Whether you’re an athlete, a performer in the arts, or an officer, it’s no question that your mind plays a huge role in dictating your mood, confidence, and ultimately performance. The pressure everyone feels to consistently perform at their best is much easier said than done.

What many don’t realize is how mental toughness is something you can learn and get better at. With the increased stress and anxiety people feel living normal lives, this is amplified in athletes and performers in general striving to reach excellence.

Mental toughness is not just an asset in these high achievers, it’s an absolute necessity. Training your mental game will set you up for success in reaching your goals, whether that’s on the field, in the classroom, or in the office.

The simple answer: no! Mental performance training is simply for any performer who wants to improve how they feel and how well they perform.

Click here to visit my blog post, Is Mental Performance Training Only for the Mentally Weak? where I write a more in-depth answer to why mental performance training is encouraged for everyone, not just the weak-minded.

5-6 sessions provide a great foundation for developing someone’s mental game toolkit. Just like training anything, whether it’s in the weight room or learning a new language, stopping practice completely will lead to a decrease in its effectiveness.

As someone becomes more experienced in mental performance training, fewer sessions are necessary from an educational standpoint, but they are still valuable through more conversational-based sessions.

Some performers may go months without consulting their mental performance coach, opting to set up appointments when there is a pressing topic to discuss or to prepare for a big event coming up.

The core of my practice is teaching clients about mental skills that will help them feel more confident and perform better. As a mental performance coach, I am not a licensed therapist, although having emotional conversations is not uncommon.

This is particularly true for athletes under significant stress. Many people are apprehensive in approaching a coach or teammate in fear of how they’ll be perceived following the conversation, affecting lineup changes or team cohesion, for example. Not only do I understand the weight of stress that comes with being an athlete (and student) striving for excellence, but I know this has a significant impact on performance.

No, this work is not covered by insurance.

There are 3 core parts of sport psychology training in my practice.

1. Mental skills training - these are tangible skills you can name and rely on for a desired effect. Examples include imagery, developing a routine, and instilling a mantra to direct thoughts and actions. Additionally, athletes learn how to cultivate mindsets necessary for long-term success, like how to respond to failure and combat perfectionism.

2. Education - clients are empowered by learning about how their brain and body work, especially under stress. They’ll also understand the science and mechanism behind why a mental skill works, rather than simply being told to do something.

3. Support - conversations are an integral part of mental performance training. Clients may want to vent about a difficult coach, discuss last weekend’s tournament, or get a trained professional’s take on general life stress they’re experiencing. Through private, confidential sessions, adding this unique dimension to your support system is something many athletes lack and appreciate having.

As of now, my 1 on 1 coaching is done almost entirely through Zoom. If you’re local and you prefer to meet face to face, let me know during our introductory call and we can work something out.

As far as which one is better, it’s mostly personal preference.

There is no denying that discussions are more powerful when done in person. Certain activities we do together (i.e., going through different types of body language) may be less impactful when done online.

On the other hand, there are positives to meeting online. For example, less time spent commuting, accessibility while traveling, and being in the comfort of your own home. For these reasons and more, meeting online can be a convenient way to get consistent mental performance training in.