Sharon Pham, PhD, RPsych

Sessional Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology
I am both a clinician and professor with a passion for equipping the next generation of counsellors and psychologists to tackle the complex needs of clients in an ever-changing and complex world.

Sharon Pham is a registered psychologist in Alberta (since 2004), and is in the process of getting dual registration in British Columbia. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Brandon University, a Master's degree in Counselling from Providence Theological Seminary, a Master's degree in Educational Psychology from Brandon University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary.  In addition to her long teaching career, she has worked professionally at the Alberta Health Services (AHS) Chronic Pain Centre in Calgary for the past 23 years, where she has provided direct clinical services to patients with a wide array of chronic pain disorders and participated in the training and supervision of psychologists, interns, and medical residents.  Sharon Pham was the psychologist representative on a multidisciplinary panel for the Ambassador Project which developed best practice guidelines for primary care physicians in the treatment of patients with acute and chronic back pain and headaches.  She was also the lead psychologist contributor to public information on the therapeutic treatment of migraines published by Migraine Canada.  She has been conducting chronic pain, disability, and vocational assessments of individuals with chronic pain, brain injury, and mental health disorders since 2011, and she is a member of the Canadian Pain Society and original board member of the Pain Society of Alberta.  She is currently an Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at TWU, where one of her primary interests is teaching assessment principles and skills to graduate Counselling Psychology students. https://www.phampsychservices.com/

  • PhD (University of Calgary; 2004)
  • MEd (Brandon University; 2000)
  • MA (Providence Theological Seminary; 1998)
  • BEd (Brandon University; 1995)

Expertise

Chronic Pain, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Health Psychology, Psycho-Vocational Assessment, Mental Health, Disability, Vocational Ministry, Integration of Theology and Psychology.

  • In Progress:  What’s on Your Mind? Helping Seminary Students Discern Vocation, Ambrose Theological Seminary, In Trust (Association of Theological Schools) Research/Project Grant

Recent Publications

  • Pham, S. Mental health and migraines. National webinar hosted by Migraine Canada (October 2021)
  • Pham, S. Cognitive behavioural therapy: Is it a good option to improve migraine? Migraine Canada (2020)
  • Pham, S. Cognitive behavioural therapy: I want to try it, how can I proceed? Migraine Canada (2020)
  • Miller, C., & Pham, S. The role of psychologists on chronic pain health care teams. Psychology services evidence based reviews: Chronic pain. Canadian Psychological Association (2018)
  • Habermann, S. My experiences as a Christian working in secular public health. Christian Psychology Around the World, 17, 85-87 (2015)

Affiliations & Memberships

  • Alberta Pain Society (APS): Founding Member
  • Canadian Pain Society (CPS): Member
  • Canadian Register of Health Service Psychologists (CRHSP): Member
  • College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP): Member; Former member of the Oral Examinations Panel and Academic Credentials Review Panel
  • Institute of Health Economics (Alberta) Ambassador Chronic Pain Initiative: Psychologist Representative
  • Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (PAA): Member
  • Psychology Professional Practice Committee (AHS, Calgary Zone): Former Board Member
  • Research Ethics Board (REB; Providence Theological Seminary): Former Member

  • CPSY 523 Foundations of Counselling
  • CPSY 613 Crisis Counselling
  • CPSY 622 Basic Principles and Application of Assessment
  • CPSY 691, 692, 695 Internship Seminar