About the Author

Stefan Shakiba's blend of experience within the field of sports and as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist have helped pave the way for a revolutionary new approach to working with athletes. His integration of the latest tools and strategies to maximize mental soundness on the field makes The Art of SPET applicable and relevant for today's athletes. Many of his athletes have achieved considerable success, including getting recruited into college, being selected in the professional draft, and advancing within the professional ranks. His athletes include collegiate and professional athletes, including those at the Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer levels. As a mental health clinician, Stefan is trained in multiple empirically-based clinical mental health treatment models. His areas of expertise include behavioral therapy, neuro-psychological assessments, trauma treatment, and intensive clinical interventions. Prior to becoming a therapist, Stefan spent the majority of his life as an athlete. He was a ranked tennis player in Northern California, competed for traveling teams in soccer and football, and played baseball for over two decades. Stefan's sports experience extends beyond being an athlete. He was a high school tennis coach; conducted research for sports agents Steinberg Moorad and Dunn; served as the Director of Baseball Operations at the University of California, Berkeley; and consults with coaches in various sports to boost team morale and team cohesion. Given the breadth of his experience in both sports and psychology, he created The Art of SPET so coaches and sports professionals everywhere can help their athletes maximize performance. Stefan earned his Bachelors degree from UC Berkeley, and holds Masters degrees from the University of San Francisco (Sports Management) and Pepperdine University (Clinical Psychology). He currently resides in Pasadena, California, where he continues to work both as a SPET coach and as a licensed therapist.