Keisha McDonald MA, MS, LPC, NCC, CATP, MH-F, MH-T

Keisha McDonald, MS, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor (MI License #6401223178)
Adjunct Professor, Grand Rapids Community College
Founder, MADD Therapy Behavioral & Performance Lab
Tagline: Train the mind. Transform the motion.

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As a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan, my professional mission is to empower individuals through behavioral balance, emotional regulation, and mental performance training. My passion for public service is demonstrated through diverse experiences as a foster parent, probation agent, and now as the founder of MADD Therapy Counseling and Life Coaching, where I integrate clinical expertise with expressive and performance-based approaches to healing.

I hold dual master’s degrees — an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (2020) and an M.S. in Psychology from The University of Phoenix (2008). My early research and graduate work focused on creating a multicultural mentoring program for foster care agencies, emphasizing cultural connection and emotional development among foster youth and families. My post-internship was completed at New Oakland Family Center in Okemos, Michigan. Over the course of my career, I have gained extensive clinical experience across community mental health, social service agencies, outpatient clinics, private practice, and telehealth programs.

To advance my specialization, I am currently pursuing a Certificate in Sports Psychology through ELVTR. This advanced coursework supports my commitment to merging behavioral therapy with performance psychology — bridging mental health, resilience, and human achievement.

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The incorporation of sports psychology methodologies enhances my ability to help clients and students optimize their mental and behavioral performance. Through this training, I apply cognitive-behavioral and performance-based strategies to athletes, artists, students, and high-achieving individuals to foster focus, motivation, and confidence. The ELVTR program expands my professional toolkit in:

• Motivational and performance psychology: Understanding how focus, discipline, and mindset influence behavior.

• Visualization and goal-setting techniques: Helping clients and students turn intention into measurable action.

• Arousal and stress management: Teaching practical behavioral methods to enhance resilience under pressure.

• Team dynamics and communication: Supporting leadership, collaboration, and social-emotional learning within classrooms and teams.

In my teaching role at Grand Rapids Community College, these skills translate into more engaging instruction for dual-enrolled high school and college students — building their emotional intelligence, motivation, and performance mindset. Within MADD Therapy Behavioral & Performance Lab, I utilize the same concepts clinically to help youth, athletes, and performers overcome barriers and achieve balance between healing and achievement.

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This certification deepens my role as a Behavioral & Performance Specialist and advances the mission of MADD Therapy Behavioral & Performance Lab, an innovative space where behavioral science meets creative motion. It also enhances my academic and public service work by integrating the principles of prevention, mastery, and performance psychology into community and educational settings.

By combining my counseling expertise, teaching background, and applied sports psychology training, I aim to continue developing programs that train the mind and transform the motion — empowering individuals to thrive both in their emotional lives and in the arenas where they perform.

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• American Counseling Association

• Association for Creativity in Counseling

• Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association

• Michigan Counseling Association

• Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling

• Chi Sigma Iota, Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society