Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Wilsa Charles Malveaux.
Hi Dr. Wilsa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m a first-generation American and the proud daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and Grenada who came to the U.S. as adults and became doctors. Growing up, I watched their journey and learned early the values of resilience, sacrifice, and excellence. Those lessons shaped the way I pursued my own path.
I grew up balancing two passions: sports and people. As a Division I track athlete, I learned the discipline, resilience, and mental toughness that sport demands. Later, in medical school and psychiatry residency, I began to see how often mental health and performance were treated as separate worlds. I knew they belonged together.
That’s why I founded WCM Sports Psych here in Los Angeles. My practice brings together psychiatry, psychology, and performance coaching to help athletes, executives, and high-performers reach their full potential while protecting their well-being. Alongside this work, I’ve been married for 15 years, and am raising three amazing children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum — which makes my mission to build supportive, inclusive communities profoundly personal.
Today, I see myself not just as a physician, but as a community partner and innovator. I’ve hosted ice cream socials and pool parties for the San Fernando Valley Chapter of Mocha Moms Inc., and collaborated with the Special Needs Network to support families and school children.
I also dedicate time to community education. I’m a repeat speaker on maternal mental health for the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) initiative, and I’ve served as a speaker on mental health issues for the International Society for Black Latinos (ISBL), both here in Los Angeles. These opportunities allow me to connect directly with families and communities who are often underrepresented in the mental health conversation.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been meaningful, but not always smooth. As a Black woman in medicine and sports, I’ve had to navigate spaces where my expertise wasn’t always recognized or valued. At times, I’ve been the “first” or “only” in the room, which meant proving myself twice over.
Balancing entrepreneurship with raising three children while maintaining a 15-year marriage has also been a journey. My personal and professional lives sometimes collide in unexpected ways, but these challenges have shaped my perspective. They taught me that the same strategies I use with my patients — resilience, focus, resourcefulness, and building a strong support network are the ones I lean on in my own life.
I don’t pretend it’s all been easy, but I believe that sharing one’s story breeds connection and hope. It shows that success is possible without perfection.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about WCM Sports Psych?
WCM Sports Psych is so much more than a medical practice — it’s a hub for performance, wellness, and equity. We help athletes, executives, creatives, and high-performers manage their mental health, sharpen their talents, and thrive under pressure.
What truly sets us apart is the intersection I bring to the table: I’m both a psychiatrist and a former Division I athlete, trained at Stanford, Howard, and UCLA. That dual lens allows me to merge psychiatry, psychology, and performance science into one innovative approach.
Our work reaches across the highest levels of sport, from professional players’ organizations to Olympic-affiliated programs, where mental health and performance must meet the most demanding standards. Beyond clinical care, I’ve authored original guides under WCM Sports Psych, serve in editorial and board leadership roles, and ensure cultural competence and equity are at the forefront of every program.
We also design initiatives for schools, sports organizations, and community groups. For example, our collaborations with The Museum of the San Fernando Valley and my recurring speaking roles bring mental health and performance resources directly to families who might otherwise be left out of the conversation.
At WCM Sports Psych, we’re not just serving individuals — we’re shaping a new culture around how mental health, equity, and performance are understood in Los Angeles and beyond.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
For me, risk is about alignment — choosing to act on what feels true to my vision, even when there are no guarantees.
Professionally, one of my biggest risks was stepping away from the security of traditional clinical roles to create WCM Sports Psych. I wanted to build a practice that merged psychiatry, psychology, and performance coaching in a way that truly served athletes, executives, and communities. I knew that if I didn’t take the leap, I’d never be satisfied. I don’t shy away from risk, though I am very thoughtful about it. I take chances to see how far I can go when I put my focus, training, and resilience behind an idea.
Personally, my husband and I made another major leap: we chose to put down roots here in Los Angeles, thousands of miles away from where each of us was raised, and far from our extended families. We met in medical school, and together we’ve navigated demanding medical training, career relocations, and long hours. Ultimately, we committed to Los Angeles because we believed in this city — its beauty, diversity, creativity, and opportunities — and we wanted to grow here. We quite literally grew our family here, raising our three children while balancing two busy medical careers.
Another risk I took was starting my family later in life, after years of focusing on education and building my career. All three of my pregnancies were considered “geriatric,” but I don’t see that as a limitation. I see it as part of my strength. It means I get to raise my children as a more mature, grounded parent while modeling for them what resilience and vision look like.
When I think about risk, I don’t think about what I could lose — I think about what I could build. Every risk I’ve taken has been about staying true to my purpose: helping people unlock their best selves and creating a life and legacy rooted in both family and community.
Pricing:
- Custom workshops and trainings are priced based on scope and audience.
- One-on-one performance psychiatry and coaching sessions are available by appointment.
- Digital guides and resources will soon be available for download.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wcmsportspsych.com/about-the-owner/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/wcmsportspsych?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCMSportsPsych?mibextid=haYZDX
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-wcm-sports-psych
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WCMSportsPsych/shorts
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-mindscape-report-with-dr-wilsa-where-sports/id1818646732
