Alexandra (Sasha) Shifrin
MA, Doctoral Candidate
Sasha is a therapist and PhD candidate in Clinical & Counselling Psychology at the University of Toronto/Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (UofT/OISE). She has completed training providing assessment and treatment services at the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, OISE Psychology Clinic, and in a clinical research trial for treating posttraumatic stress disorder. She is currently completing a placement at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, where she provides assessment and treatment to patients with substance use and addictive behaviours.
At FTPS, Sasha specializes in supporting clients with OCD and anxiety concerns. She has worked with clients presenting with a range of OCD symptoms, including obsessions and compulsions related to contamination, harm, sexuality, relationships, somatic, health, exactness/symmetry, and perfectionism, (e.g., skin picking and hair pulling) and body dysmorphic disorder. She supports clients who experience anxiety in various areas of their lives, such as at work/school, in relationships, self-esteem, and life transitions. Sasha uses evidence-based treatments in her approach, including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). She also offers Inference-Based Cognitive Therapy as an alternative and complementary approach to Exposure with Response Prevention.
Sasha views therapy as a genuine and non-judgmental collaboration where the client is the expert of their own life and experiences. She strives to create an open, warm, and safe space to help her clients engage in self-discovery, set meaningful goals, and develop skills to create desired change. Sasha has a particular interest in working with adolescents and emerging adults, as her research at UofT specializes in topics related to this developmental period such as mental health challenges, substance use, life transitions, and risk and wellness behaviours.
Outside of work and school, she enjoys travelling, exploring new restaurants in Toronto, and playing with her cat.
Alexandra (Sasha) Shifrin’s practice includes the following services:
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Recent Scientific Publications
Shifrin, A., Shankari, S., Roth, M. L., Gifford, S., & Monson, C. M. (2022). Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment preference: Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, or medication therapy? Psychological Services.
Goldstein, A. L., Shifrin, A., Katz, J., Iu, L. K., & Kofler, D. (2021). Exploring the relationship between ADHD symptoms and daily cannabis consequences in emerging adulthood: The role of cannabis motives. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 82(2), 228-236.
Shifrin, A., & Giguère, B. (2018). Using group identity and norms to explain prosocial behavior in anonymous online environments. Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations, and Identity, 11, 91-106.
Kim, H. S., Shifrin, A., Sztainert, T., & Wohl, M. J. A. (2018). Placing your faith on the betting floor: Religiosity predicts disordered gambling via gambling fallacies. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1), 1-9.
Recent Presentations
Shifrin, A., Katz, J. L., Azubuike, C., & Goldstein, A. L. (2023, July). The impact of personality risk factors on motives and cannabis consequences in emerging adulthood [Poster presentation]. 7th Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Marijuana, Long Beach, CA, United States.
Shifrin, A., Hawley, L. L., Zalan, L. B., Richter, P., & Rector, N. (2023, June). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: The role of self-compassion and mindfulness in symptom change [Poster presentation]. 10th World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies, Seoul, South Korea.
Shifrin, A., Zalan, L. B., & Hawley, L. L. (2023, June). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: The role of self-compassion and mindfulness in symptom change [Poster presentation]. 10th World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies. Seoul, Korea.
Katz, J., Shifrin, A., Goldstein, A. L., Wardell, J. D., & Hendershot, C. S. (2023, June). Childhood maltreatment and problematic alcohol use in emerging adulthood: The role of ADHD symptoms [Poster presentation]. 46th Annual Research Society on Alcoholism Scientific Meeting. Bellevue, WA.
Goldstein, A. L., Shifrin, A. & Azubuike, C. (2022, November). ADHD symptoms and cannabis use in emerging adults: An event-level analysis using ecological momentary assessment [Poster presentation]. 46th Annual AMERSA Conference. Boston, MA.
Goldstein, A. L. & Shifrin, A. (2022, November). Cannabis and coping in emerging adulthood. Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Women’s College Hospital. Toronto, ON.
Shifrin, A., Katz, J. L., Azubuike, C., & Goldstein, A. L. (2022, April). Cannabis use and motives in emerging adulthood: A feasibility study using ecological momentary assessment [Poster presentation]. Cannabinoids in Clinical Practice: 8th Annual Hybrid Conference. Toronto, ON.