What is Mental Skills Training?
The mind and body both have to be in optimal working condition in order to have a successful athletic performance. The study of the mind as it relates to athletic performance comes from the field of sport psychology which studies the motives of sport participation and how psychological factors influence sport performance. Mental Skills Training teaches athletes the tools necessary to strengthen and refine their mental game.

Who hires a Mental Skills Coach?
Different athletes from different levels and sports will hire a Mental Skills Coach. Many athletes choose to hire a consultant when they are seeking another way to improve their performance. Oftentimes athletes hire a coach 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. 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 right along with their physical training.

Do I only need a Mental Skills Coach 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 (this is a great time to utilize the expertise of a Mental Skills Coach).  However, many athletes also contact consultants because they are looking to perform more consistently through controlling the mental aspects of their performance.  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 Mental Skills Coach if I’m not an professional athlete?
Everyone can benefit from taking control of their mental game.  Working with a Mental Skills Coach 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 Mental Skills Coach help improve my performance?
Every athlete knows that from training to competition, part of their performance is mental. 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 performance edge.

What does an individual session look like?
Sessions typically run from 50-60 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 Mental Skills Coach 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 worksheets 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, competition preparation and debrief, etc.  Through our conversations and homework (assignments of Mental Skills Training tools or interactive worksheets) you start to build a solid foundation for building consistency with your mental game and resilience.

How long does it take?
Controlling the mental aspects of your performance is just like working on the physical 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 or every other week and then continue on an as-needed basis.