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Sport psychology for athletes

Sport Psychology for Athletes

You train your body every day. Mental skills training does the same for confidence, focus, and composure, so you can compete the way you practice.

Request a free consultAbout sport and performance psychology

At a glance

  • For athletes at every level, from youth sports to professional, plus coaches, parents, and teams.
  • Confidence, focus, slumps, the yips, injury recovery, and burnout.
  • In person in Arvada or online. Self-⁠pay; ask the office about team and organizational rates.
  • Psychological testing and TUE documentation are also available.

What athletes work on

  • Building or rebuilding confidence after a setback
  • Pre-⁠competition nerves and choking under pressure
  • Slumps, mental blocks, and the yips
  • Focus, refocusing after mistakes, and staying in the present
  • Fear of reinjury and returning to play after injury
  • Motivation, burnout, and finding the fun again
  • Team communication, leadership, and roles
  • Transitions: new levels, new teams, or leaving the sport

How sessions work

Sessions are practical and individualized. We combine education about how the mind and body respond under pressure with mental skills you practice and take straight into training and competition: routines, self-⁠talk, imagery, breathing and energy management, and refocusing plans. For teams, sessions can address communication, leadership, cohesion, and culture.

High performance and well-⁠being go together. If anxiety, depression, disordered eating, or other concerns come up, they can be addressed in therapy, which may be covered by insurance.

Our sport and performance team

Our team brings experience from inside high-⁠level sport. Dr. Ricki Walker is a licensed psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant who works with athletes from youth sports through the professional level; see her credentials. Kaela Little, MA, LPC, CMPC was a Division I athlete and played professional soccer in France. Allie Don Sing, MA, LPC supported athletes with University of Denver Athletics.

EMDR and NuCalm

When an injury, a crash, or a bad performance keeps replaying, EMDR helps your brain reprocess it, so you can return to sport without the fear of reinjury and break through slumps and the yips. NuCalm sessions support recovery between training and competition, sleep while traveling, and burnout recovery.

Testing and TUEs

Psychological testing can map your attention, processing speed, working memory, and how you respond under stress, which can guide a targeted performance plan. We also provide the documentation athletes need for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). Learn about testing for athletes.

Questions from athletes

Is this only for elite athletes?
No. We work with athletes from youth sports through the professional level, as well as performers, students, coaches, teams, business professionals, and people in high-⁠performance or high-⁠stress jobs. Psychological skills can be used in any performance domain, such as business, the performing arts, and the military.
Do you work with injured athletes?
Yes. Sessions can help you cope with injury, stay motivated during rehab, overcome fears of reinjury, and feel confident returning to play.
Can EMDR help with performance or returning from injury?
Yes. When a past experience, such as an injury, a crash, a public mistake, or a bad audition, keeps triggering fear or hesitation, EMDR can help your brain reprocess it so it stops getting in the way. It is used for return to sport after injury and for performance blocks such as slumps, the yips, choking, and stage fright, and it can be combined with mental skills training. EMDR for performance is self-⁠pay; when EMDR is treating trauma, it is billed like therapy and may be covered by insurance. Learn about EMDR for performance.
What is the difference between a sport psychologist and a mental performance consultant?
A sport psychologist is a licensed psychologist who can address both performance and mental health. A Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) is certified by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology to teach the mental skills behind performance. Dr. Walker is a licensed psychologist and CMPC, and Kaela Little is a licensed counselor and CMPC, so our team can support your performance goals and, when needed, your mental health.
Do you work with teams and organizations?
Yes. Group sessions and workshops are designed around the goals of each team, business, or organization. Please contact the office to inquire about team and organizational rates and workshops.
Is sport and performance psychology covered by insurance?
No. Insurance plans cover services they consider medically necessary, which generally means treatment for a diagnosable mental health condition. Performance work focuses on building mental skills, not treating a condition, so performance sessions are offered on a self-⁠pay basis.
Testing for athletesIncluding TUE documentation.Performing artistsStage fright, auditions, and perfectionism.Performance psychology or therapy?How to tell what you are working with.Anxiety in athletesPerformance nerves or something more?For parents of teen athletesA guide to sports psychology for young athletes.

Contact us

Contact the practice

Book a testing intake through the scheduler. For therapy, sport and performance, or a free 15-⁠minute consultation, send a secure inquiry, call, or text.

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