Keith A. Kaufman, Ph.D., PLLC

Sport Psychology

Clinical + Sport Services

Dr. Kaufman offers psychotherapy, mental training, and consultation services for individuals, teams, families, and couples in and beyond the Washington, DC area. He is licensed in Washington, DC and Virginia, and approved to provide remote services in PSYPACT states.  The ideal client is anyone motivated to improve performance, health, or quality of life.  A variety of effective techniques (e.g., mindfulness, CBT, systems) are utilized during service delivery, with each regimen tailored to meet a client's specific needs.

The Typical Process:

On average, clients work with Dr. Kaufman for 3-6 months, meeting remotely or in-person weekly or every other week.  This time window allows ample time for assessment, skill instruction, skill practice, and skill application.  Since the work is highly individualized, the duration can be shorter or longer for certain clients.

The typical process is comprised of 3 phases, which are represented in the acronym ATX.  

(1) Assessment - diagnosing the issue and developing a tailored goal plan

(2) Training -  learning and practicing new, more adaptive mental skills

(3) Execution - applying the newly learned mental skills in key situations

Sport Psychology: 

Common targets of sport psychology work include:

  • Performance anxiety

  • Stress management

  • Depression

  • Burnout

  • Poor motivation

  • Low confidence

  • Emotion control problems

  • Relationship conflicts

  • Body-image concerns

  • Concentration difficulties

  • Injury recovery

Dr. Kaufman has written sport psychology articles or chapters appearing in

  • Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology

  • Journal of Sport Psychology in Action

  • Mindfulness and Performance

  • Handbook of Mindfulness-Based Programmes

  • Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Mindfulness

  • Mindfulness and Acceptance in Sport

  • competitor magazine

  • APA Books Blog

  • NCAA Sport Science Institute Newsletter

and been interviewed regarding his sport psychology work by outlets like

  • The Washington Post

  • Washingtonian Magazine

  • Sports Illustrated

  • Runner’s World

  • ABC News

  • USA Today

  • WTOP

  • BBC

  • Miami Herald

  • Chicago Tribune

  • Today

  • Women’s Fitness Magazine

  • Swimmer Magazine

  • Experience Life Magazine

  • Football Network World

  • Psychwire

Dr. Kaufman has consulted with the DC Psyching Team, True Athlete Project, Academy One Goalkeeping, Fairfax County Public Schools, and multiple professional soccer academies, among other organizations. He is currently the team sport psychologist for Loudoun United Football Club and Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Sport & Performance Psychology.

Outside of his practice, he was a Research Associate at Catholic University for over a decade, co-leading a sport psychology lab and teaching an undergraduate Sport Psychology course. He is CEO of the MSPE Institute, lead author of the influential book Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement, and co-host of the Mindful Sport Performance Podcast.