Rising Stars: Meet Dr. Alan Behrman of Metro Atlanta, Marietta, Alpharetta, Duluth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Alan Behrman.

Hi Dr. Alan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I earned my PhD from Auburn University in 2004 and began my clinical career in Birmingham, Alabama before relocating to Metro Atlanta. As my practice grew, I recognized a growing need for accessible, high-quality, and diverse mental health care across Georgia. In response, I founded Alan Behrman & Associates, PC in 2011 with a vision of building a collaborative, community-centered practice.

Today, my practice has expanded to include over 20 therapists and 3 psychiatric medication providers across five locations in Marietta, Alpharetta, Duluth, Atlanta, and New Orleans, LA. I take great pride in assembling a team that reflects the communities they serve, and in the trust earned over the years from schools and school counselors, pediatricians, psychiatrists, OB-GYNs, primary care physicians, specialists, fellow therapists, and most importantly, current and former clients. It’s an honor to be part of their mental health journey.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been fortunate to work alongside dedicated, passionate mental health professionals who are truly committed to supporting our communities. Prioritizing accessibility, including accepting health insurance, has allowed us to reduce barriers to care and better serve our clients. Like any meaningful work, building this practice has come with challenges, but it has always been worth it. There have been many challenges like dealing with insurance companies, COVID, and making sure we were finding quality therapists that represent our practice well and who can serve the needs of the people that entrust their mental health to us. However, we look at the challenges as opportunities and embrace them and look for ways to make us better.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My clinical focus is in sports psychology, working with athletes across developmental, collegiate, and professional levels. I specialize in helping individuals enhance performance, manage pressure, recover from injury, and navigate the mental and emotional demands of competition. I currently serve as the sports psychologist for Atlanta United and the Atlanta Falcons, and my work integrates evidence-based psychological strategies with a deep understanding of performance culture, identity, and resilience. I’ve been an athlete and a sports fan my whole life and I played football in college, so I am very proud to serve professional players and the team. It’s an area I take deep pride and find enjoyment in.

I believe what sets me apart is my ability to bridge high-performance sports psychology with accessible, community-based mental health care. My work with elite professional athletes informs a practical, evidence-based approach that emphasizes resilience, focus, and emotional regulation, skills that translate across performance levels and life contexts. In my practice, I have intentionally selected therapists and psychiatric providers that reflect and support the needs of the community. Diversity and inclusivity is important when searching for a mental health provider. I want people to feel welcome and supported by providers that understand their clinical and cultural needs, while also providing meaningful and effective treatment.

In addition to sport psychology, I’ve worked extensively across the mental heath spectrum but my favorite areas to work with are anxiety/stress, life transitions, parenting, and relationship issues. I predominantly enjoy the college and young adult age range but over the course of my career I’ve spend an extraordinary amount of time working with high school age as well as the 30+ group.

In addition to my practice and on field life, I am a photographer. I enjoy traveling the world and photographing nature and the unique areas of a new location. I enjoy learning about local cultures and cuisines, and going on an adventure whenever I can.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Montgomery, AL with both parents and 2 younger sisters. I was sports kid and a nerd my whole life. I played basically every sport they offered but excelled in baseball and football. Every day I was doing some sport or another. There was not off-season for me as one sport season bled into another an often there were two at a time. If I wasn’t playing, I was watching. I was the son of a high school coach so he taught me more about the sports I learned more than the average kid. However, I was shorter than most so despite my natural athletic ability, I had to learn to outwork and outsmart people I played against and with. From my mom, I got my brain. I was always on the smarter side, but unfortunately never had to work hard academically so when things got hard in college and grad school, I had to put in more effort than I was used to. Growing up I had dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and work with athletes, but when I got to college, I realized that math and science weren’t my thing. I ended up a psychologist. Growing up I also loved music. I took piano lessons for about 10 years and guitar lessons for another year or so. I was an 80s kid so I grew up listening to 80s glam rock and 90s grunge. I was fairly social as a kid and had a fair amount of friends especially when I got to high school and developed some self-confidence. I grew up in a city of about 200K and because I was both a jock and a nerd most people knew who I was (which I didn’t particularly like). I liked my group of friends mainly because our lives didn’t revolve around sports so I was able to just be a regular teenager with them and doing things teenagers did. I didn’t think of myself as better than most or worst than most. I was just a guy living my life enjoying being a high level athlete, growing into my intelligence, learning to like myself, and hanging out with my friends.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alanbehrman.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/behrmanandassociates
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlanBehrmanAssociates
• Other: www.instagram.com/alanbehrmanphotography

Image Credits
Alan Berhman Photography