Our Team / David Pearl
Meet David Pearl
LCSW, Founder, Executive Coach & Psychotherapist
I am an executive coach and organizational consultant who works with senior leaders, high-potential talent, and elite performers across financial services, private equity, asset management, professional sports, and music. I work with clients in Tennessee, New York, and virtually.
About David
Many of the leaders and performers I work with operate in environments where the stakes are high and the margin for error is small. They may be navigating expanded leadership responsibilities, managing organizational complexity and stakeholder expectations, preparing for succession, building and developing leadership teams, leading through growth or transition, or sustaining performance while managing the demands that come with operating at a high level.
Role and Approach
My role is to serve as a trusted thought partner, helping clients gain perspective, make better decisions, strengthen relationships, and lead more effectively under pressure.
My approach is practical, direct, and grounded in the belief that leadership development starts with self-awareness. The leaders and performers who create the greatest impact understand not only their strengths, but also the patterns, blind spots, and assumptions that influence how they lead and perform. Together, we identify what may be limiting their impact and effectiveness and develop strategies that support meaningful, lasting change.
Leaders I have worked with have gone on to take on expanded roles, build stronger teams, improve executive presence, and lead more effectively through high-stakes transitions.
Engagements typically include structured assessments, including Hogan and 360° feedback, regular one-on-one coaching sessions, and stakeholder alignment to ensure measurable progress.
Education and Experience
I earned my master’s degree from NYU’s Silver School of Social Work and my bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
My background as a licensed psychotherapist gives me a unique and evidence-based understanding of how leaders perform, adapt, and make decisions under pressure. This clinical foundation, combined with formal training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an evidence-based framework for building psychological flexibility, resilience, and values-driven decision-making, sets my approach apart from traditional executive coaching.
I am certified in the Hogan Personality Assessment suite, including Hogan 360°, which I use to help leaders better understand their strengths, leadership tendencies, and opportunities for growth.
Prior to founding Music City Psych, I worked in a variety of clinical and performance-focused settings in New York City, including Union Square Practice, Mount Sinai Hospital, and The National Institute for the Psychotherapies. Those experiences deepened my understanding of how people perform, adapt, and grow under pressure — insights that directly inform my work with leaders, executive teams, organizations, elite athletes, and musicians today.
Professional Affiliations and Additional Work
In addition to my coaching and consulting work, I serve as an independent clinician practicing as part of the MLBPA Mental Health Directory, working with professional athletes who perform in some of the most demanding environments in the world. That experience reinforces what I see across every high-performance context: whether on a trading floor, in a boardroom, on a playing field, or on a stage, the principles that drive sustained excellence are remarkably consistent.
Whether I am working with a managing director navigating expanded leadership responsibilities, a high-potential leader preparing for their next role, a private equity-backed executive leading through change, or a professional athlete or musician performing at the highest level, my focus remains the same: helping people lead, perform, and live with greater clarity, effectiveness, and purpose.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, playing golf, and traveling.
Memberships
- Imago Relationships North America
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
- Nashville Psychotherapy Institute
- Verified by Psychology Today, July 27, 2026
- Improve Your Relationship Nashville
- GoodTherapy Verified Credentials
- NASW
Q&A with David
What are some examples of barriers you help performers and executives work through to better realize their potential?
Through executive coaching and sport and performance psychology, individuals can enhance their psychological flexibility, resilience, and overall well-being. This leads to improved performance and a more fulfilling professional and personal life. ACT principles help executives, performing artists, and athletes overcome mental barriers, such as:
- Self-doubt/Lack of Confidence/Imposter Syndrome
- Fear of Failure
- Lack of Focus and Concentration
- Time Management
- Communication Issues
- Perfectionism
- Stress and Burnout
- Goal Setting and Motivation
- Team Dynamics
- Transition and Career Changes
Describe the use of mental skills training in assisting athletes, performers, and executives.
Mental skills training is vital to success in both athletics and performance, as well as the professional sphere. Working to conquer mental blocks and incorporate new skills boosts the potential for success, no matter what an individual’s goals may be.
- Avoidance
- Values Clarification
- Defusion Techniques
- Present Moment Awareness
- Committed Action
- Mindful Performance
- Sense of Self
- Values-Based Decision Making
- Building Resilience
How are performance and sports psychology and executive coaching similar?
Sport and performance psychology and executive coaching share many similarities in their focus on enhancing performance, achieving goals, and fostering well-being, such as:
- Goal Setting/Achievement
- Enhancing Performance
- Psychological Factors
- Individualized Approach
- Mindset and Mental Toughness
- Communication Skills
- Resilience and Coping Strategies
- Self-Awareness
- Behavior Change
- Holistic Approach
What are some of the ways that clients realize they have reached a new level of performance?
The ultimate goal of executive coaching and sport and performance psychology is improved performance overall, whether in the professional sphere or on the field. In my experience as a sports and performance expert and executive coach, I find that individuals typically find improvement through:
- Consistency in Performance
- Improved Confidence
- Adaptability to Challenges
- Efficient Use of Mental Skills
- Increased Resilience
- Enhanced Focus and Concentration
- Achievement of Milestones
- Positive Feedback from Peers or Superiors
- Well-Being
- Alignment with Values
- Innovative Thinking and Creativity
- Positive Changes in Performance Metrics
- Sense of Fulfillment and Satisfaction
