Everything Steve does is driven to help people achieve their potential and consistently perform in the upper range of their knowledge, abilities and skills across competitive and pressure performance situations.
A computer engineer turned ski coach turned performance psychologist and entrepreneur Steve has dedicated himself to understanding the Performing Brain®. Through expertise at the inters… Read more ›
| University | Degree | Focus | Graduated |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan College of Engineering | Bachelors Degree | BSE | 1993 |
| University of Utah | Masters Degree | MS | 2003 |
| University of Missouri / Columbia Campus | Doctorate | PhD | 2004 |
| Institution | Focus | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Internship - University of California, Davis | Sports Psychology | 2004 |
| Fellowship - University of California, Davis | Sports & Performance Psychology | 2005 |
| Position | Organization | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chair, Psychological Services Subcommittee | USA Track & Field Responsible for sport psychology consulting services to junior and senior elite level track and field athletes affiliated with USA National Teams, including World Championships and Olympic Games. | 2004 - 2013 |
| Director of Sport Psychology | Division of Athletics and Recreation, University of Denver Provide sport psychology consulting services to all 17 NCAA Division I athletic teams, individual athletes, and coaches. Developed and oversee the Pioneer Leadership Academy. | 2005 - 2012 |
| Founding Director | Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of Denver Responsible for developing all aspects of a new graduate program in sport and performance psychology. | 2006 - 2007 |
| Clinical Professor | Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University of Denver Taught graduate courses in the Sport & Performance Psychology program. Mentor and advise students regarding doctoral papers, research, and career planning. | 2005 - 2016 |
| Role | Organization | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Founding Member, Coalition for the Psychology of High Performance | American Psychological Association Representative for Division 47: Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology. | 2012 - Present |
| Member, Presidential Task Force on the Whole Gifted Child | National Association for Gifted Children The purpose of the task force is to discover and synthesize the knowledge and research on the whole gifted child—his or her needs, development, and the importance of providing alternatives for his or her on-going growth in the school, home, and community. | 2016 - Present |
| Distinction | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Joe Vigil Coaches Education Award | USA Track & Field | 2012 |
| Student Practitioner Award | Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology | 2004 |
| Publication | Publisher | Title | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical/Scholarly Journal Article | Journal of Sport Psychology in Action | Helping to Build a Profession: A Working Definition of Sport & Performance Psychology | 2016 |
| Other Publication | Assessment in Sport Psychology Consulting | Personality Tests: Understanding the Athlete as Person | 2017 |
| Medical/Scholarly Journal Article | Review of General Psychology | Competition’s Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance | 2016 |
| Medical/Scholarly Journal Article | Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, | Consulting on the Run | 2012 |
Dr. Steven Portenga, PHD has not yet indicated the hospitals that he is affiliated with.
My unique range of training and experiences have lead me to understand high performance through the integration of neuroscience and psychology. I use biofeedback and ongoing evaluation to actually train the mind-body connection to perform under pressure.
Years In Practice: 20 (started in 2004)
Accepts New Patients: Yes
Dr. Portenga specializes in treating the following types of patients:
Medical Philosophy: Integrative Medicine
