John G. Watkins

Who was John G. Watkins?

John Goodrich Watkins was a United States psychologist best known for his work in the areas of hypnosis, dissociation, and multiple personalities. With his wife, Helen Watkins, he developed ego-state therapy, which uses analysis of underlying personalities rather than traditional talk therapy to find the causes of psychological problems.

The most famous example of the use of ego-state therapy was the interrogation of the Hillside Strangler, in which Watkins solicited a confession by revealing the killer’s multiple personalities.

Watkins graduated from the University of Idaho and received a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He was professor emeritus at the University of Montana, where he taught for many years.

John G Watkins died on 12 January 2012. He was 98 years old.