Johanna D. Sagarin, Ph.D., is currently an assistant professor of practice and psychologist in private practice. After working at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Sagarin was Vice President of Children’s Friend, Inc., in Worcester, MA where she directed their community mental health clinic specializing in youth and families for close to two decades. There she was also involved in program development, helping to create specialized programs in grief and in working with LGBTQIA+ youth and their families. She has co-authored book chapters and peer reviewed articles, as well as the book Working with Parents in Child Psychotherapy, with Elisa Bronfman, PhD. She has presented at conferences and provided trainings for both professional and lay audiences. She teaches in the Clinical Counseling Psychology program where she also coordinates internships. She is involved in research on parenting.
Education Background
1991-1998: Clark University, Worcester, MA
(APA accredited program in clinical psychology)
M.A. in Clinical Psychology – August, 1993
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology – March, 1998
1987-1991: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
B.S. degree – 1991
Major: Human Development and Family Studies
Courses Taught
Ethical Principles for Counselors
Practicum
Internship I
Internship II
Developmental Psychology
Psychological Testing
General Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Statistics
Awards and Accolades
2006 Worcester Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award
2003 Children’s Friend President’s Award
Publications
Bronfman, E. & Sagarin, J. D. (2025). Working with parents in child psychotherapy. Guilford Press.
Sagarin, J. D. & Bronfman, E. (2024). Rules and expectations in G. Koocher, A. LaGreca,N. Lopez Reilly, & O. Moorehead-Slaughter (Eds.), The parents’ guide to
psychological first aid: Helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises. Oxford University Press.
Dillon, J. J., Sagarin, J. D., & Bibace, R. (2008) Change in reasoning about the body through psychological distancing activities. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29(4), 254-258.
Bibace, R., Sagarin, J.D., & Dyl, J. (1998) The heuristic value of Werner’s concept of development. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 19(1), 153-163.
Bibace, R., Dillon, J., & Sagarin, J.D. (1999). Toward a co-existence concept of causal reasoning about illness in children and adults. In R. Bibace, J. Dillon, & B. Dowds (eds.) Partnerships in research, clinical, and educational settings. Greenwich: Ablex Press.
DiBiasio, B., Driehaus, E., & Sagarin, J.D. (1996), Crossing boundaries, sharing themes: Integrating courses across the curriculum. 16th Annual Lilly Conference on College Teaching. November 21-24, 1996.
Presentations
Sagarin, J.D. & Bronfman, E. (October 17, 2025). Working with Challenging Caregivers. Training presented to mental health clinicians through A Home Within, on-line, United States of America.
Bronfman, E. & Sagarin, J.D. (October 6, 2025). Who is the Caregiver in the Room? Individualizing Strategies for Working with Different Styles of Family Caregivers in a Medical Environment. Training presented through The Family Medical Coping Initiative of the Hale Family Center for Families at Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA.
Sagarin, J.D. (March 4, 2025). Working with Challenging Caregivers. Training presented to mental health clinicians at The Institute for Girls’ Development, Pasadena, CA.
Sagarin, J.D. & Bronfman, E. (November 2, 2024). Managing Parent Stress to Support the Whole Family. Keynote presented at the Boston Children’s Hospital Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Family Symposium.
Sagarin, J.D. (October, 2019). Clinical and Programmatic Ways to Improve Care for LGBTQIA+ Clients and Employees. Presented at the annual meeting of the
Provider’s Council, Boston, MA.
Sagarin, J.D. (August, 1999). An alternative model: Exploring sensory responses of children with PDD. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American
Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
Sagarin, J.D., Minian, N., & Bibace, R. (March, 1996). Gender differences in conceptions of illness among Mexican college students: A content analysis. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Philadelphia, PA.
Sagarin, J.D. (April 24, 1995). Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Signs, symptoms, communication, and socialization. Presentation to Worcester Department of Special Education, Speech and Language Pathologists, Worcester, MA.
Bibace, R., Sagarin, J.D., & Dyl, J. (March, 1995) The heuristic value of Werner’s concept of development, Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern
Psychological Association, Boston, MA.