Johny Bozdarov
MSc, MD, ABPN, FRCPC
Dr. Johny Bozdarov is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and a staff psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
He works in both inpatient and outpatient settings within the General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems Division. Dr. Bozdarov completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto, followed by a Clinical Research Fellowship in Mood Disorders at CAMH and the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Bozdarov’s academic and clinical work focuses on reducing barriers to exercise access and integrating structured, evidence-based exercise interventions into mental health care. He is the developer of Mindfulness-Based Boxing Therapy (MBBT), a novel, manualized exercise intervention that combines non-contact boxing exercises with mindfulness and behavioral strategies to promote self-agency, physical activation, and engagement in mental health care.
He is also involved in trainee education and mentorship, with a growing interest in sports psychiatry.
Recent Publications:
1. Bozdarov, J., Jones, BDM., Umer, M., Blumberger, DM., Husain IM.. Mindfulness-Based (Non-Contact) Boxing Therapy (MBBT) for Depression and Anxiety: A Feasibility Study. 2025. PLoS ONE 20(1): e0318364.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318364PLOS ONE.
2. Bozdarov J, Jones BDM, Daskalakis ZJ, Husain MI. Boxing as an Intervention in Mental Health: A Scoping Review. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2022 Sep 9;17(4):589-600.