Over the past 27 years, I have worked as a psychologist with professional baseball teams addressing the personal and performance issues of players, staff, and their families. I currently serve as psychologist and Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays and provides psychological and EAP services for the Arizona Diamondbacks major league team. Previously I provided services to the San Diego Padres, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals as well as Major League Umpires. I am very honored to have received a World Series ring from the Oakland Athletics in 1989.
My approach to sports psychology draws from my long experience working with professional athletes and staff and from my training as a traditional psychologist.
Mental game issues
- Goal setting
- Imagery
- Arousal management
- Self-talk
- Motivation
Psychological and social issues
- Relationships-dealing with parents, coaches, and teammates
- Feelings and moods-anxiety, depression, anger, burnout
- Dealing with pressure from within and from outside yourself
High performance issues
- Playing with poise-a high energy, low stress approach
- Focused attention-almost mindless performance
- Playing in the “range” and letting the “zone” take care of itself
- Playing the best you can when you are not at your best
- Dealing with slumps