Doron Willis - Staff Directory - Michigan State University Athletics

Staff Directory

Doron Willis

Title:
Associate Director of Student-Athlete Wellness
Email:
Phone:
899-5581

Doron Willis is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 10 years of experience working in the mental health field. Prior to becoming a licensed clinician, Willis worked as a fitness and sports trainer for over 15 years dating back to 2003, which earned him recognition from Men’s Health. During this time, he obtained certifications in Sport and Fitness Psychology from California State University-Dominguez Hills in 2013, and the Performance Enhancement Specialist credential from the National Academy of Sports Medicine in 2014.

As a former Division-I FCS and FBS football player who played at Bethune-Cookman College and one year as a walk-on at the University of South Carolina, Willis’ goal as a clinician is to not only help current student-athletes navigate the demands and expectations that come with being a Division-I student-athlete, but foster a sense of identity that goes beyond sport. He is the author of two books, The Self-Possessed Athlete: The guide to playing with more emotional control, focus, and flow; and The IT Factors: Identifying the traits of athletic dominance. Additionally, he contributed to the book, Peak Performance: Mindset Tools for Athletes, which his chapter is called No Concept of Failure.

Prior to coming to Michigan State University, Willis worked in the Los Angeles area in both private practice and in Westlake Village Sports Psychology facility under Dr. Carrie Hastings, who is the head sports psychologist for the Los Angeles Rams. Willis currently holds the following credentials and is currently listed on the following mental health directories:

• Doctor of Education in Sports Leadership (currently pursuing )-Concordia University Chicago
• Phillips Graduate University- M.A. in Clinical Psychology (2017)
• Arizona State University- B.S. in Healthy Lifestyle Coaching (2014)
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California #126643, Michigan #4101007365)
• National Football League (NFL) Vetted Provider, since 2022
• Listed in the United States Olympics and Paralympic Committee Mental Health Registry, since 2025
• Independent Clinician on the Major League Baseball Player Association (MLBPA) Mental Health Directory, since 2025
• EMDR Trained- EMDR Institute
• ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) Trained
• Certified Anger Management Specialist II-National Anger Management Association
• Sport and Exercise Psychology Certificate-California State University Dominguez Hills (2013)
• Performance Enhancement Specialist-National Academy of Sports Medicine (2014)
• Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement Instructor-MSPE Institute (American Psychological Association approved) (2022)