Geoffrey Peal, Psy.D.

Geoffrey Peal, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist serving St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, and clients across Florida via telehealth. He provides evidence-based therapy for teens and adults navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, life transitions, relationship challenges, and the unique stress of modern life. His warm, modern style is designed for clients who want a real therapist who can also speak the language of their actual day-to-day, whether that day involves a college midterm, a stalled career, or a screen that never stops buzzing.

Clinical training and approach

Dr. Peal earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and his doctorate (Psy.D.) in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University. His doctoral training included specialized rotations at the University of Miami Anxiety Research and Treatment Center, where he used cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocols to treat anxiety disorders, panic, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and at the University of Miami Autism-Spectrum Assessment Clinic, where he evaluated children and adults across the autism spectrum. That dual training shapes the work today, particularly for clients whose anxiety overlaps with neurodivergent traits, or whose long-running “personality issues” turn out to be untreated panic, OCD, or trauma.

His therapy approach integrates cognitive-behavioral, attachment-based, mindfulness, and interpersonal interventions, matched to the client and the concern. Clients see him for:

• Anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, and health anxiety
• Depression and mood concerns in teens and adults
• Major life transitions, including college, career changes, relationship shifts, identity, and grief
• Peer and interpersonal challenges, communication difficulties, anger management
• Autism-spectrum assessment and affirming support for neurodivergent adults
• High-intensity careers and the mental load of consistent high performance

Modern stress and the digital age

Dr. Peal has a particular interest in how technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and the pace of modern life have reshaped the human stress response. Many of his clients arrive carrying a kind of background anxiety they cannot quite name: the news cycle, AI changing their industry, constant comparison through social feeds, blurred lines between work and rest. He works with them on managing that load, rebuilding focus and grounding, and creating real boundaries with the devices that have crept into every hour of the day. As a longtime PC gamer and technology enthusiast, he connects naturally with clients whose lives unfold in digital spaces, particularly teens and young adults.

Cross-cultural perspective

A long-time international traveler, Dr. Peal has spent years studying languages and learning from cultures around the world, from the precision of Tokyo to the rhythm of Buenos Aires. He brings that cross-cultural perspective into the therapy room, especially with clients navigating cultural identity, immigration, language barriers, biracial or bicultural experiences, or the disorientation of moving between worlds. He believes that learning to live well in a new place, like learning a new language, follows a process the brain can be trained for.

Leadership at FPA

Dr. Peal serves as Chief Technology Officer of Family Psychology Associates, where he leads the practice’s telehealth infrastructure and digital strategy across 20+ licensed clinicians at our St. Petersburg, Safety Harbor, and Trinity offices. He is committed to making evidence-based mental health care accessible to Florida clients no matter where they live, through secure online therapy and thoughtful use of emerging tools.

Sports and performance psychology

Dr. Peal is also one of the lead psychologists at FPA Performance, the sports and performance psychology arm of Family Psychology Associates. Athletes, esports competitors, and high-pressure professionals can read more at fpaperformance.com.

Beyond the office

When not in session, Dr. Peal enjoys running, weight training, planning international travel, follows the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his alma mater the Michigan Wolverines, and keeps up with competitive gaming. He enjoys keeping up with current trends in media and technology and how they impact the world and his clients. He believes that the discipline of long-term skill acquisition, whether the skill is a foreign language, a marathon, or a CBT protocol for panic, follows the same fundamental brain mechanics. That belief shapes how he teaches clients to build new patterns of thought and behavior, even under real stress.

Featured

• ABC Action News (Tampa Bay) and 10 WTSP Tampa Bay broadcast segments on youth mental health and digital wellness
• Authored articles on teen screen addiction, texting and relationships, fear of flying, and telehealth therapy

Schedule

Dr. Peal sees clients at our St. Petersburg office at 5628 Central Avenue and via secure telehealth statewide. Appointments available 5 days a week with evening hours. Schedule an appointment.