About Dr. Dan

I am a Licensed Psychologist with a specialty in sport psychology, working with children, adults, coaches, and teams. I have been helping people for several decades find the strength to overcome all sorts of difficult challenges. It is one of the most basic premises of my practice: that there is strength within every person. I work with a lot of very accomplished clients, but what makes my work with them meaningful isn’t their accomplishments. It is the honest connection that we share and their brave willingness to take the necessary risks to discover their potential. My specialities include sport and performance psychology, leadership development, loss and bereavement, chronic illnesses, depression, anxiety, and relationships issues.

If it’s true that every moment is a choice between love and fear, then my work can be summarized as helping my clients consistently choose love over fear in their personal, professional, and athletic lives. I would welcome the opportunity to learn how I might be able help you to reach your goals. I am a phone call or email away. I look forward to talking with you when the time is right.

Contact

Dan Saferstein, Ph.D.
122 South Main Street, Suite 300
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
(734) 663-7470
dansaferstein@earthlink.net
Email Dan

Resilience Blog

Independence
Independence

My wife and I watch more movies at home than we did before the pandemic began.  I like watching movies on the couch together.  We saw a movie the other evening about the life of singer Ray Charles.   I was impressed with how his mom raised him to be so independent in spite of his...

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Learning
Learning

I misplaced my car keys the other morning and it nearly drove me crazy until I found them.  For some reason, I seem to be misplacing and losing stuff more during the pandemic.  I ended up finding my keys on the picnic table where I had been doing exercises the day before.  My exercise...

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Coaching Yourself
Coaching Yourself

A part of my job as a psychologist is to teach people to coach themselves.  In order to teach something, I need to figure out how to do it myself—so I can give advice that is reasonably helpful.  While I try to take a less-is-more approach when it comes to advice, there are still times...

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Art

Although I’ve sold many paintings, I still think of myself more as a guy who likes to play around with colors than an artist. It’s fun to play around with colors, especially if you don’t worry too much about how good you are at it. I feel grateful that I’ve been able to find good homes for all of my paintings. When people ask me to describe my art, I often say, “It looks like something that an ambitious second grader might do.” I think I used to be an artistically ambitious second grader before all of my ambitions were redirected towards sports. Forty-five years later, as our kids were starting to go off to college, I felt the sudden urge to make big and bright paintings. I wasn’t sure where this urge came from. I had never painted anything besides our shed in the back yard. But within six months, I had converted our Ping Pong room into an art studio and had my first show at Café Verde in Ann Arbor. You can read more about all this here. Now I mostly do work on commission. I would love to talk with you about a potential painting for your home or business. My promise: to bring great color and energy and teamwork to any project we work on together.

100 Reasons to Live

100 Reasons to Live

Adventures of a Depressed Duck

100 Reasons to Live tells the story of a depressed duck that goes on a healing journey with her grandmother and befriends a teenage girl facing similar challenges. This book was inspired by a teen suicide. At the funeral, the rabbi talked about how the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away… and I thought of what I might say that could be more reassuring to a teen struggling with depression–or to a group of teens who had just lost a dear friend. And on the long drive home from the cemetery the seeds of this book were planted.

100 REASONS TO LIVE sells for $14.99 (+$3.00 shipping on individual orders) (Paperback)
100 REASONS TO LIVE sells for $9.99 (eBook)

Note: If you are interested in group discounts for any of my books, please contact me at dansaferstein@earthlink.net or 734-663-7470. I promise to do my best to work with your organization’s budget.

Your Coaching Legacy

Your Coaching Legacy

This book was written to help coaches at all levels deal with the pressures of their profession so they will be in a better position to enjoy and lead their teams. Ann Meyers Drysdale, Vice President of the Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns, says, “This little book is a great refresher course in the fundamentals of being a coach and a teacher. I recommend it to all coaches interested in keeping their leadership skills sharp.”

YOUR COACHING LEGACY sells for $13.95 (+$3.00 shipping on individual orders) (Paperback)

Note: If you are interested in group discounts for any of my books, please contact me at dansaferstein@earthlink.net or 734-663-7470. I promise to do my best to work with your organization’s budget.

Praise

“Dan Saferstein reminds all of us in this great little book that the human element is still the most important aspect of coaching.”
—Carol Hutchins, Head Coach, University of Michigan Softball

“Dan’s book captures the essence of coaching excellence. It’s practical, clear, and provides excellent tools to help reboot your highest professional standards. It’s a zoom zoom read. I loved it.”
—Sue Enquist, Former UCLA Softball Coach, 11-Time National Champion, 4-Time Hall of Fame

Strength in You

Strength in You

A Student-Athlete’s Guide to Competition and Life

This sport psychology handbook also tells the story of my friendship with long-time coach, Lou Graves. The National Council of Youth Sports describes it as, “Inspirational and energizing! A must read for all student-athletes.” USA Hockey says, “Its motivational message is outstanding!” USA Gymnastics adds,”Dan Saferstein really challenges athletes to look inside themselves to discover their personal best.”

STRENGTH IN YOU sells for $12.95 (+$3.00 shipping on individual orders) (Paperback)

Note: If you are interested in group discounts for any of my books, please contact me at dansaferstein@earthlink.net or 734-663-7470. I promise to do my best to work with your organization’s budget.

Praise

“Inspirational and energizing! A must read for all student-athletes.”
—Sally Johnson, Executive Director, National Council of Youth Sports

Strength in You is a great resource for all student-athletes interested in bettering themselves on and off the ice…or field. Its motivational message is outstanding!
—Kevin McLaughlin, Director, Youth Ice Hockey, USA Hockey

“No matter what sport you play, you’ll find something in this book that will help you. You’ll want to read Strength in You time and time again during your sports career.”
—Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education, US Youth Soccer

Strength in You is a candid and soul-searching read for student-athletes. Dan Saferstein really challenges athletes to look inside themselves to discover their personal best.”
—Kathy Kelly, Vice-President, USA Gymnastics

Win or Lose

Win or Lose

A Guide to Sports Parenting

This little book is now in its fifth printing and has become a big hit in youth sports communities across the country. WIN OR LOSE has received support from such organizations as the National Council of Youth Sports, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, USA Hockey, USA Gymnastics, Positive Coaching Alliance, YMCA, CYO, National Association of Sports Officials, and countless leagues, clubs, and state soccer associations. WIN OR LOSE consists of twenty-six brief chapters with such titles as “Listen to Yourself in the Stands,” “Keep the Focus on Learning,” and “Forget About Scholarships for a While.”

WIN OR LOSE sells for $7.95 (+$3.00 shipping on individual orders) (Paperback)

Note: If you are interested in group discounts for any of my books, please contact me at dansaferstein@earthlink.net or 734-663-7470. I promise to do my best to work with your organization’s budget.

Praise

“In a youth sports world that often seems to be spinning out of control, Win or Lose helps bring what’s most important back into focus.”
—Harry Thompson, Editor, USA Hockey Magazine

“This engaging little book is great for parents who want to help their child have a positive experience with sports.”
—Jim Thompson, Founder of Positive Coaching Alliance

Win or Lose is a must read for today’s modern sports parent. US Youth soccer highly recommends this book to all 300,000 of our coaches and parents of our 3.2 million players.”
—Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education, US Youth Soccer

Love for the Living

Love for the Living

Meditations on the Meaning of Marriage and Life

This self-help book, written in the spirit of a memoir, was inspired by the death of my sister and shows how loss can sometimes bring couples and families closer together. Publishers Weekly said, “This book gives back in abundance.”

LOVE FOR THE LIVING sells for $18.95 (+$3.00 shipping) (Paperback)

Note: If you are interested in group discounts for any of my books, please contact me at dansaferstein@earthlink.net or 734-663-7470. I promise to do my best to work with your organization’s budget.

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