Auran Piatigorsky, PhD, LP, CMPC

As a licensed clinical sport psychologist in private practice, Dr. Piatigorsky provides mental health care and enhances athletic performance. He works with high-performance athletes across elite club, collegiate, professional, Olympic, and national-team programs. Services are linked by his unique method — Dialectical Sports Skills — which is a comprehensive, evidenced-based treatment guide and training system that combines clinical psychology with sport performance skills. Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapies guide this initiative. Dr. Piatigorsky’s passion for sports began as a child while kayaking on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The mountains brought him to the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he earned his undergraduate degree, after which he led extended wilderness expeditions around the world. These experiences demanded high performance under acute pressure, harsh conditions, and prolonged stress — challenges that parallel competitive athletics. Following an injury, Dr. Piatigorsky turned his focus to clinical psychology, earning an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, with a specialization in developmental psychopathology and personality. He completed a clinical and research fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, and subsequently served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry in its distinguished CBT/DBT clinic. This experience equipped Dr. Piatigorsky to address the broad range of mental health challenges encountered in athletics. Recognizing the deep interconnection between mind and body, and drawing on his passion for sport, Dr. Piatigorsky expanded his expertise into athletics, becoming an AASP credentialed Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC). In addition, Dr. Piatigorsky serves as Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he teaches and supervises graduate students. He works closely with the Cal Golden Bears.