Sara Masland, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Clinical Expertise
Sara Masland, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist. She provides evidence-based therapies for a range of emotional and behavioral problems, including personality disorders, trauma-related conditions, self-harm, anxiety, OCD, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Education

Bowdoin College, BA

Harvard University, MA

Harvard University, PhD

Togus VA Maine Healthcare, Internship

McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Postdoctoral Fellowship

Training

Dr. Masland earned a BA in psychology from Bowdoin College and a PhD in clinical psychology from Harvard University. She has completed extensive training in cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic approaches, and neuropsychological assessment in a variety of settings.

Broadly, Dr. Masland is interested in evidence-based treatments. She has trained in Exposure Therapy/Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for trauma, DBT for complex PTSD, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT), and Good Psychiatric Management (GPM), among others.

Research

Dr. Masland is the Founder and Director of the Pomona Personality, Psychopathology, and Relationships (PPPR) Lab and Associate Professor at Pomona College. She regularly publishes in peer-reviewed journals, including work on treatment improvement and accessibility for people with personality disorders, stigma, and Good Psychiatric Management (GPM). She also studies social cognition, identity, and emotion processes in personality disorders, particularly borderline and narcissistic personality disorders.

Dr. Masland currently co-leads a multi-national research group dedicated to improving and disseminating Good Psychiatric Management (GPM). She works with partners in Switzerland, France, Canada, Sweden, and Brazil to make treatment for personality problems more effective and accessible. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Society for the Study of Personality Disorders (NASSPD).

Teaching and Advocacy

Dr. Masland has taught courses at Harvard University, Harvard Extension School, University of New England, and Bates College. She is currently Associate Professor of Psychological Science at Pomona College, where she has received the highest award for excellence in teaching.

She is also a certified trainer for Good Psychiatric Management (GPM), for which she contributes to free or low-cost trainings for mental health professionals around the world, with the goal of making treatment for borderline personality disorder and related conditions accessible to everyone.

Dr. Masland dedicates significant time to advocating for people with psychological disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder (BPD). She has served on the Board of Directors for Emotions Matter, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with BPD. She frequently delivers webinars on destigmatizing BPD and publishes in this area. In 2023, she partnered with Emotions Matter, the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder, and the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CBHA) to pass AB 1412 in California, which makes people with BPD eligible for pretrial treatment diversion programs.

General Approach

She practices evidence-based therapies with a pragmatic, flexible, collaborative, and relationship-focused approach. With an open and non-judgmental stance, she strives to help clients improve relationships with self and others, identify values, and build meaningful lives.

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Sara Masland, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Clinical ExpertiseSara Masland, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist. She provides evidence-based therapies for a range of emotional and behavioral problems, including personality disorders, trauma-related conditions, self-harm, anxiety, OCD, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Education Bowdoin College, BA Harvard University, MA Harvard University, PhD Togus VA Maine Healthcare, Internship McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Postdoctoral Fellowship

General Approach She practices evidence-based therapies with a pragmatic, flexible, collaborative, and relationship-focused approach. With an open and non-judgmental stance, she strives to help clients improve relationships with self and others, identify values, and build meaningful lives.