Workshops and Appearances

Utilizing my experience in coaching, education, and an eclectic approach to therapy, I conduct athletic performance workshops, career counseling presentations, and share helpful information on various podcasts.

Behavioral Health Today

In today’s episode, I join Dr. Erin Elmore is joined to discuss 2018, the year I became a father and since then I have combined my years of coaching and mental health with his experience fathering to now focus my practice to include fathers-to-be on their journey to parenthood. Together we discuss the isolated feelings men have as new fathers, working with clients to help them become an active participant and equal partner in raising kids together, normalizing the transition to fatherhood, and knowing that there will be progress. For a new dad, this is the most significant thing that's probably happening in your life, where you will, now, be responsible for this human being and help them create a life for themselves.

Today’s episode is part of our clinicians’ series, where we take you behind the therapist door to give you an insight into what happens within the therapeutic relationship. In this episode, Dr. Erin Elmore is joined by Rob Feiner. Rob is a licensed clinical counselor and has a private practice in Torrance, California with two decades of experience coaching diverse individuals. In 2018, Rob became a father and since then he’s combined his years of coaching and mental health with his experience fathering and now focuses his practice to include fathers-to-be on their journey to parenthood. Together, Erin and Rob discuss welcoming clients into therapy and working with fathers-to-be, normalizing the experience, utilizing a cognitive mindfulness-based approach to therapy, common cognitive distortions, teaching clients to emotionally engage, and finally, ending therapy and relapse prevention.

Athletic Performance Workshop

In November 2017, I had the privilege of returning to Fight Science Gym in Los Angeles to teach an additional hands on collaborative workshop with Coach Ian Harris' MMA Team after my first installment in June 2017.  With attendees focused on upcoming UFC and Bellator bouts respectively, we tailored this seminar to cognitive skill building to enhance athletic performance, somatic exercises to promote relaxation in times of extreme stress, mindfulness practices to clarify motivation, and explored how recognizing and restructuring unhelpful habits of mind can cultivate confidence and create desirable results in and out of competition.

Critical and Thinking Podcast

In July of 2018, I was a guest of host’s Ty Barnett and Ian Harris’ Critical and Thinking Podcast. Over the course of an hour we have a insightful and often humorous conversation covering topics such as how we cope with fear and anxiety, political stratification, social adaptability, and new fatherhood.

I was given the opportunity to teach a CBTA (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Athletes) seminar at Systems Training Center in Hawthorne. Angel Diaz was kind enough to invite me down to help his team get ready for their upcoming BJJ tournament and MMA fights respectively. After 2 years off from doing these, I am now back to realizing a very cool dream of mine to combine my experience in the ring and my experience as a psychotherapist in helping athletes with their mental health with the theme of treating themselves like human beings first and athletes second. Thanks to Angel and the rest of the Systems team for an awesome evening!

Published Work on Life After Sport

I was recently invited by therapist Rachel Fintzy to pen an article on the issues that many current, injured, and former athletes cope with regarding their relationship with sport and the loss of identity that can occur when an athletic career comes to an end.   

Dalzell Lance HS Career Day

During Dalzell Lance's Annual Career Day, I was invited to speak with students, teachers and administrators regarding careers in mental health.  We discussed tips for expanding perspectives on "life's next step", and I shared my own journey through, athletics, coaching, education, and counseling to illustrate the concept of career change and foster a sense curiosity and exploration.

Social Anxiety Workshop in Santa Monica

On February 27, 2018 my colleague Rachel Fintzy and I presented a 90 minute workshop on "Reducing Social Anxiety" to the Santa Monica Library's Fairview Branch community.  Attendees learned how Anxiety effects the mind and body, our innate "wiring for connection", the physiological relaxation techniques necessary for cognitive change, and acquired simple and easy to apply skills they could use in their day to day interactions.  

Collaborative Workshop with HELIYO

On October 6, 2018 in collaboration with HELIYO Athlete Lab, we presented a workshop on athlete sustainability and motivation at the elite competition gym Divergent Crossfit in South Pasadena, CA. Working on nervous system regulation techniques utilizing a blend of physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, participants not only learned about their own motivation for training, but how to respond to setbacks, performance anxiety and a sustainable approach their athletic pursuits.