Dr. Ishan Sharma
Dr. Ishan SharmaMD
Dr. Ishan Sharma
Dr. Ishan SharmaMD

"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." - Carl Jung

Dr. Ishan Sharma

Active Leadership Roles

  • Board Member, Medical Psychotherapy Association of Canada (MDPAC)
  • Liaison to the Board, Communication & Outreach Committee, MDPAC
  • Board Representative, Joint Task Force for Review of the Psychotherapy Training Program, MDPAC
  • Advisory Council Member, Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy, School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago 
 

Psychotherapy Training & Professional Development (In Progress or Pending)

  • Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program, Newport Psychoanalytic Institute
  • Psychoanalytic Foundations Series, The Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis
  • Writing Words That Touch: Tuning Our Psychoanalytic Voice, Western Canada Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
  • Love and Aggression: From Normality to Pathology with Otto Kernberg, International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
  • Self-Integration Through Mourning vs Melancholic Psychic & Somatic Retreats with Susan Kavaler-Adler, ORI
  • Defense Mechanisms in Dynamic Psychotherapy: Clinical Applications and Object Relations with Jerome Blackman, ORI
  • The Ethical Uses of Erotic Countertransference with Andrea Celenza, Psychoanalytic Center of the Carolinas
  • Techniques of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Judith Hamilton, Toronto Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
  • Bion in the Clinic with Cynthia Saruk, Toronto Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
  • Psychoanalysis and Attachment Theory with Ella Rogalska, Toronto Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
 
Psychotherapy Training (Completed)
 
  • Introduction to the Object Relations Clinical Theory and Its Clinical Experiential Applications with Susan Kavaler-Adler, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis (ORI)
  • Discover Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Loyola University Chicago
    • Including Group Case Consultation with a Psychodynamic Orientation
  • Psychoanalytic Treatment of Narcissistic, Borderline, and Psychotic Personality Organization, Dallas Psychoanalytic Center
  • James F. Masterson’s Approach to Modern Psychoanalytic Praxis: A Contemporary Introduction with Loray Daws, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
  • Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Supervision: A Deep-Dive into Technique with Bob Drozek & Brandon Unruh, MBT Boston
  • Personality Disorders: An In-Depth Examination of the Phenomenology, Characterology, Underlying Psychodynamics, and Treatment Options with Otto Kernberg, International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
  • Transference-Focused Psychotherapy Introductory Workshop with Eric Fertuck, International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
  • Basic Supervision Course in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) with Jon Frederickson, ISTDP Institute
  • Foundational Models of Psychic Development in Object Relations Psychoanalysis: From Freud to Field Theory with Loray Daws, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
  • The Therapeutic Contract: How Treatment Arrangements Determine the Effectiveness of Therapy with Monica Carsky,                   International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
  • Integrating Psychodynamic Techniques in Modern Therapy with Martha Stark, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
  • Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Practitioner Level with Anthony Bateman, Lois Choi-Kain, Bob Drozek & Brandon Unruh, Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute at McLean Hospital 
  • Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) Basic Training with Anthony Bateman, Lois Choi-Kain, Bob Drozek & Brandon Unruh,                Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute at McLean Hospital
  • Level 1 Sensorimotor Psychotherapy with Lana Epstein & Janina Fisher, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
  • Level 2 Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), AEDP Institute
    • Included Group Supervision
  • Level 1 Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) with Diana Fosha, AEDP Institute
  • Psychotherapy Training Program, MDPAC
    • Included Group Case Consultation
  • Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate, The Embody Lab 
 
Clinical Supervisor Training (Completed)
 
  • Clinical Supervision Training Program (Psychodynamic, Integrated Developmental & Parallel Process Model), Institute for Self-in-Relationship Psychotherapy
  • Teaching Clinical Thinking in Supervision with Jon Frederickson, Nachas Consulting
  • Clinical Supervision Training, PESI
 
Professional Development (Completed)

  • AGPA Connect 2026: Holding Space for Deeper Connection in Complex Times, American Group Psychotherapy Association
  • Clinical Psychopharmacology: Beyond Conventional Wisdom with Nassir Ghaemi & Luca Pani, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
  • On the Failure to Use Countertransference Productively with Irwin Hirsch, Toronto Psychoanalytic Society & Institute
  • APsA 2026 National Meeting, American Psychoanalytic Association
  • Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference 2025
  • Bodies on the Edge: De/Constructing the Ideal, Fall Conference 2025, Newport Psychoanalytic Institute
  • Dangerous Desires: Attachment-based and Psychodynamic Approaches to Addiction, British Psychological Society
  • Therapy in Practice Conference, Section of Generalists in Mental Health, Alberta Medical Association
  • Working with Fairbairn’s Metaphors of the Human Mind with David P. Celani, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
  • Drive in Contemporary Psychoanalysis Around the Globe with Eva D. Papiasvili, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
  • The Craft of Writing a Psychodynamic Case Study: A Practical Guide with Aner Govrin, Object Relations Institute for Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
  • Mentalizing Inside, Outside, and Beyond: 7th International MBT Conference, Anna Freud Centre & MBT Denmark
    • Attended workshops on MBT for Pathological Narcissism & MBT for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders
  • The Mourning Process and its Importance in Mental Illness: A Psychoanalytic Understanding of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Classification with Rachel Gibbons, Institute of Psychoanalysis, British Psychoanalytical Society
  • Countertransference Toolkit: Feel, Think, Intervene with Stan Tatkin, PACT Institute
  • Mentalizing with Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) and Adults, Anna Freud Centre
  • Psychological Trauma, Schizophrenia, and Psychotherapy with Michael Garrett, OPA
  • Psychotherapy for Psychosis: Integrating Cognitive Behavioural and Psychodynamic Treatment with Michael Garrett, Ontario Psychiatric Association (OPA)
  • Anxiety Regulation: Creating a Safe and Secure Alliance to Increase Client Emotional Capacity, AEDP Institute
  • An Introduction to the Intra-Relational Triangle: AEDP, Complex Trauma and Parts Work, AEDP Institute
  • Assess, Regulate, Activate, and Transform Emotions with Les Greenberg, CPEH
  • Using Anger Constructively In and Out of Psychotherapy, AEDP Institute
  • Working with Emotions in Depression and Anxiety with Les Greenberg, Centre for Psychology and Emotional Health (CPEH)
  • AEDP Portrayals: The Dyadic Experiential Processing of Trauma to a Corrective Emotional Experience, AEDP Institute
  • General Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality Disorder, Harvard University
  • Foundations for Becoming an Internal Family Systems Therapist with Elizabeth Taeubert, PESI
  • Diagnosis and Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder with Colin Ross, Nachas Consulting
  • Maintaining Professional Boundaries in Psychotherapy, Nachas Consulting
  • Practical Approaches for Neurodivergent Clients: Mindfulness for Neurodiversity
  • 20 Skills to Work with Emotion in Psychotherapy with Les Greenberg, CPEH
  • Object Relations for Couples Therapists with Stan Tatkin, PACT Institute
  • EMDR: A Rapid, Safe, Proven Treatment for Trauma, PESI
  • Strategies for Managing Unprofessional Behaviour for Leaders, CMPA
  • Complete IFS Therapy Immersion, PESI
  • Somatic Trauma Healing Step-by-Step, PESI
  • Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma, NICABM
  • Complex Trauma Certification Training Level 1 & 2, PESI
  • The Purpose-Centered Couple Workshop with Stan Tatkin, PACT Institute
  • Fundamentals of Emotionally Focused Therapy, ICEEFT
  • Strategies to Help Clients Navigate Rupture and Build Skills of Repair, NICABM
  • Hakomi Method Workshop, Hakomi Institute of Calgary
  • DBT Skills Course, Psychwire
  • ACT for Beginners Course, Psychwire
  • Expert Strategies for Treating Narcissism, NICABM
  • Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders, OMA Section of Generalists in Mental Health
  • Addiction Medicine Conference 2022, International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia, MDPAC
  • Virtual Review Course in Addiction Medicine, American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
  • Virtual Psychotherapy Conference 2020, MDPAC
  • Addiction Medicine Conference 2019, ISAM
 
Professional Memberships
 
  • Psychotherapist-In-Training Clinical Member, American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA)
  • Medical Psychotherapy Association of Canada (MDPAC)
  • Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN)
  • Section of Generalists in Mental Health, Alberta Medical Association
  • Community Member, Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California (PINC)
 
Formal Education (Completed)

  • Family Medicine Residency, University of Calgary
  • Doctor of Medicine, University of Calgary
  • Medical elective experiences including: Solution Focused Therapy, Psychotherapy, Trauma Therapy, Addiction Medicine, Addiction Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatry

Anxiety Therapy

Trauma Therapy

Depression Therapy

Self Esteem Therapy

Relationship Issues

Integrative Therapy