BRIAN SHAW, Ph.D., C.Psych.

Dr. Brian F. Shaw is one of the originators of applied cognitive-behavioural psychology for clinical practice, particularly mental health and addiction problems. He is an expert on how the mind works, how it gets de-railed and how to get it back on track. He is the principal of BFS Consulting, a sports and entertainment consulting firm based in Toronto, Canada.

He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario in 1975 following a B.Sc. degree in Physiology at the University of Toronto. He is a Professor at the University of Toronto. Scientifically, in the 1980’s, he was one of the 50 highest-impact authors in psychology. Over the past 15 years, he has taken this research and adapted it to the everyday world where people strive for health, peace of mind, and exceptional performance.

His latest books (with Alden Cass and Sydney LeBlanc) include Bullish Thinking and The Bullish Thinking Guide for Managers, which focus on the financial services industry (Wiley, 2008). He is also the author (with Paul Ritvo and Jane Irvine) of Addiction and Recovery for Dummies (Wiley, 2004) and Cognitive Therapy of Depression (Guilford, 1979, with Aaron Beck, John Rush & Gary Emery).

In sports, Dr. Shaw is well known for his work as the co-director of the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health Program. He also co-directs the behavioural health program for Major League Soccer (MLS/ MLSPA). Dr. Shaw is the psychologist for the Toronto Blue Jays and several other professional and Olympic level athletes. He was recently a featured speaker at the player development forum hosted by the NBA, NFL and the NHL on the topic “managing anxiety in athletes,” at the 2007 seminar hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on “Teen Addiction,” and at the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Business seminar on “Addiction and the Workplace.”