Paul Knackstedt, Psy.D.

Paul Knackstedt is a staff psychologist at Cook Counseling Center and for the Virginia Tech Athletics Department. His professional interests include working with students exploring identity concerns, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, substance use, and performance difficulties. Additionally, Paul has a strong commitment to working with student-athletes who are transitioning to intercollegiate athletics from high school, attempting to balance student-athlete demands, recovering from injury, retiring from sport, or are navigating relationship issues with teammates or coaches. Paul strongly believes that therapy is an act of increasing self-awareness, self-acceptance, and support. He strives to meet clients where they are at and work collaboratively with students to meet their goals. His therapeutic style integrates ideas from gestalt, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and third-wave CBT therapies.

Paul holds a M.S. in Kinesiology specializing in sport psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology from Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (Division 47 – Exercise and Sport Psychology) and the Association of Applied Sport Psychology.