Meet Jaron Gold, CMHCi at Gold Counseling in Kaysville, UT

Jaron earned his bachelor’s degree in Health, Wellness, Recreation, and Kinesiology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (an HBCU-Historically Black College University), where he also competed as a Division 1 baseball player.  That experience sharpended his understanding of discipline, resilience, identity development, and the mental load that often comes with high performance – pressure, expectations, and the quiet fear of not being “enough”.  It also expanded his perspective through a diverse academic and athletic community, strengthening his commitment to serving people across cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. 
 
After graduation, Jaron felt called to support others through the emotional side of performance, identity, and major life transitions.  He pursued dual master’s degrees in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling, building expertise in evidence-based care, trauma-informed approaches, grief-support, and career development.
 
Jaron’s path to counseling is rooted in a simple belief: most people aren’t short on potential – they’re short on support, clarity, and space to process what they’ve carried for too long.  Combining an athlete’s mindset with clinical training, he helps clients navigate what’s happening beneath the surface and build a practical path forward.  He believes every person has a story worth understanding – and a future worth designing.

Jaron currently serves as a school counselor at a high school, partnering with students, families, and educators to strengthen academic success, social-emotional wellbeing, and career readiness.  He has extensive experience supporting adolescents navigating anxiety, depression, school avoidance, grief, family stress, motivation struggles, and post-secondary transitions.  Many of the students he works with feel overwhelmed by expectations, uncertain about identity, or stuck in avoidance and self-doubt, and he helps them to regain traction with practical, steady support. 
 
In addition to his work in schools, Jaron provides counseling to teens, adults, couples, and families.  He especially enjoys helping people facing performance pressure, identity shifts, athletic or career transitions, and high-achievement environments.  With a Division 1 athlete background and training in performance psychology, he understands the push-pull between ambition and emotional health.  His approach helps clients build resilience, clarify values, and redefine success in a way that’s sustainable, not just impressive on paper. 
 
Jaron also values working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and brings cultural humility, curiosity, and respect to every session.  He believes meaningful progress comes from understanding both the individual and the system’s communities, and experiences that shape how they see themselves and the world.

Jaron specializes in anxiety disorders, grief and loss, adolescent development, school avoidance, performance anxiety, identity development, and self-worth concerns.  He has a strong focus on supporting high-achieving teens and adults, student-athletes, and individuals in life transitions that disrupt confidence, direction, or sense of identity.
 
His clinical training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution-Focused Therapy, trauma-informed practices, and elements of family systems theory.  He also integrates performance psychology to help clients strengthen mindset, improve emotional regulation, and build resilience – without needing pressure, perfectionism, or over-functioning to keep them moving.
 
Jaron practices through a culturally responsive lens shaped by his HBCU experience and work with diverse school communities.  He approaches each client with equity, dignity, and individualized care, recognizing that culture, faith, family systems, and social context meaningfully impact mental health.  Treatment is tailored to the whole person – not just the symptom list.

I’m a big believer that I can’t effectively support others if I’m not taking care of my own wellbeing first.  For me, that starts with staying grounded in my faith, my family, and my community.  My faith is a key part of how I reset and stay centered, and when clients want it, I’m comfortable integrating faith into our work in a respectful, clinically appropriate way.
 
I also treat physical movement like a non-negotiable for mental health.  Getting outside, playing sports, and staying active helps me regulate stress, clear my head, and come back to myself.  Alongside that, I practice reflection and mindfulness by checking in on my thoughts and patterns, because self-awareness isn’t just something I teach; it’s something I live.
 
Finally, I protect my mental health through continued learning and professional growth.  Ongoing education keeps me sharp, but more importantly, it keeps me honest about my own blind spots and committed to doing my work with intention and balance.

Ouside of the therapy office, I’m happiest when I’m active and outdoors.  I love disc golf, sports, and spending time with my family.  I value competition and personal growth, but I’ve also learned to slow down and be present with the people who matter most, because winning is cool, but connection is the real flex.
 
I also genuinely enjoy mentoring and coaching.  I like helping people tap into their potential, whether that’s in counseling, athletics, or everyday life.  I’m naturally goal-oriented, but over time I’ve learned that balance and relationships matter just as much as achievement.
 
One of my strengths is keeping perspective.  And yes, I use humor when it fits, because sometimes the most therapeutic thing in the room is a grounded moment that reminds ‘us’ we’re human.

My therapeutic approach is grounded in a simple belief:  Every behavior serves a purpose.  Sometimes it protects us from pain. Sometimes it reflects patterns we learned earlier in life. Instead of judging behaviors, I work collaboratively with clients to understand what the behavior is doing for them, and then build healthier, more sustainable options that still meet the underlying need.

I use evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Solution-Focused strategies to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, clarify values, and develop practical tools for change. My background in athletics and performance psychology shapes how I think about growth: structure matters, and so does compassion. Progress takes accountability, but it also requires safety, self-understanding, and a realistic pace.

I strive to create a culturally responsive environment rooted in humility. A person’s background, family system, faith perspective, and lived experience all matter. I aim to meet each client with curiosity and respect, recognizing that healing and growth won’t look the same for everyone.

At the core of my work is this conviction: every person deserves dignity, clarity, and a life aligned with their values. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” people, it’s about strengthening insight, resilience, and direction so you can move forward with confidence and purpose.