What is mental skills training?

Mental skills training can be considered an application of sport psychology. What do you do to increase your strength, speed, or power in your sport? You do physical conditioning, like weight lifting, sprints, and endurance workouts. Just like we train our bodies, we can train our minds. Mental skills training involves specifically-tailored tools you can practice to improve your mental toughness, just like you practice your skills physically.

Who needs mental skills training?

A better question might be, who doesn’t need mental skills training? The physical practice of our sport is absolutely essential. However, just because we have the physical talent does not ensure we will be able to execute our skills in high pressure or extreme conditions. Consider the following examples: 

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• When the game is tied in overtime, and YOU are at the free throw line.

• When you’re at the starting line, preparing to run a PR in 100 degree heat and 95% humidity.

• When you’re playing in your first game after 10 weeks of rehab for your injury.

• Your dance company has one recital per year, and you have been rehearsing for 10 months for this single night.

It is often our mind that holds us back from reaching our full potential. If you want to be better in your sport, then mental skills training is absolutely for you!

I’m not sure if mental skills training is for me. I don’t really have a “problem.”

Mental skills training, or sport psychology, is less about fixing something that is broken, and more about enhancing performance. As mentioned above, if you want to be better in your sport or domain, then mental skills training is absolutely for you, regardless of whether or not you think you have a particular problem.  Almost all of my clients simply want to be BETTER at their craft.

What kinds of things do most clients come in for? What kinds of tools will I take away from these sessions?

Please click HERE for examples of common mental performance issues I cover with my clients.

Will I have to talk about my childhood or my past?

In our sessions together you will never be forced to share or talk about anything you don’t want to. There are times when exploring your history with your sport/domain and discussing the relationships in your performance life can be helpful for us in designing a mental skills training program. These types of discussions will happen mostly in our first Intake session together.

Are you going to tell my parents what we talked about?

Ethically, I am bound to keep everything we discuss confidential for all clients 18 years and older (except for a few rare legal exceptions that we will discuss in our first session). This includes revealing whether or not I have seen a client for an appointment.  For clients under the age of 18, I recommend that clients communicate directly with their guardians about the content of our sessions.

Are you going to tell my coach/other people what we talked about?

Ethically, I am bound to keep everything we discuss confidential for all clients 18 years and older (except for a few rare legal exceptions that we will discuss in our first session).  I do not discuss with coaches or anyone else the content of our sessions, nor which clients have come in. If you would like me to talk to your coach about something we are working on, I will do so with your written permission. However, I do find it is often better when the client talks to the coach him/herself about what they are working on, so that they can collaborate together.

How many times do I have to come in?

The number of times we meet together is completely up to you. Because every client has different needs, I do not promote "packages" of sessions. The majority of my clients come 1x/week for 3-4 weeks. During this time, the client and I will discuss their homework, as they are testing out the mental skills we have discussed. When the client comes each week, we discuss what went well, and what we need to tweak in their program. After these first few sessions, some clients will come once/month, or just as needed to check in and to make any adjustments or additions to the program we have designed together.

How long does each session last?

The initial Intake session will last one hour. After this first session, our sessions may last between 30-60 minutes, depending on what the client feels he/she needs to discuss that day.

What if something comes up while I’m traveling and I can’t come in for an appointment?

Though in-person sessions are always preferred, I am available for Zoom, Skype, or phone calls if a client is unable to come in. The pricing for these types of appointments can be found here.

I'm not exactly a competitive athlete, but I am trying to get in shape and be more consistent with working out. Can you help me?

Absolutely.  As a Certified Personal Trainer and with my background in Exercise and Sport Science and Exercise and Sport Psychology, I have helped many people find success in applying exercise psychology principles like habit formation, overcoming barriers to exercise, increasing motivation, and essentially moving from talking about exercising, to actually doing it.  If you're finding it difficult to stay consistent and motivated with working out, contact me via email or phone by clicking below!