Dr. N. S. Xavier has been practicing psychiatry in Birmingham, Alabama for over three decades, and has incorporated the wisdom of spirituality in his
practice. He is the author of Fulfillment Using Real Conscience (2009), a revised
version of (previously published) Fulfilling Heart and Soul. He authored two other books earlier.
Xavier grew up in one of the oldest Christian communities in the world--St. Thomas Christians of Kerala, India. Kerala has a unique history of religious pluralism and harmony. Hindus, Christians and Jews from the first Century,
and Muslims also from seventh century have lived there peacefully except in the 16th century when the Portuguese
caused problems for all these religious groups.
After High School education in Kerala, Xavier did Bachelor of Science and medical education in Gwalior, about 200 miles south of New Delhi. Subsequently, for a couple of years he did general medical practice partly in
Kerala and some in Jamaica. Then, he did Junior Psychiatric Residency at The University of West Indies,
and a full Psychiatric Residency at the University of Virginia. He has practiced psychiatry since 1979. His wife of 34 years is an Anesthesiologist treating chronic
pain, and he jokes “she treats pain and I treat suffering.” Their two children are in the medical field.
Besides his expertise in psychiatry and exposure to many cultures, he has gained vast knowledge about religion, literature,
history and philosophy. And he has integrated the insights and wisdom from these diverse fields in his practice, writings
and speeches. People appreciate his compassion and pragmatism
as a clinician and his sense of humor.
His book, The Two Faces of Religion: A Psychiatrist’s
View was first published by Portals Press (1987) in the U.S. and later published in India by Theological Publications.
It was translated into Malayalam by Fr.J. Chirayil, a Catholic monk, with a
