My journey to become “Dr. K” began in 2010, when I was given a copy of Mind Gym. I was an incredibly anxious athlete and struggled to perform under pressure. My exposure to sport psychology and mental skills helped redefine my journey as an athlete and fueled my passion to help others be the best that they can be. I had the privilege to walk-on to the football team at Oklahoma State University from 2011-2014. As a former Division I college student-athlete, I know firsthand the challenges and demands student-athletes face within the sport environment.

During that time, I experienced my mental health struggles and never knew how to reach out for help. After retiring from my sport, I began an academic journey that led me to James Madison University in 2015 where I obtained my master’s degree and began as a mental skills consultant for the Challace McMillin Center for Sport Psychology in 2016. With the McMillin Center, I provided mental skills training and education to university and high school athletes in the Shenandoah Valley.

Afterwards, I attended the University of North Texas (UNT) for my doctorate in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Sport Psychology. My training allowed me to provide individual and group psychological services, as well as testing and evaluation, in a variety of settings. Through the UNT Center for Sport Psychology and Athlete Mental Health (CSPAMH), I served as the sport psychology consultant for the UNT football team and provided individual counseling and mental skills consultation to other UNT student-athletes and athletes from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In my final year, I served as the sport psychology consultant for the Texas Woman’s University (TWU) Athletic Department providing mental health and performance services to all teams and individual athletes.

I moved to Reno in July 2022 to begin my APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at University of Nevada, Reno’s Counseling Services where I provided individual and group therapy, as well as completed additional training in psychological testing and assessment. Following internship, I had the honor to become the first embedded sport psychologist for the Wolf Pack. During my tenure, I was the sole mental health and sport psychology provider for approximately 450 Division I athletes and varsity Nevada teams.