Licensed Psychologist, Minnesota Board of Psychology
USA Boxing Coach Certification
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology – The University of Iowa
MSc in Counseling Psychology – The University of Kansas
BS in Psychology – Drake University
Doctoral Internship – Illinois State University Student Counseling Services
Assistant Training Director, Sport Psychologist
Adam’s path into sport psychology was an innovative one. As a graduate student offering counseling and career services to students, veterans, athletes, and the general adult population, he was simultaneously coaching professional and amateur boxers while competing in the amateurs himself. He combined his passion for the sport with his knowledge of exercise science and psychology, noting the benefits of exercise to addressing mental wellness concerns. This insight inspired a shift from traditional counseling psychology into the psychology of performance, where his research focused on the relationship between high intensity exercise and help-seeking attitudes, and his early client work steered toward combat sport athletes and veterans’ groups.
Now a licensed sport psychologist seeing athletes across all ages and sports, Adam’s work continues to focus on destigmatizing mental health services in support-resistant communities, resilience training, and bringing a “fighter’s mindset” for managing adversity to performers of all disciplines. From the golf course to the swimming pool, the fighter’s mindset often becomes the game changer to unlock one’s peak performance when it is desired the most.
When not working at Premier, Adam continues to surprise – balancing his time between the boxing gym, where he still coaches and trains regularly, and the ballroom floor, where he remains an accomplished competitive ballroom and Latin dancer.
Acceptance-Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Confidence, Mental Resilience, Focus, Combat Sports Athletes, Collegiate and Professional Athletes, Musicians
Adam began his time as a Postdoctoral Resident at Premier and is now the Assistant Training Director, supervising and developing programs for incoming psychologists, mental performance consultants, and postdoctoral residents.
Adam works with coaches and athletes at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Timberwolves, specializes as a mental skills coach for professional boxing and MMA training camps, and continues to forge inroads within the larger combat sports communities, local and national. Adam has also been called upon to lead and facilitate coaching workshops on motivation, mental skill development, and resilience training with the Minnesota Twins, the University of Minnesota, Macalester College, and USA Olympic Curling.
