About Us
Learn About Our Performance Improvement Practice
Dr. Jones and Dr. Chirby are psychologists who have been in private practice for over 20 years. After many years of working with athletes and gaining extensive skills in clinical practice, they founded MindBalanceSPORT. This unique approach stems from the combination of years of helping people change their thoughts to achieve a healthier mindset, and now teaching mental skills to athletes to achieve optimal and mindful performance.
In their collective 15 years of youth sports and 20 plus teams, there has never been a coach who has offered mental training to the hundreds of athletes they have come in contact with. They have not seen or heard youth sports adopt their beliefs promoting mental skills as important as physical skills. As a result, Dr. Chirby and Dr. Jones have seen too many athletes drop out due to disengagement, inability to handle stress, lack of enjoyment and injury due to over training.
Meet Our Team
Brenna Chirby, Psy.D.
Dr. Brenna Chirby is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who received her doctorate degree from the American School of Professional Psychology in 1999. Prior to that she obtained a masterโs degree from California State | University, Long Beach and since has spent 20+ years working in the sport psychology and mental health field.
Virginia Jones, Psy.D.
Dr. Virginia Jones is a Licensed Counseling Psychologist who received her doctorate degree in 2000 from the American School of Professional Psychology. Prior to that she obtained her masterโs degree in psychology from Marymount University and since has spent 20+ years working in the counseling psychology and mental health field.
Performance Improvement Consultants
Paula Castro M.S.,CMPC
Performance Improvement Consultant
Paula is a former DI and DIII athlete who won the NCAA championship with Emory University in 2016. She has a B.A. in psychology and completed a Masterโs degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. She now works as a Certified Mental Performance coach, helping athletes reach their highest potential.
John M. Howard M.A. LPC
Performance Improvement Consultant
Licensed Mental Health Professional
John is a practicing LPC counselor and mental skills coach who works with student athletes of all ages and skill levels looking to improve their mental game in individual and team sport settings. He played high school basketball, baseball and football while starting a mental skills summer camp for youth baseball players. John has his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Dallas and M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marymount University.
Raven Gerald M.A. and CMPC-in progress
Performance Improvement Consultant
One of our Mental Skills Coach for athletes and a Sport & Performance Psychology doctoral student at the University of Western States. Raven has 8 years of college basketball coaching experience to go along with over a decade of youth sports coaching experience. Prior to her coaching career, she played college basketball at the Division I & II levels. Additionally, Raven is a writer and mental health advocate.
Licensed Professional Counselor
performance improvement consultant
Dr. Araki is a licensed professional counselor, board-certified dance/movement therapist, and mental performance coach. She has her doctorate in sport and performance psychology. She is particularly interested in the mind-body connection. Dr. Araki works with athletes of all ages and abilities.
Performance Improvement Consultant
Brady is a lifelong athlete who played indoor volleyball at the University of Arizona and then semi-pro beach volleyball. He has his Masters in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology. Brady has built a career in sport psychology as a mental performance coach and resilience trainer with the U.S. Army, helping athletes strengthen their mental skills for success in sport and life.
