Curious about Sport Performance & Psychology?
Ready to transform the way you compete?
This is a question being asked by today’s elite athletes, coaches, parents and media. Mental skills training will empower an athletes performance because they will already know how to deal with adversity when a competition is not going as planned. Without a solid foundation of mental skills techniques, athletes may lose their competitive edge. And, the higher the level of competition, the greater their need for mental skills.
Everyone has heard people say things like, “sports are 90% mental”. In some ways those statements are true – but they are only partially true. The reality is, there is no way to really know how much of an athlete’s performance is mental and how much of it is physical. So the best way to answer the question, “how much of sport is mental” is to think of it like this: An athlete’s performance is a physical thing, but, the mind controls what the body is able to do. Ultimately, how well an athlete performs during practice and competition depends on BOTH the mind and the body.
Because sports are both physical and mental, an athlete will perform their best when they train their mind AND their body. Coaches, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and other professionals know a lot about how to help an athlete train their body. But what about the mind? We know there is a mental side to sport, but how does an athlete train their brain? How do athletes prepare for adversity and more importantly, how do they learn how to respond to adversity?
This is where sport psychology comes in. Just like athletes go to practice, lift weights, and eat healthy to train their body, they use sport psychology to train their mind. Sport psychology is the mental skills, strategies, and techniques athletes learn, practice, and use to perform their best. It is how they “get their mind into shape”. It teaches athletes mental strength and mental flexibility.
Most athletes struggle to control things like doubt, fear of failure, and low confidence, but sport psychology gives athletes the tools they need to overcome those concerns. Ultimately, Sport Psychology is how athletes train their mind to work to their advantage. It is how they learn to use their mind to control their body in a way that maximizes their performance.
Sport psychology and performance skills teach athletes to be connected to their body’s performance. Through our work together, we will identify your growth areas. Athletic competition continues to grow more intense. Sport psychology skills can transform the way you compete that allows you to get out of your head and compete at your best.
My primary clients are competitive athletes and those who perform such as dancers and musicians however, I also work with non-athletes.
Therapy clients know they want something different but many are unsure how to get there. Regardless of the concern a client is facing, my role is to guide them toward a life that is more fulfilling and satisfying.
Thus, as a clinician, I help clients focus on the things that are most important to them and how they can overcome the barriers that get in their way (e.g. stress, anxiety, relationships, etc.). This usually involves helping the client gain a deeper understanding of their concerns as well as teaching them specific skills and strategies they can use to manage the challenges they face, and ultimately move toward the goals they have in their life. At times, this may include exploring the mind-body connection (this is especially true when I work with athletes). Having worked in both sports medicine and now psychology, I am uniquely aware of the ways in which our mind and body affect things like stress, anxiety and even the process of recovering from injuries and surgery. Using my unique understanding of the mind and the body, I am able to guide a client through a more comprehensive and holistic process that produces a more effective and long-lasting outcome! Helping others make meaningful changes in their life is the best part of my job. I want to work with you and support your efforts. Please contact me directly to set up an appointment. I look forward to meeting you!
We have an office in both Spring Hill and Franklin, Tennessee. Sessions take place through a combination of the use of a traditional office type setting and also in an athletic training facility/outdoor area. This combination allows us to work through your mental challenges that prevent you from competing at your highest level. We then discuss mental skills and strategies to overcome those challenges and then head outside or to an indoor facility where we can practice these skills in a “game like” setting (i.e. throwing a ball around, jumping over hurdles, quieting distractions, etc.).
Telehealth appointments are also available.
The most common schedule is to meet on a weekly basis however, this adjust based on your needs and schedule.
We prefer weekly meetings so that clients can apply skills they learned right away.
Sessions are 45-50 minutes in length.
If we meet during a practice, we may want to schedule it as two sessions. This will allow us to talk about a skill set and then apply it right away. We can then evaluate the success of the skill and adjust if needed.
Yes. Observing athletes is useful in our work together. Attending games, competitions or practices enables us to test skills immediately and adjust if needed. Your coach must provide approval for us to be there and provide our services.
A majority of highly competitive athletes train year-round. It is never to soon to start sport psychology training to ensure you are prepared for competition.
You’ve already taken a big first step in coming here today. Anyone who is curious about our services to schedule a free 20-minute consultation.
This is a time we can connect and get to know each other. We will discuss what is driving your decision to reach out for help and create a game plan from there. Schedule your call today on our “Contact ” page, call us at 615.802.4720 or email us at info@whitehouseathletics.com
Yes! It is quite common to work on the team and coaching staff level. During a team session, I will present mental skills and strategies specific to what you and I (as the coach) discuss are the areas where your team struggles to perform. We will then apply those mental skills throughout practice.
It is also quite common to come and present to the coaching staff. During a workshop we discuss what challenges the team or staff is facing and learn skills/discuss strategies on how to propel the team forward.
I also teach your staff the signs that your athlete(s) may benefit from working with me one on one.