An Exciting Opportunity
This week, I am taking a break from regularly scheduled programming for an announcement I am excited about! I am graduating from the University of Denver with a Master’s in Sport and Performance Psychology, and in the fall heading to complete a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of St. Thomas. Most relevant to you, I will be starting a Mental Performance Consulting practice and accepting new clients starting in June.
You can learn more about it sullivanmpc.com!
So, in this week’s 3 Point’s, I’ll introduce mental performance consulting, what consumers should know, and what it looks like in action.
1. What exactly is mental performance consulting?
Mental performance consulting applies psychological principles of human performance to help individuals perform in the upper range of their capabilities and more thoroughly enjoy the performance process. Mental performance consultants are trained to help athletes and performers in a broad range of practices including the identification, development, and execution of mental and emotional knowledge, skills, and abilities required for excellence in performance domains.
Often mistaken with sport psychologists, (psychologist is a legally protected term only for licensed psychologists), mental performance consultants are not licensed mental health providers, instead their focus is to enhance performance and well-being. This graphic from the Association of Applied Sport Psychology does a great job displaying who may benefit from mental performance consulting:
2. Who is mental performance consulting for?
Anyone who performs. I believe mental performance consulting is a great fit for any performer wanting to improve their performance and well-being. And if there is one message I hope this newsletter has delivered, it’s that athletes aren’t the only performers on a team; coaches are performers too. And my practice will aim to serve both coaches and athletes.
Some ideas for what can be worked on:
Performing under pressure
Performance routines
Managing stress
Team values and culture
Focus and concentration
Resilience
Motivation and commitment
3. What does working with a mental performance consultant typically look like?
Largely, it depends. Mental performance consulting can be done on a 1 on 1 basis, or with teams and groups:
Individual consulting services are tailored to each client's specific needs and goals. Every consulting relationship will begin with an intake session to establish the client's goals and expectations as well as assess current mental performance. Individual performance consulting will typically begin with weekly sessions, and can quickly be adjusted to meet client's needs and goals.
Similarly, team consultations are tailored to meet each team's unique needs. The consulting process typically begins with an initial meeting with the coach to discuss goals and expectations. Team consultations can include on-site consultations that include field observation, when possible. In addition, team consulting can include workshops and/or season-long mental performance services.