Erin McCarthy (she/her) is a professor, speaker, author, mindfulness coach, philosophical counselor, and parent of twin teenagers. After completing her undergraduate degree in French and Philosophy at Trent University, she went on to complete a Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa, comparing western and eastern views of the self. A professor of philosophy at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY from 2000-2023, where retains Emerita status, Erin has divided her time between teaching at the University of Ottawa, conference engagements, and mindfulness coaching and teaching.
She was an inaugural recipient of the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation Residential Fellowship for Buddhist Studies and American Culture and Values at Naropa University in 2009. Author of the book Ethics Embodied: Rethinking Selfhood through Continental, Japanese and Feminist Philosophies (Lexington, 2010), her work has been published in several anthologies and journals in both French and English. Her research in comparative feminist philosophy has explored a comparative philosophical re-thinking of selfhood, Zen Buddhism, and the ways in which contemplative education can be enriched by incorporating feminist philosophies.
She currently serves as Co-Editor In Chief of the ASIANetwork Book Series with Lever Press. She also served as Chair of the Board of Directors of ASIANetwork and in 2017 was honored with the Van J. Symons Award for Service to the organization. Her teaching, writing, and coaching bring together eastern and western philosophies and practices to cultivate human flourishing, joy, ease, and well being. She is a founding executive member of ISCR and has been serving as its Director of Humanities.
Erin is a Mind & Life Fellow. She served as a reviewer for the Kyoto SRI, served on the 2016 ISCR Program Planning Committee, was co-chair of the ISCR 2018 PPC, and a member of the 2023 SRI PPC on Trauma, Resilience, and Flourishing. She currently serves as Research Consultant at Mind & Life Institute.
