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Kim Tolentino, PhD — Faculty ; Assistant Teaching Professor, Kinesiology ; College of Nursing & Health Sciences ; Areas of Expertise: Sport | Exercise | Performance Psychology .

Profile Type:

Assistant Teaching Professor, Kinesiology

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Biography

Dr. Kim Tolentino is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Kinesiology Department at Seattle University. Prior to coming to SU, Dr. Tolentino served as a Clinical Mental Health Therapist in the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Department providing mental health and mental performance services to student-athletes. She has worked extensively with collegiate level athletes with a range of concerns including anxiety, confidence, depression, injury, and stress management.

She earned her PhD in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology at West Virginia University in 2025 as well as a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at West Virginia University in December 2023. Dr. Tolentino also earned a Master's in Kinesiology from California State University Long Beach in 2020 and Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California State University Long Beach.

She enjoys teaching sport/exercise psychology and sport sociology courses. Her research interests include mental health culture in collegiate athletics, coach mental health attitudes, and coach-athlete relationships.

In her free time, Dr. Tolentino enjoys spending time with her mini dachshund, Enzo, reading romance novels, lifting weights, attending concerts, and going to sporting events.

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, West Virginia University (2025)
  • Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, West Virginia University (2023)
  • Master of Science in Kinesiology, Sport & Exercise Psychology option, California State University Long Beach (2020)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of California Santa Cruz (2012)

Publications

  • Tolentino, K., Voelker, D., Oja, B., Espana-Perez, S., & Zizzi, S. (2025). A multi-case study exploring NCAA Division I athletic departments' mental health culture. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Sport, 18(1), 662-682.
  • Bejar, M., Raabe, J., Tolentino, K., & Hagge, K. (2025). Athletic trainer strategies for nurturing athletes' basic psychological needs during sport injury rehabilitation. Journal of American College Health, 1–9.
  • Tolentino, K., & Raabe, J. (2025). National Collegiate Athletic Association coaches' beliefs toward seeking mental health services for themselves: Instrument validation and exploratory investigation. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 19(3), 233-251. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2023-0035
  • Tolentino, K., Readdy, T., & Raabe, J. (2024). "No days off": Using Self-Determination Theory to better understand workaholism in National Collegiate Athletic Association division I coaches. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 18(2), 251-269. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0105
  • Raabe, J., Tolentino, K., & Readdy, T. (2022). An Exploration of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Assistant Coaches' Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration. International Sport Coaching Journal, 9(3), 331-341. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2021-0072