Clinical

Sport Psychologist

Serving Long Beach Athletes

Women’s Premier Soccer League team participating in a team building activity. Photo Credit: Dr. Jason von Stietz ( that’s me!)

If you're an athlete in Long Beach, you don't have to navigate anxiety, pressure, or performance challenges by yourself.

I provide telehealth sport psychology services for athletes throughout Long Beach and across California. I work with middle school, high school, college, and adult athletes who are dealing with performance anxiety, OCD, perfectionism, burnout, confidence issues, injury recovery, and the mental challenges that come with pursuing something important to them.

As a licensed psychologist, I combine evidence-based clinical psychology with sport psychology to help athletes improve their mental health while developing the skills needed to perform under pressure.

Why Long Beach?

Long Beach has become an important part of both my personal and professional life.

Over the years, I've gotten to know the community through sports, performing arts, and working with athletes. I train in Filipino Martial Arts in Bixby Knolls, have performed improv comedy there, and have performed improv and sketch comedy near the Traffic Circle area.

These experiences have reinforced something I see regularly in my work with athletes: performance challenges show up everywhere. Whether you're competing in a sport, stepping onto a stage, or learning a new skill, people often struggle with similar things—managing nerves, recovering from mistakes, staying focused, and trusting themselves under pressure.

Martial Arts demo in Long Beach. Photo Credit: Long Beach PADNET.tv

Learning From Long Beach Sports Communities

One of my favorite Long Beach sports experiences started as a spectator.

I attended the US Sumo Open at the Walter Pyramid and was amazed by the athleticism, strategy, and mental toughness of the competitors. That experience sparked my interest in sumo wrestling, and I eventually trained in amateur sumo for about a year.

That curiosity later led to the opportunity to provide team-building and mental skills training for the U.S. National Sumo Wrestling Team. We focused on skills such as staying focused under pressure, developing routines, and connecting daily training behaviors with personal values.

I've also had the opportunity to work with a Women's Premier Soccer League team based in Long Beach. I began providing team-building and mental skills training with the team in 2019. When the pandemic changed how athletes trained and competed, we continued meeting virtually to focus on team connection, managing uncertainty, and maintaining motivation during a challenging time.

2019 US Sumo Open at Walter Pyramid. Photo Credit: Me!

A Clinical Sport Psychology Approach

Performance Beyond Athletics

One of the reasons I enjoy sport psychology is that I see connections between athletics and other forms of performance.

Athletes, musicians, actors, comedians, and other performers all have moments where they need to show up under pressure.

They worry about mistakes.

They question themselves.

They have moments where they need to trust their preparation.

My own experiences in martial arts and improv comedy continue to remind me that performing well is not about eliminating nerves or uncertainty. It's about learning how to work with those experiences and still move forward.

Women’s Premier Soccer League team participating in a team building activity. Photo Credit: Dr. Jason von Stietz ( me!)

Experience Working With Athletes

I've worked with athletes at many levels of competition, including high school, collegiate, professional, and national-level athletes.

My experience includes:

  • Sport Psychology Fellow with the Whittier College Counseling Center and Athletic Department

  • Sport Psychology Intern with the MLB Youth Academy in Compton

  • Mental skills and team-building workshops for athletic teams throughout Southern California

  • Member of the IOCDF Anxiety in Athletes Task Force

  • Sport psychology consultant for a Women's Premier Soccer League team based in Long Beach

  • Team-building and mental skills training for the U.S. National Sumo Wrestling Team

I also collaborate with coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, physicians, and other professionals who support athletes.

Why Telehealth Works Well for Athletes

Athletes often have busy schedules.

Between practices, competitions, school, work, and travel, adding another commute can be difficult.

Telehealth allows athletes in Long Beach to access specialized clinical sport psychology while fitting appointments into their existing routines.

I provide secure telehealth throughout California, including Long Beach, Los Angeles, and the South Bay.

Taco the cat makes an appearance!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're an athlete in Long Beach looking for help with performance anxiety, OCD, confidence, burnout, or another mental health concern, I'd be happy to learn more about what you're experiencing.

A free consultation is an opportunity to discuss your goals, answer questions, and determine whether my approach is a good fit for you.

Schedule Consultation

  • I provide telehealth services throughout California, including Long Beach. This allows athletes to receive specialized clinical sport psychology without needing to commute.

  • Yes. I work with middle school and high school athletes who are navigating performance pressure, anxiety, confidence concerns, perfectionism, OCD, and the challenges that come with balancing sports, school, and everyday life.

    I also collaborate with parents, coaches, athletic trainers, school professionals, and other members of an athlete's support system when it's helpful and appropriate.

  • No. I work with athletes at many different levels, including high school athletes, college athletes, adult competitors, and recreational athletes.

  • Yes. I specialize in evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders and OCD while also helping athletes address performance concerns. For many athletes, mental health and performance are closely connected.

  • Yes. Confidence concerns are one of the most common reasons athletes seek sport psychology support.

    Many athletes I work with know they have the ability to perform, but anxiety, perfectionism, fear of mistakes, or a difficult experience can affect how they see themselves as athletes. We work together to understand what is getting in the way and develop ways to respond differently when challenges come up.

  • I've worked with athletes from many different sports, including baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, track and field, swimming, martial arts, wrestling, weightlifting, and endurance sports.

    The mental skills involved in performance—staying focused, managing pressure, recovering after mistakes, and trusting your preparation—often apply across different sports.

  • Yes. Injuries affect more than an athlete's physical abilities. They can also affect confidence, identity, motivation, and the relationship someone has with their sport.

    I work with athletes who are navigating the emotional challenges of injury, returning to competition, and rebuilding confidence after setbacks.

  • Yes. Although my practice focuses primarily on athletes, I also work with performers and other individuals who experience pressure in high-performance settings.

    My own experiences with improv and sketch comedy have reinforced my interest in how people manage uncertainty, mistakes, and pressure while performing.