Michael Cerreto, A Talented Mind Clinic
“I am your guide, therapist, and biggest fan during your journey to discover who you truly are, and live free.”
Michael is a Performance Therapist. He is the founder of A Talented Mind Clinic in Richmond, Virginia. He is a specialist in two types of therapies to help you live and perform free. First, he specializes in helping clients discover who God meant them to be through the LiveFree Program. Second, he provides therapy to strengthen the mental skills and mental health of highly talented performers in sports and the performing arts through SportsMind and ArtsMind Programs.
Research
Journey Back From Chemobrain: Everyday methods for chemobrain rehabilitation
Sports Parenting: Secrets of parents who raised healthy athletes
Mental Style of World Class Percussionists: How world class percussionists think
Qualities Of Corporate Competitors: Mental style of successful business competitors
Future College Athlete: Mental styles of future college athletes by 2035
Faculty Member, Higher Ed Consulting
Faculty member, taught Organization Behavior in the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond
Practicum Advisor for graduate students in Organization Development at American University and the NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Science.
Faculty member, taught Organization and Leadership Development at Bluefield University
Consulted to NCState University to launch and establish university-wide support for the creation of the Friday Institute For Educational Innovation to enhance education in North Carolina’s underserved school districts.
Books, Columns, and Podcast
Journey Back From Chemobrain: Everyday methods to address your chemobrain symptoms
Mental Toughness In Athletes: Sports psychology secrets to dominate and win
The Corporate Competitor: Secrets of the fiercest competitors in business
University of YOU: Select the best college environment for your personality
Co-produce a podcast called Transcending To Your Best Life for people who are struggling with life challenges.
Columnist, Transforming Your Enterprise Magazine, about performance psychology issues in corporate settings.
Quarterly articles about cognitive rehabilitation for traumatic brain injuries for TBI Today published by the Virginia Commonwealth University's Brain Injury Model System.
Quarterly articles about sport psychology methods for athletes, coaches, and parents for FC Richmond Soccer Club.
Speeches and Clinics
College Athletes Of the Future: Are You Ready?, NCAA Division I Big South Conference’s Annual Sports Medicine Conference
Solutions To Sports Induced Anxiety, NCAA Division I Big South Conference’s Annual Sports Medicine Conference
Mental Styles of World-Class Percussionists, Percussion Arts Society International Convention
Effective Use Of Vision Training and Biofeedback During Injury Recovery, NCAA Division I Big South Conference’s Annual Sports Medicine Conference
Motivating the Injured Athlete, CJW Sports Medicine Physical Therapy and Sports Training
Slowing the Game Down: Vision Training for Peak Performance, FC Richmond Soccer Club
SportsParent Discussion Group at Richmond Olympiad
SportsGirl Clinic at FC Richmond Soccer Club
Rehabilitation Psychology at CJW Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy Professional Staff Training
Sexual Relationships After a TBI, Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child With Brain Injury Conference
Advances In Dementia Remediation, Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child With Brain Injury Conference
Positive Awareness As A Gateway to Cognitive Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child With Brain Injury Conference
Family Cognitive Retraining Education, Brain Injury Association of Virginia Annual Conference
Family Cognitive Retraining Education at Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child With Brain Injury Conference
The Self-Directed Athlete at Virginia High School League Leadership Conference
Monthly Journey Back From Chemobrain Workshops at CJW Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital
Conquering the Chemobrain Challenge at Pink Mondays, CJW Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital
Cognitive Retraining of Chemobrain at Rehabilitation of the Adult and Child With Brain Injury Conference
Certification Training Workshop called Journey Back From Chemobrain for oncology medical staff at the The John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center
Cognitive Retraining at Virginia Commonwealth University Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department's Grand Rounds
Journey Back From Chemobrain at St. Mary’s Hospital Brain Tumor Support Group and St. Francis Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group
Support Group Facilitator, Cancer Survivor Support Group at The Hawthorne Cancer Resource Center
Gymnast Psychology Education Workshop at Richmond Olympiad
Coach Education Workshops at Richmond Olympiad
Parent Education Workshops at Richmond Olympiad
Awards
Awarded the Nunally Award at Longwood University for the positive impact Michael’s mental health and sports psychology therapy had on the lives of the university’s student athletes.
Awarded the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Lynchburg for Michael’s positive, lifetime contribution to society.
Therapeutic Partnerships
Backline: Clinical staff member at Backline helping to improve the mental health of music industry professionals.
Lighten Up Clinic and SportsMed Navigator Clinic : Co-produce a podcast called Transcending To Your Best Life for people who are struggling with life challenges.
Richmond Symphony: Provided mental training clinics called ArtsMind to help classical musicians learn the mental skills needed to practice and perform at high levels, and teach parents of youth musicians how to nurture talents.
Longwood University: Clinical staff member at Longwood University's Athletics Department helping NCAA Division I athletes learn mental skills to outperform competitors, and help coaches use methods to effectively motivate athletes in- and off-season.
JMU School of Music: Collaborated with Laurel Black, co-researcher, percussionist, and professor, to research the mental styles of the world's greatest percussionists in order to educate developing musicians.
CJW Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital and Hawthorne Cancer Resource Center: Co-facilitated an education program to help cancer survivors rehabilitate their cognitive abilities impacted by chemobrain.
Richmond Brain Tumor Support Group: Co-facilitator and steering committee member of a support group that helps individuals and families get the support they need after a brain tumor diagnosis.
FC Richmond Soccer: Provide mental training clinics for athletes and parents about elevating mental toughness in practice and competition.
Richmond Olympiad: Provide mental training clinics for gymnasts about overcoming fear and reaching full potential in practice and competition.
Education and Certifications
Master of Science, Organization Development from American University and the NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Science, with a specialization in Applied Behavioral Science. Applied Behavior is the study of how individuals, groups, and large systems behave in pursuit of performance and life objectives.
Graduated with the program’s highest academic honor of Distinction.
Bachelor of Arts, University of Lynchburg
Recipient of the Lynchburg’s 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award
Professional Certifications and Training
Certification In the Practice of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CPCRT) through the Society for Cognitive Rehabilitation, Netherlands
Certified Mental Health Service Provider In Sports Counseling (CSC) through the National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Sports Psychology
Certificate in Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy from The Association For Clinical Pastoral Education
Certificate of advanced training in Relational Trauma Skills through Dr. Albert Wong and Somatopia
Certificate in Somatic Trauma Therapy Core Skills through Dr. Albert Wong and Somatopia
Certificate in Eco-Psychology and Therapy through The Earthbody Institute
Certificate in HRV Biofeedback from the HeartMath Institute
Certified in Brain Injury Family Intervention (BIFI) through the Virginia Commonwealth University Traumatic Brain Injury Model System
Certified Learning Disability Remediation Specialist through the Edu-Therapeutics Learning Specialist Program
Licensure in Educational Kinesiology through the Educational Kinesiology Foundation
Certified in Lifestyle Counseling through the American Society for Lifestyle Counseling
Certified in Auditory Therapy through Advanced Brain Technologies
Trained in Art4Healing Level One Facilitation through Art and Creativity For Healing, Inc.
Authorized and trained to administer and interpret the ImPACT neurocognitive test for concussions
Certified and Authorized Provider for cognitive and mental skills assessments such as: The Attentional and Interpersonal Styles Inventory, Athlete’s Mental Edge Inventory, CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive Assessment, Receptive-Expressive Observation, Competency Assessment Battery, Highlands Ability Battery, Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales, and The Stress Profile
Certified facilitator of SENG-Model Support Groups for parents of gifted children to address the emotional and social needs of their children, and the parenting issues related to those needs
Trained facilitator of Alzheimer's Support Groups by the Alzheimer's Association
Nationally Certified Track and Field Coach through USA Track and Field
Athletic Achievements
Silver medalist in 800-meters at the USATFF National Track and Field Championships
Ninth place finisher at the USATFF National Cross-Country Championships
Co-captain of a cross-country team that won the USA Track and Field Federation’s National Championship
Co-captain of a cross-country team that was Nationally Ranked Number 1 by Track and Field News in its final season poll
Member of a distance-medley relay team that set the New Jersey state record that stood for 36 years
Member of a 4 x 1mile relay team that set a USA National Freshmen record
Selected to the New Jersey All-State Cross-Country Team