The Future of CIMA
CIMA is beginning with mental performance services and sport psychology concepts, but the long‑term vision extends far beyond these initial offerings. My goal is for CIMA to grow into a broader practice centered on psychological development and the overall flourishing of individuals.
The direction of CIMA—and the services it provides—will continue to evolve alongside my professional education, clinical experience, and ongoing development.
CIMA emerged from the intersection of two fields that have shaped my professional journey: Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Sport and Performance Psychology
The long‑term vision is not simply to create a practice that helps people perform better. Rather, it is to build a professional environment where individuals can receive support across different stages of their development and psychological needs. This includes learning how to manage pressure and improve performance, addressing deeper psychological concerns, and pursuing meaningful personal growth. My aim is to bring these areas together in a comprehensive, interconnected model of care.
Phase I — Mental Performance & Sport Psychology Services
CIMA's initial focus is mental performance and sport psychology services. This includes individualized mental performance sessions, consultation with coaches and parents, team education, workshops, and resources designed to help athletes develop psychological skills that complement their physical and technical training to be successful in their sport.
Phase II — Expansion to Counseling Services (Currently in Development)
As my professional development progresses, I envision CIMA expanding its services to include clinical mental health counseling within the appropriate professional, ethical, and regulatory scope of practice.
I am currently a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC‑9873) in the state of Idaho and work at North Idaho College (NIC) as a Counselor Specialist, where I provide mental health support, brief therapy, and crisis intervention to help students succeed academically and address emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges.
Because LPC’s in Idaho cannot practice independently, I am currently supervised by Mark Gritton, LCPC‑4894. The LPC license serves as a transitional credential toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), which will allow independent assessment and diagnosis of mental health and behavioral disorders, provision of clinical treatment, insurance billing, and integrated support for both mental performance and mental health needs.
Counseling services within CIMA will be offered once all supervised clinical hours, national examination requirements, and licensure steps have been completed and approved by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). This process typically takes 2–3 years.
This future expansion will allow CIMA to address not only the psychological skills associated with sport and performance, but also the broader mental health concerns that influence an individual’s ability to function, develop, and pursue a meaningful life. It represents the integration of mental performance and mental health treatment into a comprehensive model of care.
Importantly, this expansion will occur only when all required education, supervised experience, licensure, and professional standards have been fully met.
Phase III — Doctoral Education in Clinical Psychology
A long‑term goal of mine is to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology to expand the services CIMA can offer. Doctoral training provides the opportunity to deepen my understanding of psychological science, assessment, psychopathology, research, diagnosis, intervention, and complex human behavior. Advancing my education would also allow me to serve communities across Idaho—including rural and underserved regions where mental health resources are limited. Through doctoral study, I aim to develop greater expertise in areas such as:
Psychological assessment
Psychological testing
Psychopathology
Psychiatric and complex diagnosis
Evidence‑based treatment
Clinical research
Advanced clinical practice
Human development
Performance psychology
Mental health across the lifespan
This training would allow CIMA to integrate assessment, treatment, performance psychology, and psychological science into a comprehensive model of care—especially for individuals with complex or psychiatric needs.
Completing a doctoral program typically requires five years of graduate study, followed by one to two years of supervised post‑doctoral experience and examination requirements before independent practice. Upon completion, I would be able to practice as a Clinical and Sport Psychologist, expanding CIMA’s ability to support athletes and individuals across all stages of development and mental health needs.
Phase IV — Psychopharmacology & Prescriptive Authority
After completing the previously mentioned long‑term goal, I plan to pursue advanced specialized training in clinical psychopharmacology to become a Prescribing Psychologist and Sport Psychologist. Idaho permits appropriately credentialed psychologists to obtain prescriptive authority through a two‑year Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology, which provides the training necessary to prescribe certain psychiatric medications—such as antidepressants—for mental health disorders.
This specialized pathway typically requires two additional years of graduate study, followed by one to two years of supervised clinical experience and completion of all examination requirements before independent practice.
Pursuing this training would allow CIMA to integrate psychological treatment for both mental health and mental performance with appropriate psychopharmacological care, while maintaining collaboration with medical professionals and staying within the limits of my education, training, and legal authority.
Overall, these goals represent a potential long‑term direction for CIMA—one that requires substantial additional education, supervised experience, credentialing, and ongoing professional development. This type of integrated care is greatly needed across Idaho, particularly in rural and underserved communities.