Meet Dr. James Graves of Performance Management Associates & Southland Aikido

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. James Graves.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Dr. Graves. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
With a Ph.D. degree in Physiology from Duke University in 1975, I spent 15 years as an academic (research and teaching) physiologist. In 1990 I moved to LA from a tenured Associate Professorship at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, to take a position of Vice President of Program Development for a small health education firm. After about two months into the job, the firm downsized by laying off two-thirds of its employees – including me. Not wanting to return to academia, after a couple of false starts I eventually founded Performance Management Associates (PMA) in 1992, a corporate training and organizational consulting firm. Over the next decade, I specialized in “soft skills” training, workplace violence prevention and executive coaching.

During the late 1970’s, I became interested in studying a martial art, but the so-called “hard arts” based on injuring an opponent wasn’t appealing. Through research and reading, I discovered the Japanese martial art of Aikido. I had the opportunity to watch a demonstration and started practicing Aikido in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina in 1981. After arriving in LA and with a second-degree black belt in Aikido, I co-founded City Aikido and Swordsmanship of Los Angeles in 1991. After the partnership broke-up, I remained as a senior instructor at City Aikido and founded Southland Aikido in South Pasadena. Southland Aikido evolved from a YMCA-based program to an independent school (i.e., dojo) in Pasadena.

In 1997 I decided to return to graduate school to obtain a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree in order to become a licensed clinical psychologist. Because of the grad school commitments, I had to close Southland Aikido. I continued to earn a living through PMA activities and also continued to train and teach Aikido at City Aikido of LA.

In 2002, I became a licensed psychologist and established a private clinical practice in Pasadena under the PMA banner. The clinical practice specializes primarily in trauma-related disorders, depression, relationship issues and men’s issues. I also continued to engage in executive coaching, working with managers in various roles from supervisors to CEO’s. This combined practice continues to be my primary income source to this day. As a part of the clinical practice, I supervised five pre-licensed clinicians toward their successful licensure. In 2008 I was invited to be an Adjunct Instructor at Alliant International University, Los Angeles Campus and have continued in that capacity through 2017.

In 2015, I re-founded Southland Aikido in the LA suburb of Monterey Park and have grown the membership by three-fold over the founding membership. Southland Aikido resides in a 1500 square foot facility with a 1000 square foot training mat. We offer 8 classes a week of Aikido and Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship). In January of 201,  I was awarded a 6th degree black belt in Aikido by the Aikikai World Headquarters in Tokyo.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In the last years of my academic profession, finding a non-academic position where my scientific background could apply.

Having resigned a tenured (for life) faculty position to take an executive job in business and then being laid off within 2 months.

Dealing with unemployment while trying to determine what direction to take professionally.

Burning through my financial stake to launch an entrepreneurial venture that ultimately failed.

Becoming established in corporate training and organizational development consulting without any formal training or experience.

Going back to grad school for the PsyD degree while working as an independent contractor to earn a living for me and my family. Working often for little or no pay to acquire 3000 hours of supervised clinical psychology experience in order to get my Psychology License.

A year-long search to find a suitable and affordable property to re-establish Southland Aikido.

Performance Management Associates & Southland Aikido – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Performance Management Associates has evolved into a blend of private practice clinical psychology (mostly psychotherapy) and executive leadership coaching. In the clinical arena I specialize in trauma-related disorders, depression, relationships and men’s issues. In addition to excellent pre-licensure hospital-based training in treating people with severe trauma and depression, I bring several decades of real-life experience.

Southland Aikido (SA) promotes and provides education in the Japanese martial arts of Aikido and Iaido (swordsmanship) to the Greater Los Angeles Area… We have built a traditional dojo (i.e., school) that is a member of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF) in New York and Aikikai World Headquarters in Japan… With 36 years of experience in Aikido, I hold the rank of 6th degree blackbelt (8th degree is the highest) and instructor certification from the USAF. We have four other instructors with 3rd to 4th degree blackbelts – one of the highest-ranking teaching staffs in the Los Angeles area. We hold weekend-long Aikido seminars (i.e., multiple training classes) with high-ranking instructors from around the country and Friendship Seminars collaborating with more local instructors. In 2016 we raised $1200 through a Friendship Seminar to provide psychological services to military veterans in need of those services.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Over the course of 5 career changes, success has always been defined for me by two criteria: doing something that I enjoy and making a positive impact on people’s lives.

Pricing:

• Psychotherapy: $200 for a full hour session
• Executive coaching: $300 per hour on site
• Membership in Southland Aikido: $95 per month

Contact Info:

• Website:  www.DrJimGraves.com / www.PMAleadership.com / www.southlandaikido.org

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.