Dr. Sachiko Nagasawa, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director of Bay Psychology, is the recipient of the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) 2021 Award of Merit.
This annual award is the highest honour from the OPA, and is granted to an individual or group that has made a significant contribution to the field of psychology.
In March 2020, Dr. Nagasawa published a free workbook, Tolerance for Uncertainty: A COVID-19 Workbook that has been used by mental health organizations across Canada and translated into French by Health Canada.
See: Coping with anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic
And: Local clinic offering PTSD group therapy for first responders
The workbook offers evidence-based psychological strategies to help individuals effectively manage strong emotions that arise during challenging times.
In addition to the development of this valuable tool, Dr. Nagasawa has collaborated with local stakeholders to improve outpatient mental health programming for the North Bay Regional Health Centre.
"Her innovative work has led to significantly reduced wait times and improved outcomes," says a news release.
"As communities continue to navigate through the pandemic, the impact on mental health cannot be underestimated, and the importance of building resiliency to face these uncertain times is clear. Dr. Nagasawa feels strongly that kindness and compassion during these challenging times are essential."
“The current pandemic is an opportunity to learn new skills to accept your feelings, tolerate distress, and move forward with grace despite not knowing what lies ahead," she says. "We are all in this together.”
Dr. Sachiko Nagasawa is an advocate for perinatal mental health, racial justice in psychology, consultant for first responder organizations, and broadening accessibility of mental health services in northern Ontario. Her approach to psychological care is collaborative in nature, with the intent of helping people implement better-coping strategies, heal and live a meaningful life.