University of Memphis Athletics
Women's Tennis
Williams, Sedaria
Sedaria Williams
- Title:
- Director, Mental Health & Sports Performance
- Email:
- slwrght3@memphis.edu
Sedaria Williams joined Memphis Athletics in October 2023 as the Director of Mental Health and Sports Performance.
During her time with the Tigers, Williams has helped conduct evaluations and provide student-athletes with individual, group, or team therapy, as well as psychological counseling related to their mental health, and strategic planning and oversight of psychological services provided to student-athletes. Williams also helped oversee compliance with ethical standards, rules, and regulations by ensuring that clinical services adhered to university, American Conference, NCAA, and federal and state laws governing mental health and privacy. Furthermore, she focuses on enhancing sports performance for all student-athletes by implementing strategies that promote mental resilience, optimal focus, and overall well-being, ensuring they perform at their best both on and off the field.
Williams has extensive experience as a mental health sports performance consultant for the Memphis Redbirds and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams. During her tenure, she has facilitated comprehensive mental health assessments to identify performance-related challenges and psychological concerns among players. Additionally, she has developed and implemented individualized mental health and performance enhancement plans to optimize player well-being and athletic performance. Williams has also collaborated with coaching staff, trainers, and medical personnel to integrate effective mental health strategies into the overall athletic program.
Before entering the collegiate and professional sports sector, Williams held a significant role in higher education as a Dual Enrollment Advisor for the Memphis Shelby County School District. In this capacity, she worked on initiatives to enhance student engagement and access to educational opportunities. Williams focused on building partnerships within the community to support recruitment efforts and promote educational programs. Previously, she served as the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment for Southwest TN Community College, where she contributed to various educational outreach initiatives. Additionally, Williams has experience in the health counseling field, further broadening her expertise in supporting individuals during transitions, including those related to athletics.
Williams got her start in collegiate admissions at Strayer University in December 2011, where she held this position until October 2016. She started her career as a counselor at Parkwood Behavioral Hospital in March 2009.
In addition to her extensive experience in mental health and education, Williams also has a background as a sports publicist, where she worked for about ten years in the public relations sector. During this time, she collaborated with various professional athletes, helping to manage their public image and promote their brand. Her efforts in crafting strategic communication plans and engaging with the media allowed her to effectively elevate the profiles of the athletes she represented, further enhancing their careers and outreach within the sports community. This experience enriched her understanding of the unique pressures associated with athletic performance and added another layer of expertise to her current role.
Williams is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, the American Counseling Association, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
A double-Master’s honoree, Williams holds master’s degrees in sports administration and clinical mental health counseling from Belhaven and Memphis, respectively. She is currently a doctoral candidate, working toward her PhD in Counseling and Education, which she expects to complete in the Fall of 2025. Additionally, she is pursuing certification from the Association for Applied Sports Psychology as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. Throughout her career, she has authored several books.
In her free time, Williams enjoys singing, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Jervis, and her daughter, Aureon.
During her time with the Tigers, Williams has helped conduct evaluations and provide student-athletes with individual, group, or team therapy, as well as psychological counseling related to their mental health, and strategic planning and oversight of psychological services provided to student-athletes. Williams also helped oversee compliance with ethical standards, rules, and regulations by ensuring that clinical services adhered to university, American Conference, NCAA, and federal and state laws governing mental health and privacy. Furthermore, she focuses on enhancing sports performance for all student-athletes by implementing strategies that promote mental resilience, optimal focus, and overall well-being, ensuring they perform at their best both on and off the field.
Williams has extensive experience as a mental health sports performance consultant for the Memphis Redbirds and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams. During her tenure, she has facilitated comprehensive mental health assessments to identify performance-related challenges and psychological concerns among players. Additionally, she has developed and implemented individualized mental health and performance enhancement plans to optimize player well-being and athletic performance. Williams has also collaborated with coaching staff, trainers, and medical personnel to integrate effective mental health strategies into the overall athletic program.
Before entering the collegiate and professional sports sector, Williams held a significant role in higher education as a Dual Enrollment Advisor for the Memphis Shelby County School District. In this capacity, she worked on initiatives to enhance student engagement and access to educational opportunities. Williams focused on building partnerships within the community to support recruitment efforts and promote educational programs. Previously, she served as the Coordinator of Dual Enrollment for Southwest TN Community College, where she contributed to various educational outreach initiatives. Additionally, Williams has experience in the health counseling field, further broadening her expertise in supporting individuals during transitions, including those related to athletics.
Williams got her start in collegiate admissions at Strayer University in December 2011, where she held this position until October 2016. She started her career as a counselor at Parkwood Behavioral Hospital in March 2009.
In addition to her extensive experience in mental health and education, Williams also has a background as a sports publicist, where she worked for about ten years in the public relations sector. During this time, she collaborated with various professional athletes, helping to manage their public image and promote their brand. Her efforts in crafting strategic communication plans and engaging with the media allowed her to effectively elevate the profiles of the athletes she represented, further enhancing their careers and outreach within the sports community. This experience enriched her understanding of the unique pressures associated with athletic performance and added another layer of expertise to her current role.
Williams is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, the American Counseling Association, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, and the American College of Sports Medicine.
A double-Master’s honoree, Williams holds master’s degrees in sports administration and clinical mental health counseling from Belhaven and Memphis, respectively. She is currently a doctoral candidate, working toward her PhD in Counseling and Education, which she expects to complete in the Fall of 2025. Additionally, she is pursuing certification from the Association for Applied Sports Psychology as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. Throughout her career, she has authored several books.
In her free time, Williams enjoys singing, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Jervis, and her daughter, Aureon.
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