What is sport psychology?
Sport psychology studies the motives of sport participation and how psychological factors influence sport performance.

Who hires a sport psych consultant?
Many different athletes from many different levels and sports will hire a sport psychology consultant. Oftentimes athletes hire a consultant when they have a specific performance related issue; they may be feeling some performance anxiety, feeling the effects of burnout, needing to build confidence returning to sport after being injured, be thinking about retirement, etc. Some athletes choose to hire a consultant when they are seeking another way to improve their performance. Athletes who want to perform to their potential will see how important psychological aspects are and dedicate the time and effort necessary to work on that aspect of their performance.

Do I only need a consultant if I have a specific problem?
It’s true that consultants are often contacted by athletes or teams when they are in the midst of a crisis or have a specific performance related problem.  However, many athletes also contact consultants because they are looking to perform more consistently through controlling the mental aspects of their performance.  Many of the tools and techniques of sport psychology not only address performance related issues, but are also proactive in helping athletes to perform to their potential.

Why would I hire a consultant if I’m not an elite athlete?
Everyone can benefit from taking control of their mental game.  Working with a sport psychology consultant is about giving yourself the opportunity to be the best athlete that you can be.  The ability to control the mental aspects of your sport helps you to perform with more confidence, consistency, and enhances your enjoyment of performing at any level.  The skills that we work on together not only help improve athletic performance, but are skills that can be transferred to all parts of your life.

How can working with a consultant help improve performance?
Controlling your mental game is a skill just like learning and refining the physical skills of your sport; you have to work on them and the more you practice, the better you get.  There is no magic pill.  Working with a consultant can’t replace your physical and technical training, but it can help give you a performing edge.

What does an individual session look like?
Sessions typically run from 40-60 minutes and can be either in person or via phone. During the first meeting we'll talk about your sport history and your reasons for contacting a sport psychology consultant and then go from there. Conversations depend on you and your needs. They may involve instructions on a specific mental skill, debriefing a recent competition and preparation for an upcoming competition, reviewing worksheet and exercises, etc.

What would we work on?
Much of what we work on depends on you.  Topics that are addressed during consulting can include: goal setting, focus, motivation, managing anxiety, improving confidence, improving awareness, time management, leadership, reflection, etc.  Through our conversations and homework (interactive worksheets) you start to build a solid foundation for the psychology of your performance.

How long does it take?
Controlling the mental aspects of your performance are just like the skills of your sport; you get out of it what you put into it and the more your practice, the better you get! During this learning process, it's important to build a solid foundation in the beginning and then continue for check-ins and maintenance. Athletes will typically start with six sessions meeting once a week and then continue on an as-needed basis.