American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry

Join us at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Conference for a Coffee and Conversations with the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry's Board.

May 4th at 1pm

Psychiatrists that receive certification from the ABSPP are equipped to manage, diagnose, and treat a variety of scenarios when it comes to athlete mental health and working with high-performers. This infograph outlines some of the major functions of a Sports & Performance Psychiatrist, certified by the ABSPP.

🚨APPLICATION NOW OPEN🚨

Please visit www.ussportspsychiatry.org to review eligibility requirements and submit your application to become a Board-Eligible Sports & Performance Psychiatrist.

If you are eligible for board-certification through Pathways A or B, you can apply to become “Board-Eligible” now. Upon successful acceptance of your application, you will be listed as a board-eligible sports & performance psychiatrist on the website's directory, and you will also receive a badge noting board-eligible status.

Once the final exam is available later in 2024, you will be notified and can take the exam to obtain official board-certification. The exam will be available mid-2024 and at that time, you will have 6 months to complete the exam to receive full board-certification. Pathway C will be available in the latter part of 2024.

Introducing the members of our Engagement and Outreach Committee!

Dr. Amanda Klass: Dr. Klass treats individuals in a variety of sports both team and individual. Since joining the faculty at the University of Kansas Health System in 2016, she has actively partnered with the sports medicine department at the health system to develop her involvement as the organization's first sports psychiatrist. She works with athletes across the spectrum including high school, college, professional, and recreational athletes.

Dr. Tia Konzer: Tia Konzer, DO is the owner and sole physician at her private practice, Konzer Psychiatric, in Davidson, NC. She is dually Board Certified in Psychiatry and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry through both the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Ifeanyi Olele: Currently, Dr. Olele is the founder and CEO of Genesis Psychiatric Solutions and Genesis TMS and Wellness. Dr. Olele is a board-certified psychiatrist dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

Dr. Ruth Baer: Ruth Baer, D.O. is a board certified psychiatrist at Michigan State University where she is the Associate Chair and Medical Director of Clinical Operations. She is also the Section Director of Sports Psychiatry and serves as a clinical consultant to the MSU Division of Sports Medicine – Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Dr. Roy Collins: Dr. Collins is a former collegiate athlete who played football at Yale University and is currently working as a Sports Psychiatrist at Stanford University. Dr. Collins combines both his experiences as an elite athlete and as a mental health professional in his clinical practice at the intersection of mental wellness and performance.

Dr. David Paulk: David Paulk, DO is a practicing psychiatrist in the Athens Georgia area. He earned his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine-Georgia Campus in Suwanee Georgia.

We are hitting the ground running in 2024! Visit our website today to apply for board-eligibility. The final examination is currently being developed and standardized. Until it becomes available, you can apply for board eligibility.

Benefits include:
- Receive board-eligibility badge and certificate
- Receive access to a private communication platform solely for board-eligible and board-certified sports & performance psychiatrists
- Be the first to be notified when the test becomes available to apply for board-certification

Find the link to apply on our website under the “Board Certification” tab!

🚀 Exciting News! The American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry's website is officially LIVE! 🎉 Explore a hub of evolving knowledge and resources at the intersection of mental health and athletic performance. 💪🧠🏆

Meet the ABSPP's Certification and Partnerships Committee.

The Certification & Partnership Committee focuses on collaborating with other sports and performance organizations, athletic teams, institutions, and industry partners to form strategic partnerships in order to further the mission of supporting athlete and executive mental health, while establishing a standardized certification process to ensure qualified physicians are working with these populations. In addition, this committee will review applicants, who have fulfilled the eligibility criteria, to grant board-certification upon successful completion of one of the three pathways.

Brook Choulet, M.D. is a board-certified concierge psychiatrist who works with children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Choulet specializes in performance psychiatry, helping busy professionals, high-achievers, and athletes at all levels optimize their mental health and enhance their performance. She is the founder of Choulet Wellness: Scottsdale Concierge Psychiatry & Therapy and the co-founder of La Jolla Concierge Psychiatry.

Mark Allen, M.D. is a psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult care, with a dedicated interest in assisting athletes of all ages. He is a member of the International Society for Sports Psychiatry and completed its official sports certification program. Dr. Allen is privileged to act as the psychiatric consultant for the Denver Broncos, the LA Dodgers, and the WWE.

Wilsa Charles Malveaux, M.D., MA, FAPA, is a Sports Psychiatrist in Los Angeles CA, and the CEO of WCM Sports Psych. Dr. Charles Malveaux has served in many clinical and leadership roles in sports, including as a consultant to the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA); a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Mental Health Registry; a psychiatrist for the NBPA’s Mental Health and Wellness Program; the Western Regional Trustee on the Board of the Black Psychiatrists of America (BPA); and the inaugural Chair of the BPA’s Sports Psychiatry Committee.

Sasha Hamdani, M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist and media expert. She is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate and has a robust social media following on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (). She has worked closely with the White House and Surgeon General’s team to speak out about mental health awareness and was recognized by Harvard as a public health leader in 2023.

Jorge Aguilar, M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist with expertise in sports psychiatry. He provides talk therapy, medication management, and mental performance training to collegiate, olympic, and professional athletes. He is the team psychiatrist to NYCFC in Major League Soccer, and is a consultant to MLB on substance use, mental health and mental performance.

We are thrilled to announce the members of our education committee. This committee, led by Drs. Gonzalez and Horn, is developing a robust curriculum for one of the pathways to board certification. In addition this committee will be creating educational content and resources to further the field of sports and performance psychiatry.

Rolando Gonzalez, M.D. is a board certified in General and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry. He is an active contributor to education, serving as Assistant Professor at Florida State University.

Thomas Horn D.O., D.O. is a board-certified psychiatrist who currently serves as medical director for behavioral health as well as regional neurosciences service line chair at Mercy.

Aaron Jeckell, M.D. is a Child-Adult Psychiatrist with a specialization in treating athletes. Dr. Jecekll is also a Voluntary Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Shea Fontana, DO is a board-certified psychiatrist who is the associate program director of Prisma Health Greenville's Psychiatry Residency Program. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Christopher Peters, M.D. is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist and professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

Follow our page for more information coming out soon regarding to three pathways to board-certification.

Meet the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry's Chair of the Mentorship Committee: David R. McDuff, M.D.

David R. McDuff, M.D. is the long-time sports psychiatrist and mental preparation trainer for the Baltimore Orioles (1996-present) and Baltimore Ravens (1996-2013) and more recently, the Performance Medicine Physician for the Indianapolis Colts (2015-2018). He is also the author of the 2012 book "Sports Psychiatry: Strategies for Life Balance & Peak Performance". In addition, he is a member of the International Olympic Committee's Consensus Panel and Working Group on Mental Health in Elite Athletes. For his work with professional and college teams, he uses an integrated, on-site model providing players, coaches and other staff with specialized performance and mental health services. Finally, he is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland at Baltimore School of Medicine and is board-certified in General & Addiction Psychiatry.

We are excited for him to lead the Mentorship Committee. Mentorship is an important aspect of education and will be a requirement for general board-certified psychiatrists seeking sports and performance psychiatry board-certification.

Visit www.ussportspsychiatry.org today to sign up to be the first to know when our website goes live! More information on eligibility requirements for board certification coming soon.

🌟 Join the journey! 🚀

The American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry is opening application for passionate minds to form committees in 4 key areas:

1. Education
2. Membership & Partnerships
3. Mentorship
4. Outreach & Engagement

🤝 Elevate your impact in the world of sports and performance psychiatry. Apply now!

https://forms.gle/sEpGp8fXqtmbsXyv5

Introducing our founding members:

Chairman of the Board of Directors: Mark R. Allen, M.D.
President: Brook Choulet, M.D.
Vice President: Thomas Horn, D.O.
Chief Information Officer: Rolando Gonzalez, M.D.
Treasurer: Tia Konzer, D.O.
COO: Ankur Desai, M.D.
Secretary: Amanda Klass, D.O.

Our mission is to empower and credential sports and performance psychiatrists who demonstrate excellence in the comprehensive care of athletes and performers, fostering mental well-being and optimal performance. Through board certification of sports and performance psychiatrists, we aim to enhance the mental health of athletes, performers, executives, and individuals striving for peak performance in their personal and professional lives. This is a much-needed step, in conjunction with sports and performance psychology, to create mental health awareness and integration in sports medicine.

We are thrilled to announce the formation of the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry (ABSPP), founded by seven leading sports and performance psychiatrists across the country. The ABSPP is dedicated to advancing the field and maintaining the highest standards for certification, education, and professional practice.

Introducing our founding members:

Chairman of the Board of Directors: Mark R. Allen, M.D.
President: Brook Choulet, M.D.
Vice President: Thomas Horn, D.O.
Chief Information Officer: Rolando Gonzalez, M.D.
Treasurer: Tia Konzer, D.O.
COO: Ankur Desai, M.D.
Secretary: Amanda Klass, D.O.

Our mission is to empower and credential sports and performance psychiatrists who demonstrate excellence in the comprehensive care of athletes and performers, fostering mental well-being and optimal performance. Through board certification of sports and performance psychiatrists, we aim to enhance the mental health of athletes, performers, executives, and individuals striving for peak performance in their personal and professional lives. This is a much-needed step, in conjunction with sports and performance psychology, to create mental health awareness and integration in sports medicine.

Please follow our page to stay informed on board-eligibility requirements and pathways to board-certification in this prestigious field starting in 2024.

IG:
FB: www.facebook.com/absppsychiatry
Website: www.ussportspsychiatry.org

Our mission is to empower and credential sports and performance psychiatrists who demonstrate excellence in the comprehensive care of athletes and performers, fostering mental well-being and optimal performance. Through the certification of board-certified sports and performance psychiatrists, we aim to enhance the mental health of athletes, performers, executives, and individuals striving for peak performance in their personal and professional lives.

Sports and Performance Psychiatry is an integral part of creating a comprehensive sports medicine team and collaborating with health and performance professionals. As physicians, psychiatrists can assist in early assessment, diagnosis, and treatment to ensure an athlete's ongoing personal growth and development, while minimizing the potential negative impact of mental health disorders on sports performance. Our aim is to enhance both physical and mental well-being.

The ABSPP seeks to provide educational resources regarding best practices and standards of care in regards to athlete-informed mental health care for both individuals and organizations. As sports and performance psychiatrists, the board seeks to provide psychiatrists with the requisite tools and knowledge, enabling them to seamlessly integrate into sports medicine teams.