ABOUT ME
Dr. Matthew Hood’s private practice is located in the Sandhills of North Carolina, providing sport and performance psychology services to adolescent and adult populations. As a Mental Performance Consultant, Dr. Hood focuses on the mental components of performance and works with athletes, coaches and administrations to help strengthen their mental armor.
He educates individuals on the importance of being in the moment in order to enhance performance. Dr. Hood utilizes mindfulness techniques and ACT principles to enhance performance both on the field and in the classroom.
Dr. Hood values motivation and commitment to self and others. Motivation is the reason why we engage in an activity, whereas commitment is directly about the engagement in the activity. He strives to help the individual identify his or her “why”. Understanding your “why" will help individuals better understand what motivates them in order to enhance performance.
Prior to his current role as a mental performance consultant, Dr. Hood served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004 to 2013. He currently serves as a Cognitive Performance Specialist in which he assesses, educates and observes US Soldiers in order to enhance mental performance. Dr. Hood also serves as a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee's Sport Psychology Registry. These experience along with his education background has brought him to the field of sport and performance psychology in order to educate athletes on performance enhancement techniques but also give them the resources to excel in the classroom but also in life.
Educational Background
Dr. Hood is a mental performance consultant. He received his Ed.D in Sport and Performance Psychology with a concentration in Individual Studies from the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon where he also completed his mentorship experience. Dr. Hood completed the Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement Instructor Course from the MSPE Institute. Dr. Hood also is a HeartMath Certified Practitioner, where he utilizes biofeedback technology to enhance mental performance.
Dr. Hood obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Health Sciences from American Military University, a Post-Bachelorette Certificate in Pre-Professional Studies from Thomas Jefferson University, and a Master’s in Recreation and Sport Sciences from Ohio University.