Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Ally Wade.
Hi Dr. Ally , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up loving and playing sports all the way through college. During my senior year of high school, I took an AP Psychology course and simultaneously fell in love with the subject of Psychology. I have always been a people person, but this is where I fell in love with the mind and how and what makes people think and act the way they do. In terms of the field of Sport Psychology specifically…I honestly did not learn until much later that Sport Psychology even existed…and I benefited from a lot of hard work paired with luck of being in the right place at the right time for my career to seemingly fall into place: After ending my collegiate athletic career, I moved onto grad school to pursue my Masters and PhD in Counseling Psychology. It was only in my second to last year when applying for internship (psychology doctoral program’s version of residency), that I found a Sport Psychology Internship site at the University of Oklahoma, matched there, and pretty much the rest is history. I moved on to work for several years as the Director of Mental Health Services for SMU Athletics, and then left to start my full time private practice, Dallas Mental Health and Performance, in 2023. Similarly to earlier in my career, the combination of hard work and good fortune of meeting amazing clinicians and colleagues interested in joining the practice allowed for the creation of what it is now: a small group practice specializing in both general mental health care, along with performance psychological services.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, I have been incredibly fortunate to have a relatively smooth road. That is not to say that Division I collegiate athletics (if I had not had those experiences I may not be where I am today), graduate school (7 years in total), and working several years as a sole provider in an Athletics Department was complete smooth sailing all of the time. Long and hard hours, time commitments and sacrifices, all while balancing a lot of different roles and responsibilities is not necessarily for the faint of heart. But I truly would not change a thing about my journey (as cliche as that sounds) as it has led me to where I am now.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Dallas Mental Health and Performance is a small group private practice providing both general mental health counseling/clinical services as well as mental performance and skills training for elite performers of all kinds (e.g., athletes, coaches, dancers, executives, musicians, gamers, those in high stress careers). We offer exceptional, caring, and ethical care to help those not only in their lives, relationships, families, but also in their abilities to improve their performance on the field, in the boardroom, or on stage. We have a range of services from individual and group therapy, to one-on-one performance training, as well as workshops/presentations on a range of performance or mental health related topics.
What are your plans for the future?
We are looking to continue to grow our relationships with community partners (e.g., universities, schools, sport organizations) to further serve the DFW community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dallasmhp.com
- Instagram: dallas_mhp
Image Credits
Amy Schuetz and Emily Haring
