Stephen Cope

Stephen Cope is a renowned author, life coach, and spiritual teacher. He is a leader in the field of positive psychology and has written several books about mindful living, learning from adversity, coping with life transitions, and finding one’s purpose.

Stephen Cope was born in 1961 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in Taos, New Mexico. He earned a degree in environmental studies from University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in philosophy of religion from Harvard Divinity School. He went on to receive his doctorate in clinical psychology from the California Graduate Institute.

Over the past twenty years, Stephen Cope has penned several influential works related to mindfulness, consciousness and resilience. In 2003, he penned What Dreams May Come: A Guide To Understanding What Comes After Death, which draws on the teachings of Eastern philosophies, psychology, and modern science to explore the afterlife.

The following year he published The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living. This best-selling book looks at yoga’s philosophical and psychological foundations with an eye to uncovering the spiritual truth that lies beyond physical postures and breathwork.

In 2009, Stephen Cope released The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey To Your True Calling. This book is an inspirational guide for discovering and living your true calling by offering advice on clarifying intentions, pursuing the contemplative path, and manifesting your purpose in the world.

Other books by Cope include Yoga and the Quest for the True Self (1998) which looks at how ancient yoga practices can be adapted for modern life, and Oracles of the Soul: Soul Choices and Timeless Wisdom for a Happier Life (2005).

Stephen Cope’s latest book, The Wisdom of Adversity: Using Life’s Difficulties To Find Our Way (2021), looks at how loss and hardship can be our greatest teacher. The book finds the author drawing on Eastern and Jungian wisdom, personal anecdotes, and empirical research to offer insight into how we can build greater psychological resilience.

In addition to authoring books, Stephen Cope has also led numerous seminars aimed at helping people discover their life’s work and lead meaningful lives. He has spoken at universities, conferences, and private retreats around the world.

In 2018, Stephen Cope was named one of LinkedIn’s top voices of the year in mental health and has served as a guest lecturer at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Humanist Institute and of the Board of Directors of Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

In his work, Stephen Cope encourages people to pursue a life of purpose and to have greater clarity around their values, goals, and dreams. He believes that by living a life of mindful self-inquiry and taking purposeful action, we can commit to living our lives with greater meaning and joy.