he has attended many Vipassana retreats including retreats with Ajahn Passano and Ajahn Viradhammo from the Thai Forest tradition, Santikaro from the Ajahn Buddhadasa tradition, as well as Gregory Kramer and Phyllis Hicks from the Insight Dialogue tradition. Dr. Menard lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, three boys, and golden retriever.