Sarah Hickinbottom-Brawn

Sarah Hickinbottom-Brawn, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) since 2007, teaching counselling field experience and practicum courses. She is also a Registered Clinical Counsellor in private practice and at Oak Counselling Services (pro-bono) since 2015, with over 20 years of teaching experience across SFU, UBC, KPU, and CityU at undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.

Her educational credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Simon Fraser University (2007)
• M.A. in Counselling Psychology from Simon Fraser University (1999)
• B.A. Honours in Psychology from Simon Fraser University (1993)

Dr. Hickinbottom-Brawn's research employs ontological and philosophical hermeneutics to deconstruct the moral, sociocultural, historical, political, and economic foundations of Western psychology. She critically examines marketplace ideals in higher education, the pathologization of shyness in enterprise culture, and disguised individualism in positive psychology, while applying postmodern and constructivist frameworks in clinical practice for clients reinterpreting self-identity.

Her publications reveal a cohesive critique of mainstream psychological paradigms, consistently challenging normalization of market-driven values across student engagement, mental health diagnostics, and professional identity formation. This critical lens bridges theoretical psychology with sociopolitical analysis of educational and therapeutic practices.

Notable scientific recognition includes the Sigmund Koch Early Career Psychologist Award (2010) and extensive research funding:

• Sigmund Koch Award (2010) from APA's Society for Theoretical & Philosophical Psychology
• KPU .6% PD Research Funds ($12,500 in 2010, 2011)
• Academic & Career Advancement Fund ($15,000, 2011)
• Multiple PD Travel Grants ($1,500 each, 2009-2010)
• Dean's Convocation Medal (SFU, 2007)
• APA Student Paper Awards (2003, 2004)

She provides clinical and thesis supervision at Adler School/CityU, supported by SSHRC funding ($20,000, 2004-2005) and KPU grants. As consulting editor for the Journal of Theoretical & Philosophical Psychology, she actively shapes critical discourse in the field.

While not leading a formal laboratory, she maintains robust scholarly collaborations with Jack Martin and Jeff Sugarman, co-authoring the foundational text 'Persons: Understanding self and agency' (Springer, 2010), and contributes to theoretical psychology networks through APA convention presentations.