Psychological Associate (Psychology, BA)

Saša Mudrinić, Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport

By: Natalia Thomas, Outreach & Support Peer

Saša graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He had originally been interested in the Kinesiology program but given his keen interest in human behaviour and a strong desire to enter a helping profession, Psychology felt like a better fit. Saša developed a deep passion for sport at an early age while growing up as a refugee in Slovenia. The experience of being displaced from his home country of Bosnia & Herzegovina helped him to discover that sport and play could serve as a powerful outlet - offering not only moments of joy and normalcy, but also a sense of connection, resilience, and hope.

Following Laurier, Saša pursued a master’s degree in counselling psychology at Adler University in Vancouver. During his graduate studies, he worked in a clinical practicum position as a school counsellor with the Vancouver School Board which turned into a work opportunity once his coursework was complete. The school counsellor position was challenging, especially working with vulnerable students that may require reporting situations of neglect or abuse. With his continued interest in sport psychology, Saša returned to Ontario to work in the field of injury recovery and rehabilitation psychology. After completing his master’s degree, six years of clinical supervision, and three examinations, Saša registered with the College of Psychologists and Behavioural Analysts of Ontario as a Psychological Associate. He worked at a sport psychology rehabilitation clinic that specialized in concussion management and eye vision training, primarily assisting junior hockey players in returning to sport following injury.

Saša recognized through the connections he had made with his clients and in his own lived experience, healing and recovery can take on many different forms. This was especially true for individuals that were coping with chronic injuries and conditions. Seeking an integral and holistic perspective on healing, Saša completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at the California Institute for Human Science in San Diego. Saša conducted his dissertation on psychological readiness in return to sport following injury. As he recently completed his PhD, his title will change to psychologist, however, it can take time to receive approvals from governing bodies. This does not change his scope of practice as Psychological Associates and Psychologists provide the same services in Ontario and represent different registration pathways. Saša is also working toward registering as a psychologist in the state of California where he enjoys spending time during the winter months.

Saša currently works as a Psychological Associate and Psychotherapist at the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport in Ottawa, and provides psychological services at the Cambridge Psychology Centre, Psychology Health Solutions, and Jett Psychological Services. Saša works with a diverse group of people, through his own flexible schedule, primarily completing remote appointments from his office, which allows him to work with people across Ontario. The Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport works with Olympic athletes as well as other professional and amateur athletes, addressing sports injury related to mental health challenges. Athletes can often deal with psychological challenges including fear of re-injury, chronic pain management, accessing appropriate physical therapy, coping with grief and loss of functioning and navigating career transitions when injury occurs.

As a Psychological Associate, Saša is trained to conduct psychological assessments, provide evidence-based psychological treatment, and diagnose mental health conditions outlined in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM). This role differs from that of a Registered Psychotherapist, who primarily provides talk therapy but does not diagnose mental health disorders. Unlike Psychiatrists and Family Physicians, Psychological Associates do not prescribe medication; however, they often collaborate with medical professionals who manage pharmacological treatment to ensure comprehensive client care. Changes in Canadian healthcare may allow psychologists with PhD’s and additional psychopharmacological training to prescribe some mood medications.

Skills that are required for this field include intuition, empathy, having an attitude of a life-long learner, openness, genuineness, and authenticity. Saša emphasized the value of learning from his clients and colleagues every day and using that learning for growth within his own personal and professional life. He also prefaces the importance of setting up personal boundaries with clients and work environments to ensure utmost success for the therapist and clients. Saša has recognized the impact that living in different parts of the world has had on his own cultural conditioning. If possible, he highly recommends travelling as these biases will ultimately influence your practice.

The role that Saša currently works in has taken time, passion and effort over many years to complete. Students interested in entering a helping profession with less schooling requirements might wish to explore intake service positions at community counselling agencies, psychometry, youth worker or addictions counsellors. It is common that private psychology clinics seek candidates with a BA in psychology for their administrative support roles, these positions can often sit in on psychological assessments and treatments being performed. For those particularly keen on specializing in sport psychology, resources such as the Association of Applied Sports Psychology and the Canadian Psychotherapy Association can be helpful when looking to network, conduct research within the field and later find job postings and listings.

Saša believes that seeking out conversations with people who have already navigated the profession and finding a niche (whether it be sport or other) within the field of psychology are the most beneficial aspects of succeeding in this career. Lastly, Saša points out that while we cannot always predict the career path we will take, it’s important to stay open to serendipitous learning experiences along the way, as those unplanned opportunities can be powerful teachers in shaping your interests and direction!