Steve Graef, PhD

Steve is a licensed and board-certified counseling psychologist with expertise in sport and performance psychology. A former football player at The Ohio State University, Steve discovered firsthand the mental, physical, and emotional requirements necessary to perform at a high level. After graduation, Steve attended the University of Akron, where he received his PhD in Counseling Psychology and crafted his educational and applied capacity to help individuals and teams manage stress and enhance performance. ​
Steve has honed this skillset through various endeavors: as a professor and researcher of psychology, college Dean, national presenter, University sport psychologist, leadership consultant, entrepreneur, golf caddy, and rock band singer.​

Steve puts an emphasis on establishing a relationship that is conducive to change and built on a foundation of trust, shared understanding, creativity, and rapport. On top of this relational foundation is the structure of empathy and awareness to understand and connect to the needs and goals of others. Finally, once an understanding of the destination has been achieved, Steve uses mindfulness, cognitive/behavioral, humanistic, and gestalt principles and practices as vehicles to get there.​

Whether you are an athlete, a musician, an actor, or executive, the ability to manage stress and leverage the mental aspect of performance is paramount in reaching one’s fullest capacity, and it is valuable to have a side-kick such as Steve supporting your journey.​