Sports Psychology therapists in Richmond, Virginia VA
We are proud to feature top rated Sports Psychology therapists in Richmond. We encourage you to review each profile to find your best match.
Sports
Andrea Elkon
Psychologist, Ph.D.
As a former collegiate volleyball and softball player, I understand that athletic performance incorporates so much more than physical training. I work with athletes who are struggling with anxiety, confidence, focus, or team dynamics. Additionally, I see athletes after they have experienced some major event in their athletic lives; such as acute and chronic injuries, pain, illness, or physical changes with aging. Athletes also struggle frequently with eating concerns and body image. Please feel free to reach out to me to learn more about my approach to treating sports-related performance.
21 Years Experience
Online in Richmond, VA Virginia
Sports
Alberto Gamarra
Psychologist, Ph. D. NCSP
In today's athletic environment, there are so many "issues" for parents and their student-athletes to overcome. A few of the topics that I have worked with in my 20+ years include: parent/coach dynamics, sideline behavior, athlete motivation, performance issues, concussions, goal-setting, team building, injury recovery, and career termination. Each of these areas is approached with care and individuality that they deserve, no 2 student-athletes present in the same way.
26 Years Experience
Online in Richmond, VA Virginia
Sports
Jay Shaw
Hypnotherapist, CHt (Certified Hypnotherapist)
Athletic performance breaks down between the ears before it breaks down on the field. Choke moments, performance anxiety, inconsistency under pressure these are subconscious patterns, not skill gaps. I work with competitive athletes to rebuild the identity they compete from: new pressure responses, new pre-performance baselines, and a nervous system calibrated for execution when it counts most.
8 Years Experience
Online in Richmond, VA Virginia
Sports
Dr. Linda G. Ritchie, Ph.D.
Psychologist, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT, Certified Hypnotherapist
If you’re an athlete or performer, you may know exactly what you’re capable of—yet find that in key moments, you don’t perform at your best. You might overthink, lose focus, feel pressure, or struggle with confidence despite strong preparation and skill. This gap between what you can do in practice and what shows up under pressure can be frustrating and hard to explain.
I help athletes close that gap by training both the mind and the body to perform consistently under pressure. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we identify and shift the thought patterns that interfere with focus and confidence. With clinical hypnosis, NLP, and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/tapping), we work at a deeper level to strengthen concentration, reduce performance anxiety, and condition automatic responses that support peak performance. I also incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you stay present, grounded, and fully engaged in the moment—so you can execute rather than overthink.
What’s often missing isn’t ability—you already have the skill set. What’s missing is a reliable way to access that ability consistently, especially when it matters most. Without that, performance can feel unpredictable, and confidence can fluctuate based on outcomes rather than staying stable.
The fact that you’re here suggests you want to perform at a higher level. If you’re willing to train your mind as intentionally as you train your body, I can help you improve focus, build confidence, and perform more consistently when it counts.
27 Years Experience
Online in Richmond, VA Virginia
Sports
Dr. Elizabeth Coldren
Psychologist, PSYD, PSYPACT
I work with adult athletes, including those competing professionally, internationally, or at other elite levels. My focus is not on coaching your performance, but on supporting you as a human being who also happens to be an athlete. I work with people across all stages of their careers: the early years of building identity and navigating expectations, the intensity and visibility of peak competition, the disruption of injury, and the uncertainty that can come with transition or retirement. I work with athletes who are in the thick of their careers and those who are on the other side of competition, asking, “Who am I now, if I’m not defined by sport?” Even when things look successful from the outside, it can feel isolating to hold so much pressure, expectation, and visibility on your own.
Many athletes I see are navigating relationship strains connected to training, travel, and time away; the expectations and sacrifices that come with elite sport; pressure from coaches, sponsors, media, or social media; life in the public eye with very little true privacy; perfectionism, self-criticism, and the sense that you can never fully relax; family expectations; worries about long-term health or injury; questions of trust; and wondering who you are if you are not always competing, winning, or pushing through. There is often a deeper challenge of finding meaning, identity, and purpose beyond sport.
Confidentiality is central to this work. My office is intentionally private, with no shared waiting room or overlapping sessions, so you can arrive and leave without being seen by other clients. You are not just an athlete or a brand, you are a person navigating a complex life, relationships, health, and big decisions about the future. Our work centers you as a whole human, so you have a stable place to sort through what you are navigating and how you want to move forward.
26 Years Experience
Online in Richmond, VA Virginia
Richmond is Virginia's state capital and a city confronting its identity as the former capital of the Confederacy — a historical weight that has made racial equity, community healing, and the legacy of slavery active and ongoing conversations in clinical, academic, and public life. The city's significant African American community, its rapidly growing Latino population, and a large university sector anchored by Virginia Commonwealth University collectively shape diverse and evolving therapy demand. VCU Health and Bon Secours Richmond Health System provide major institutional mental health resources, while VCU's extensive psychology, counseling, and social work programs supply significant clinical training to the community. Richmond's growing arts and creative economy, rapid gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods, and strong LGBTQ+ community each contribute distinct dimensions to its therapy culture.
Sports Psychology therapists in Richmond, Virginia Statistics
Sports Psychology therapists in Richmond, Virginia average 18 years of experience and charge around $231 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (78%), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) (44%), and Family Systems Therapy (37%).
Average years in practice
18 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$231
Accept insurance
22%
Offer sliding scale
37%
Gender ID
| 50% |
Female |
|
| 41% |
Male |
|
| 6% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 3% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 52% |
Online Only |
|
| 48% |
In Person and Online |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 78% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 44% | Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) |
| 37% | Family Systems Therapy |
| 33% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
| 33% | Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) |
| 30% | Behavioral Therapy |
| 30% | Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) |
Ages Served
| 96% | Adult |
| 81% | Young Adult |
| 63% | Teen |
| 59% | Senior |
| 30% | Children |
Client Focus
| 48% | Women |
| 44% | Military / Veterans |
| 41% | Men |
| 30% | Jewish |
| 30% | Persons with Disabilities |