A Lifelong Commitment to Helping Others
Dr. Goodman grew up in Chicago in a home filled with music. The son of two professional violinists and one of five musically gifted brothers, he was immersed in the language of artistry from an early age. He studied piano under Emilio del Rosario and later Abraham Stokman at the Chicago Musical College, earning his Bachelor of Music degree before continuing his training at the University of Southern California. There he worked with renowned pianists Daniel Pollack and Eduardo Delgado, completing his Master of Music in 1976 and his Doctor of Musical Arts in 1984.
Trained as a concert pianist, Dr. Goodman has devoted much of his career to understanding and treating performance anxiety. He has taught at the University of Illinois Circle Campus, Pierce College, and maintained a thriving private studio. He is the author of The Efficacy of Hypnosis for the Alleviation of Performance Anxiety and the Improvement of Performance Quality in Solo Classical Pianists, a pioneering work in the intersection of psychology, artistry, and optimal performance.
Dr. Goodman is an active member of the Performing Arts Medicine Association and the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC). He regularly provides workshops to musicians, actors, athletes, and other high-performing individuals, offering specialized coaching to enhance performance, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional and physical well-being.
In 2005, Dr. Goodman earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Psychology (formerly the California Graduate Institute). He later served as Chief Pain Psychologist in UCLA’s Orofacial Pain Department, where he helped patients understand the powerful relationship between emotional states and physical symptoms.
Central to Dr. Goodman’s philosophy is the belief that human beings are profoundly shaped by their emotional lives. Illness, pain, and psychological distress often reflect unspoken or unresolved feelings; when individuals learn to recognize, understand, and express these inner experiences, genuine healing can begin. His work—whether at the piano, in the classroom, or in clinical practice—reflects a lifelong commitment to helping others find clarity, resilience, and harmony within themselves.
A Research Grounded Approach to Performance Anxiety and Stress Management
Dr. Goodman’s approach integrates nervous-system education, embodied awareness, and performance-informed practices to support clarity, regulation, and resilience under pressure.
Pillar I
Dual PHDs — Performance and Psychology
Dr. Goodman brings deep experience from both high-level artistic performance and clinical psychology. This allows him to understand the internal experience of pressure as well as the real-world demands of performing, leading, and being evaluated.
Many people come to this work after feeling misunderstood by traditional therapy or coaching. This approach bridges that gap.
Pillar II
Mind–Body Awareness and Self-Regulation
Pressure shows up in the body before it shows up in performance.
This work helps people understand how stress affects breathing, attention, posture, and emotional response — and how to regain steadiness when those systems are under strain.
The goal is not control, but awareness and flexibility, so the body becomes a support rather than an obstacle.
Pillar III
Safety Before Achievement
Performance improves through steadiness, not force.
When the system feels safer and more supported, clarity and confidence tend to return naturally.This approach prioritizes stability first, allowing growth and excellence to emerge without pushing or strain.
Specialties
- Anxiety and phobia reduction
- Performance enhancement
- Chronic Pain (headaches)
- TMD (temporal mandibular joint disorder)
- Habit reversal , OCD and addiction
- Sleep issues (insomnia, PTSD, nightmares, RLS - restless leg syndrome)
- Hypervigilance (Repetitive/ Intrusive Thoughts, Depression, emotional regulation)
- Individual, Marriage, and Family Coaching
Treatment Modalities
- Hypnotherapy and Biofeedback
- Mindfulness and Awareness Training
- Meditation
- Mind–Body Prescription
- Logotherapy
- Wellness-focused support
- Coherent breathing and somatic training
Professional Associations
- Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC)
- Southern California Society of Clinical Hypnosis
- Headache Cooperative of the Pacific
- International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
- American Chronic Pain Association
- American Academy of Orofacial Pain
- American Pain Society
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- PAMA (Performance Arts Medicine Association)
Begin Your Return to Excellence
If ongoing pressure has begun to affect your clarity, focus, or sense of steadiness, a private consultation offers a chance to talk things through. This conversation is an opportunity to understand what you’re experiencing, explore your goals, and see whether this work feels like a good fit — with no obligation or pressure.
