Beat the competition demons
The mental game directly influences an athlete’s potential in competition
Competing at your best
The pressure of competition is tough. You have to cope with all sorts of things in addition to the performance itself. There is dealing with distractions, managing anxiety, being aware of your own thoughts – negative and positive, learn from mistakes, letting others down, winning. When you condition your mind to control these situations, you will perform at the top of your game.
Mental skills development applies to all athletes whether you are at a professional, college or junior level.
Tennis
Proven techniques and research.
Swimming
Specialization for competitive meets and triathlon.
Golf
Focus on specific golf methodologies.
Common Athletic Challenges
Do you train your brain as hard as you do your tennis shot? Your golf swing? Your swim stroke? Your race pace?
It is critical to align your mind with your body – to train your brain to work with your physical skills – and be confident that you are just as tough mentally as you are physically. When you show up to play your preferred sport, chances are you are physically ready but most of the time, you have not prepared yourself mentally to take on the pressure that comes with momentous pressure.
Dr. Michelle’s philosophy is based on her psychology practice, research, and experience with elite athletes to help you discover the key moments in the game that interrupt play and cause havoc.
Strategic Psychological Coaching
Learn the mental training techniques that get the best outcomes in the shortest time. Small tweaks can make a huge difference to improve focus, increase confidence, and control your game to perform with better consistency and less tension. Dr. Michelle guides elite athletes around the world through proven methods that build the necessary coping skills to reach their personal and competitive goals.
You can learn to recognize and beat your “demons” so that you can confidently play your best game.
If you have already tried to work harder but have gotten the same results, it’s time to change your approach. If you are tired of losing to people you know you can beat and continue to struggle to play like you practice, let’s talk about your game and get you back on track.
Dr. Michelle has been an athlete and coach in many different fields – She enjoys creating that synergy between mind and body for elite performance.
REACH NEW HEIGHTS
Client Wins
THE PROBLEM
Jeff* had been a top ranked high school cross country runner. He had been recruited by several top notch Division schools and finally accepted a scholarship at an Ivy League school but ran poorly his first two years. Jeff started running as a freshman in high school which is very unusual for someone who ran in the #1 spot throughout his high school years. He loved running and was a natural at it.
In our first session together, it was apparent that the transition from being #1 in high school to not winning was a difficult one. As a freshman in college he felt a lot of pressure being around a team of adorned runners and didn’t perform at his best. He was challenged with negativity, doubt, and fear. He was tight and tentative during every practice. As a result, he wasn’t asked to attend many meets which further diminished his self-confidence and ability to perform.
THE SOLUTION
Our first step was to develop awareness of what was going on and when. Jeff realized that he was not really showing up for practice so we worked on how he could train in a way that exuded confidence. We spent a lot of time focused on racing. We evaluated where his focus was before, during and after and he realized he wasn’t focused at all on racing but on fear and doubt. We worked on building confidence and diminishing fears and doubts partially by giving him the coping skills he needed to gain control of his thoughts and behaviors.
We meet weekly in my office to evaluate progress and make adjustments, with email check-ins in between sessions.
THE RESULT
In six months of mental coaching, Jeff’s times improved and he was asked to run in meets. He made it to the Pac 12 and NCAA Championships. He started getting recognition from coaches and teammates. His parents noticed an incredible difference during competition but also with regards to Jeff’s overall personality. Our work together continues to both fine-tune and address new challenges.
MENTAL TOOLKIT
We developed a personalized mental toolkit just for Jeff which included:
- Getting into practice mode: preparing, showing up, and practicing in an optimal space
- A simulation training program in which anxiety producing conditions are practiced
- A pre-meet routine to get into competition mode, focus the mind, and alleviate anxiety at the start of a meet
- Mindfulness training to learn how to be present and able to deal with persistent thoughts that show up during practice and a meet
- A method to maintain focus, sense of calm, and relax muscle tension
- A mantra to disarm persistent negative thoughts
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY COACHING
Learn more about Dr. Michelle’s approach and proven coaching philosophy that helps top musicians transform their struggles into star performances and more winning. Her process uncovers the root of the problem and empowers athletes to control their particular environments.
THE LATEST ON SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
Read more about the constant challenges that athletes experience and how to better deal with nerves, negative chatter, and basic distractions.