Dr. Melanie S. David is a Licensed Clinical and Sport Psychologist specializing in performance and mental health needs of athletes. A lifelong competitor and former collegiate softball player, Dr. David understands the pressure, passion, and challenges that come with pursuing high-level sport.
A Southern California native, Dr. David grew up playing competitive club softball and was a standout athlete at Santiago High School in Corona, CA, where she helped lead her team to two CIF-SS Division I Championships and California State Championships in 2011 and 2013. She went on to compete at the Division I level at Boston University, earning Patriot League Championships in 2014 and 2016, two NCAA tournament appearances, and recognition on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Dr. David has experience working with athletes across club, high school, and collegiate levels. Her dual background as a high-performing athlete and clinician deeply informs her therapeutic approach, allowing her to connect with athletes through empathy, collaboration, and firsthand understanding of the demands of competitive sport. She is passionate about supporting athletes navigating injury and recovery, performance anxiety, perfectionism, fear of failure, identity and life transitions, confidence challenges, and depression. Using an integrative, strengths-based approach, Dr. David helps athletes build mental resilience, manage setbacks, and enhance their psychological readiness to perform at their highest potential.
Dr. David earned her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College, and her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. She completed an APA-accredited internship and fellowship at UC Irvine and is currently accruing hours toward her Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential.