Therapy is designed to address specific mental health concerns that are interfering with daily functioning, whereas mental performance coaching addresses goal achievement and practical strategies to help improve performance and well-being. Mental health occurs on a spectrum and can change depending on a number of factors. My role as a Mental Performance Consultant is not to treat or diagnose but to provide mental skills training to individuals, coaches, athletes, and teams willing and able to engage in services meant to enhance performance and wellbeing. While I am a clinically trained therapist, it is not within the scope of mental performance coaching to provide mental health therapy services. However, if you find that you are in need of mental health services, in addition to Mental Performance Coaching, I will work with you to find the appropriate provider and fit. 

Working with a mental performance coach can help you learn practical tools that have shown to improve performance through effective goal setting, arousal regulation, self-talk, attentional focus skills, mindfulness, imagery, and visualization. Mental skills training increases self-awareness which is necessary for change and growth and addresses the importance of stress management that impacts functioning in all areas of our life. Additionally, the skills and awareness built through mental strength training can benefit our ability to effectively navigate common stressors people face in relationships and parenting and equip you with practical tools to communicate more effectively and connect more purposefully.

When mental skills training starts early and is an integrated part of the training and development process, in the same way that strength and conditioning is, individuals are more equipped to manage stress and be mentally resilient through adversity. Too often we wait until there is a problem and hope that someone will step in to provide the perfect solution. When we approach the mental side of the game/life like this we fuel a “fix it” mentality that only perpetuates frustration, blame, and low self-efficacy. So, start before there is a “problem” to build that foundational strength and empower you with a repertoire of skills that can help you navigate stress effectively.

No. The skills of mental performance coaching extend beyond just athletes and sports, providing value to all of us navigating relationships, work, and everyday stressors in the “arena of life”. In the same way it does for an athlete, mental performance coaching can help you understand yourself better so that you know where change needs to occur, clarify goals and values that drive the decisions you make, develop the skills necessary to effectively regulate stress, manage emotions, sustain focus, attention, and motivation, and ultimately, help you feel confident in your ability to meet the demands of the moment.