I used to be an elite athlete and has begun working with a sports psychologist at age 14, and I learned the power of the mental game at an early age. I have also had many challenges in my life. I know from my personal experience what a positive difference to have a great performance coach. A coach who can help you to develop self-awareness, see your stressors and resources, know your strengths and weaknesses, and help you to achieve your personal and professional goals.

Coaching is an iterative, targeted, interactive process designed to facilitate concrete changes in performance—and bottom-line results. I help clients achieve their goals through powerful conversations that are intended to inspire new thinking, perceptions, and behavior that actualize your potential, improve your performance, create focus and directional clarity, support the achievement of your personal and professional goals, and enhance the quality of your life.

The objective is to focus on your potential (your unrealized ability, capacity, or possibility) by leveraging your strengths, uncovering what’s in your way, and targeting the areas you are most interested in addressing to help you reach your goals more effectively.

Certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) demonstrates to clients, employers, colleagues, and the public at large that an individual has met the highest standards of professional practice, including completing a combination of education and work requirements, successfully passing the certification exam, agreeing to adhere to ethical principles and standards, and committing to ongoing professional development. The CMPC certification is also accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). https://appliedsportpsych.org/certification/

MPC’s are professionals who work with athletes, coaches, non-sport performers (dancers, musicians), business professionals, and tactical occupations (military, firefighters, police) to enhance their performance, consistency, and overall effectiveness.

With a training background that includes sport science, counseling psychology, and performance enhancement, it is our goal to assist every client in achieving positive personal development and transferable life skills. This is accomplished by facilitating the development of psychological skills as well as positive attitudes, processes, and new perspectives, which will enable clients to excel in stressful and competitive situations.

It’s all the same! Well, mostly. Whether it’s called mental performance, skills, or toughness, and regardless if the person goes by coach, trainer, or consultant, the common goal is to teach mindset concepts that help their target audience achieve greater success. Each professional follows their preferred theories and strategies, but the bigger picture is that it’s all very similar.

While learning mental skills can increase both mental wellness and the prevention of mental health disorders, a mental performance coach is not a mental health professional. Should you or your athlete require assistance beyond what mental coaching can provide, referrals are available to other professionals. It is a pleasure to work with and accommodate the needs the client may have and to contribute to his/her mental skills development. However, it is my ethical responsibility to refer clients to other professionals under certain circumstances that exceed my professional expertise.

It’s a very common misconception about the field. Anyone willing to put in the time and effort to learn, develop, and maintain mental skills will benefit from mental training. The biggest indicators of success are an open mind, a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, and a drive to be your best in whatever domain you choose to focus on.

Performers of any level will become more confident, more efficient, and more productive in everything from the degree to which you learn or progress (e.g., physically or technically), to your overall performance measures, to your everyday output and outcomes.

Around 10 to 12 years old – depending on the athlete. At this age, the athlete can understand concepts and why they are participating in mental coaching.

• Psychotherapists treat mental illnesses such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while coaches do not. While certainly many athletes, professionals, and students suffer from mental illness, this is not why you see a coach.
• Coaching is more focused on achieving your future goals, while psychotherapy has a more past and present focus. The focus in psychotherapy is more on healing from the past, while the focus on coaching is more on getting you where you wish to be.
• Because psychotherapy is about treating a mental health problem, it might be covered by an insurance company if you meet the criteria for a mental health disorder and the insurance company deems psychotherapy medically necessary to help you get better. Coaching is typically not covered by health insurance because the focus of coaching is not on treating an illness.
• In order to legally provide psychotherapy, one requires an advanced degree and a state license to practice. To obtain a license of psychotherapy, one needs criteria that include an exam and a certain number of supervised hours of practice. While there are many certification programs for coaching, there are no governing boards for life and success coaches.
• Psychotherapists face more restrictions than coaches in terms of where and how they are able to offer services. They must be licensed in the state in which they practice offering services. They must be licensed in the state in which they practice, for example, while coaches can work throughout the United States and internationally. Psychotherapy is more traditionally offered face-to-face in an office, while coaching frequently happens over the phone or via the internet. Some coaches might choose to meet with clients in a public setting, which is rarer for psychotherapists.

I believe in teaching strong fundamentals in a fun and accessible way.