I sought out mental performance support as a result of a series of inconsistent performances during my university and early post-collegiate career. I wasn't able to replicate the results I was seeing in training and I felt like I was consistently underperforming. I was reluctant to seek out help despite many of my coaches, teammates, friends and family suggesting that I might be "too much in my own head" or that I might have "competition anxiety". However, these conversations only added to my struggles and the pressure to perform; I felt like there was something wrong with me as an athlete and that I had something to prove. It took me a long time to finally accept mental performance support as the next step in my athletic career, but it truly was the missing piece of the puzzle. I've been working with a Mental Performance Consultant and Counsellor for just over a year now and I feel like I am finally in control of my mindset. I am an entirely different athlete in the circle during training and competitions. Our work together has taught me many things, but most notably it has taught me how to channel nervous energies and utilize the excitement of high-pressure environments through visualization as opposed to pushing this free energy away and trying to dull it. The MPC's unique approach to mental performance training allows all of the tools, techniques and discussions to be molded by the athlete and into something that is personal to them. This style of mental performance support has really allowed me to buy into the work and get the most out of each session.

I have been a life-long athlete, competing in an abundance of different sports, from figure skating, to martial arts, to flat water kayaking to triathlon. However, when I found Olympic Weightlifting six years ago, I never looked back. I embraced the challenge of learning a new sport as a masters athlete, and revelled in the constant opportunity for self-improvement that this sport provides. I learned the physical skills of the sport quickly, and with my competitive background found success at the local, provincial, and national level. Even though I had found success, I felt as though I could achieve more. I had my eyes set on improving my numbers and qualifying to compete at the Master's World Championships. I knew I could physically lift heavier numbers, but my belief in myself wasn't keeping pace. Consequently, I sought mental performance support. I was excited to be able to explore the mental side of sport, and better understand why I was afraid, hesitant and lacking confidence in certain areas. I was able to embrace several mental performance strategies which made an enormous difference to my performance. While it was work, and took time and discipline to incorporate into my athletic routine, it was worth every bit of effort. My confidence grew, my self-talk changed and the perception of my emotions was altered into something that promoted my ability to perform instead of holding me back. For example, I no longer approached near maximal lifts feeling "nervous", but rather, I was "excited" to have the opportunity to lift heavy. This subtle shift had a tremendous impact on my performance! Another strategy that has had a phenomenal impact is the ABCs and 123s. This strategy has allowed me to focus specifically on the things I need to do to achieve my best, while at the same time guiding me about where I want to make improvements next. Taking the time to work on my mental performance has had a significant impact on my competitive results! Since adding the focus of mental performance to my training routine, I have broken through a two-year training plateau, qualified for the Canadian Master's World Championship team, and stood on the podium in second place at the 2021 World Master's Weightlifting Championships (setting new personal records in both of my lifts when it mattered the most). I whole heartedly believe that this success is due to the integration of mental training into my regular training program. I look forward to continuing to explore the mental side of sport and where it will take me next!

Working with a mental performance coach has helped me understand how to manage my brain and my emotions. I feel that I can now come back when I am down in a set or a match instead of burying myself with negative thoughts and uncomfortable emotions. Working on my mental game completely changed my perspective and I feel more in control of my thoughts, my emotions and my game. It almost feels like my body and mind are now communicating better and they DO get along. The sessions with my MPC are helping me connect with my brain and understand it. Her explanations and analogies opened up a whole new world for me: the world of "optimal performance". Every session opens up a new way on how to get there. It is not an easy road to travel but I am enjoying the journey and not obsessing about the destination. I have learned many tools and strategies that have been very useful and give me the confidence I need to put it all together when I am under pressure and when it really matters. For example: knowing my Ideal Performance States, breathing techniques and benefits, the importance of sleep rest and recovery, understanding anxiety, the pillars of performance, emotional management, ways to measure success, practice mindset vs playing mindset, pre-performance preparation and post-performance reflection. Every tennis player most likely learns the same strokes, same technique, similar tactics, as most coaches are on the same page and teach the same things, but eventually it all boils down to playing my best under pressure and not giving up when I am down because the best point in tennis is the next point. Learning how to be mentally stable and strong is the best way to approach competition.

I was struggling with confidence and self-belief, and I wasn't playing at my optimal; I knew I had more in me and I wanted to be the best I could be. If I made just one mistake I would lose my focus and struggle to recover. My coach suggested I look into working on my mental game and that's when I reached out for support. Working with a Mental Performance Consultant helped me increase my confidence level so that I was able to relax and play to my potential while coaches and scouts were watching. I learned to use imagery and to go through all the possible scenarios in my mind before performances, which helped me perform at the highest level possible. I didn't realize how much I was holding myself back until I was taught techniques to erase errors from my mind and move on to the next play. The biggest benefit of all was that I was able to transfer the mental skills I developed for my sport into my everyday life. I learned relaxation techniques to help me calm down before tests and to not get so anxious, and I used imagery to prepare for exams.

I know that my best practices and races are the ones where I can smile behind the blocks and focus on going as fast as I can. After a series of swim meets where I was preoccupied with my results, meeting expectations, and fear of failure, I felt disappointed in both myself and my less-than-desirable performance. I was worried that seeking out support for my 'mental game' would confirm that I had failed as an athlete because I couldn't overcome this on my own. Working with a Mental Performance Consultant over the past couple years has helped me restructure both my mental and physical preparation so that I can race with a smile and a more open mindset.

My daughter was a competitive gymnast and spent many hours each week training in the gym. As much as my daughter trained to meet the physical demands of the sport, she needed to be equally trained mentally. This is where working on her mental skills through professional counselling helped her out a great deal. My daughter developed mindset skills and tools, such as imagery, self-talk and breathing techniques, in order to perform the harder skills, as well as perform after an injury. My daughter really enjoyed her regular sessions, which included some mindset skills training as well as opportunities for open discussions about the mindset of sport. But more importantly, the mindset training and counselling gave my daughter the tools to cope with situations far beyond her sport, as well as tools she can use for life.

When I was competing leading up to the 2014 Winter Paralympics, I knew that I wanted to have someone in my corner to help me get through the challenging days where I wanted to quit, despite how close I was getting towards my ultimate goal. The journey to the Olympics/Paralympics is a long one, and you can't get there on your own. You need help from an expert, and that is why I knew in addition to my physical performance, I wanted support in my mental performance. When I sought out support from sports psychologists before, I found they were helpful but what ultimately helped me the most is building a long term relationship with someone that I vetted myself, that I knew, liked, and trusted. It was a game changer for me to take control of this into my own hands, versus relying on what my team's program provided. For me, the benefits were: - Consistency in support, despite changes in our team's program - I also found we could go deeper in conversations since our relationship was long term - I had more confidence in my abilities through visualization strategies I was provided - Having the ability to talk through my problems with someone that understood my specific scenario - Learning how to better manage my emotions and look at the big picture of my life and sporting experience One of the most beneficial tools I learned was to "Take things 0.1 step at a time". Mentally painting a picture of how to break things down into smaller, micro, simpler steps gave me insight in how to become more resilient in pursuit of my goals. This type of work is important for athletes because it doesn't matter how good your equipment is or how good of physical shape you are in, if you mental operating system isn't performing at it's peak then you're not going to get the results you are looking for. At the end of the day, working with a Mental Performance Coach comes down to you having a practical and real conversation with an expert to help provide you with tools and guidance to shortcut your own obstacles that we can tend to put in our way, and deal with those that are external an presented before us. By making an investment of your time, money, and application of the practices provided, you will see results. It's worth the investment.

When I first sought out support for my mental game, I was looking for help with goal setting and the use of imagery because as an adult athlete with a full career, my access to consistent coaching and fencing partners is limited, and I saw those as roadblocks to improvement. Through the process, I learned that my desire to be perfect in all things (work, sport and life) was what was holding me back. Talking to someone helped me find focus: to filter out what was important to me and what was not, to work on letting go of what I couldn't control and work at perfecting what I could control, and to practice mindfulness to stay in the present moment. As a result, I became happier, more coachable, steadily improving, and I could clearly see the big goal and the many ways to get there.

Our daughter had a high level of sport-specific skill so as parents we were perplexed as to how to get her to play at her maximum potential. It was important for our daughter to be comfortable and to have open conversations, while working on her mental game. Through mental skills training our daughter improved at an astounding rate. So much so, that other players, parents and coaches all remarked at the noticeable improvements in her confidence and leadership. Not only did we notice improvements in the sport setting, but also in school work, class participation and peer interactions. We couldn't be happier that the skills and tools our daughter has learned through mental skills training, all of which translated into all aspects of her life.

As a high-performance soccer athlete I already had a very strong compete factor but I was harder on myself than anyone else would ever be. I wanted to take my mental game to a higher level and I needed guidance on how to overcome the negative thoughts I had leading up to significant events. Through the process of working on my mental game I learned how to substitute those negative thoughts with constructive/performance enhancing thoughts. I also learned how to put past mistakes behind me by focusing on the things that I could do and could control. By working on my mental skills in a systematic way and openly talking about my sport performance I have a better understanding of the benefits of learning from my mistakes and how to move forward from them. I also learned helpful tips on how to manage international travel, how to organize/set both long and short term goals, and how to establish boundaries with myself and others. During this process we also worked on breathing and visualization techniques that taught me how to calm myself down in stressful situations and help me stay in control of my own emotions and performance. The work I on my mental game helped me accomplish my goal of being selected for the U15 Boys Provincial Soccer team and then moving on to playing for a High Performance Soccer Academy. My biggest lessons? I learned this 'stuff' works; that a strong person asks for help, that I still have work to do, that I will no longer let mental focus interfere with my long term goals, performance or success and that if it does, I know where to turn for help.

Mental skills training improved my confidence and the techniques I learned allowed me to break down a game, identify what I needed to work on and what I should continue to do well. Working directly with a mental performance coach helped me overcome self-doubt and eliminate distractions that had held me back from being successful. I applied the mental skills and strategies that I was taught me into my basketball practices and games, and they became part of my regular routine; they are habits. Mental skills training allowed me to stay focused and push myself at practice. I became better prepared athletically and mentally for competition.

Using mental training helped me in many aspects of my game. Visualization was something that was difficult, but with the help of a mental performance coach I am becoming better and noticed a difference in my game. Visualization was also something that helped me when I was not on the court; for example, being able to mentally rehearse my game plan while away at home or while traveling.

My personal mental performance coach showed me the importance of having a strong mental game. Together we focused on developing a mental training routine that helped me reach peak performance game in and game out. Through reflection and discussion, I developed a better understanding of my game, and I was able to sharpen my mental skills. With more focus on my mental game, I became more confident and consistent with my play. Any athlete that wants to elevate their game to the next level needs to work on their mental game, and working with a mental performance consultant can help them with that!

My main goal was to become a National competitive skater and eventually go to the Olympics. Working with a mental performance consultant, I learned to focus on the important parts of my jumps and on the things that I could control. I also learned imagery skills; the more I visualized what I needed to do, the more confident I became and the better I performed. I learned that it's OK to make mistakes and it's ok to fall; now I have the mindset skills to just get right back up and keep trying. I have learned that in sport you will always encounter road blocks; it's how you deal with them that will help you get through it. The most important lesson: If I truly believe in myself, I can and will accomplish anything!

I really started to see a difference in both my game and attitude once I started working with a mental performance coach. My MPC helped me be aware of patterns that had developed, and the program that was set out for me was extremely easy to follow. The techniques that I was taught during my sessions are now a part of my everyday life on and off the golf course. I felt very mentally ready for competition and practice the more and more we worked together.

My Mental performance coach taught me how to be mentally and physically strong as an athlete. I learned how to focus on the task at hand and to be comfortable mentally during stressful times on the field. I also learned how to use imagery, which enhanced my performance through my increased self-confidence. Learning about the mental game in a one-on-one personalized setting was a key to my performance success on the international stage.

I wanted to get some strategies to focus on the positives and improve my game and so I began working with a Mental Performance Consultant. We worked together on and off for many years and I learned a lot of different skills and strategies during that time. Overall, I was able to focus on the parts of the game that I could control and not to worry about the rest. For example, one of the key strategies I developed was to take a few minutes to write about my strengths as a hockey player before every game. This simple strategy helped me focus on the game and feel more confident because I was focused more on what I can do rather than what I couldn't.

I started working with a mental performance consultant in the hopes of finding my ideal performance state and to learn how to focus on just my game and not be distracted by things I cannot control. Because of the unpredictable results of competitive sports, you are constantly put in positions where things don't go as planned, and it is easy to lose your confidence and get down on yourself. Through my work with the MPC, I was introduced to imagery, breathing techniques and self-evaluation tools that have helped me improve my performance, learn from my mistakes and be much more resilient. Once I started using these techniques I noticed I enjoyed the whole sport experience so much more and found it a lot less stressful. I used the tools provided by my MPC in many different environments; I learned how to go about training the mental aspects of my game.