Episode 7 | Game-Changers: Exploring Careers in Sport and Performance Psychology
In this episode of Talking Mental Health Careers, Dr. Erika Cameron and our influential guests, Michele Kerulis and Dr. Pete Economou, dive into sports psychology career paths, highlighting the importance of mental health in athletics, cultural humility, and the impact of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals on athletes. Our guests discuss overcoming barriers in sports psychology, the role of mental wellness in athletic performance, and the significance of cultural sensitivity in coaching and team dynamics.
Join us on an inspiring journey with 'Talking Mental Health Careers' brought to you by Palo Alto University and CONCEPT, its Division of Continuing & Professional Studies
About Our Host
Erika Cameron, Ph.D., is the Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Palo Alto University. Prior to joining Palo Alto University, she was the Department Chair at the University of San Diego’s Department of Counseling & Marital and Family Therapy. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of St. Louis, Missouri, in 2009. Her M.Ed. is in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and her B.S. is in Graphic Design from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where she was a Division I volleyball player.
Dr. Cameron has worked as a counselor where she provided mental health support to children, adolescents, and their families in a variety of settings, including primary, middle, and secondary schools, residential treatment facilities, and community agencies. She is an active counselor educator who enjoys teaching in creative and innovative ways. Her research interests include qualitative research methods, multicultural issues in counselor preparation, counselor professional development, individual psychology, and international education.
About Our Guests
Guest 1 | Michele Kerulis, LCPC, CMPC
Dr. Michele Kerulis is an associate professor of counseling and Director of Community Engagement with The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She developed a passion for counseling during her years of clinical practice serving a variety of populations, including children and adolescents in residential treatment, young adults experiencing life transitions, and athletes experiencing sport-related and mental-health-related challenges. In addition to her clinical and university work, Dr. Kerulis is the mental health and sport psychology consultant for U.S. Soccer Federation. She is certified through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, a United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry member, and was named a 2021 Fellow with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. She is a content expert in counseling ethics and sport and exercise.
Guest 2 | Peter J. Economou, Ph.D., ABPP
Peter J. Economou, Ph.D., ABPP earned a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and is Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and he is a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) from the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). Dr. Pete completed post-doctorate clinical training in neuropsychology and sport psychology before entering academia for 15 years both in non-tenure and tenure positions. He has been a leader in program development, relationships, wellbeing, and more. Dr. Pete completed many international relief projects, which included working with children and adults with developmental disabilities in the Caribbean, and individuals with HIV and AIDS throughout Africa. Studying at Seton Hall University, and before earning the Ph.D., Dr. Pete was conferred a B.S. in Biology, studied Neuroscience at the graduate level, and was conferred a M.A. and an Ed.S. in counseling and psychological studies and mental health counseling.
