When I sought out mental performance support, I was struggling to believe in my abilities and to stop the negative self-talk that went on in my head almost every time I stepped on a starting line. So, when I originally started working with my Mental Performance Consultant, my biggest focus was being able to make it through a race without my mind taking over and telling me I could not. It did not even cross my mind that through mental performance counselling, running races could actually be fun and enjoyable, not just part of the sport that I had to get through. By working with my MPC, I have been able to learn and develop skills to improve my mental abilities in sport, but I have also been able to apply these skills to many other areas of life and to improve my overall mindset. Since learning these skills, which have become the framework of my mental performance work, I have been able to bring any situation I am dealing with to my session with my MPC and use the various skills I have learned to work through the situation. Of course, there are still bad races and bad seasons, but through all the challenges of being an athlete I no longer let a time on a result sheet define who I am as an athlete or as a person. Track and field is widely considered to be a very mental sport, yet I believe a very small portion of the track and field community actually puts a lot of weight on improving their mental performance, or sees the tremendous benefits in doing so. You do not have to need help to see an MPC. Just like physical performance, everyone can work on and improve their mental performance. Through mental performance support, I regained my passion for track and eliminated the pressure I used to put on myself. If I had not sought out support, I do not think I would have accomplished as much in sport as I have now, but more importantly, I do not think I would have been able to come back stronger after tough times that inevitably occur in sport.

This is not the client story I thought I would write about performance counselling. I believe that physical conditioning can bring athletes to a similar level of ability and that the mental aspect (think 'flow') is what ultimately differentiates them. I ended up seeking counselling not to put the cherry on top but rather to cope with overwhelming thoughts of giving up my sport after several failed attempts over a few years to come back following a stress fracture. In the first session I was guided towards having a better understanding of myself as an athlete and as a person. The next few sessions guided me to a point where I was able to begin to recognize the thought patterns associated with a fixed mindset; eventually I began to foster a whole new attitude/approach that has re-energized me to the point where I am training harder and more mentally effortlessly than ever before. Little did I know that 2020 would bring a whole new level of setbacks, which for me included the cancellation of a goal race and then a series of injuries from freak accidents. I believe that the work I did on my mental game is the reason that I did not get completely derailed by the uncertainty in the early days of COVID and the subsequent series of unfortunate setbacks. Guided through sport-informed counselling, I have been able to be strategic in my adaptation to the evolving circumstances and I am certain that I will be a stronger, more complete athlete than ever before when I return to competition. Performance counselling helped me process where I was at and where I wanted to go. Having a professional assess what was going on for me and what I needed to keep moving forward was invaluable, and having specific things to work on between sessions was also quite helpful. As my mental game has evolved, I've focused on more ambitious long-term goals. I have reconnected with the excitement I once had and I know that the mental performance work has helped me to be fully prepared to perform at my best.

Even when it felt like everything was lining up in training, our 10-year-old daughter realized that her technical and tactical game was not transferring into competition. Although she could not put it into words exactly, Cosmina knew there was something missing from her game. This is when, as parents, we considered reaching out to a mental performance consultant. This was the brightest idea we have ever had because it was, and continues to be, game changing and life changing for our daughter. It is quite extraordinary for Cosmina to be able to talk openly to the MPC on a regular basis and discover all the many aspects of an athlete's life and how to harmoniously combine them to create successful outcomes. People around us thought we were a bit "overboard" thinking a 10-year-old needed to work with a mental performance coach in order to perform; they could not have been more wrong. It is phenomenal to have access to this type of support at any age, and the earlier the better to allow a young athlete to develop the good habits early in life.

When I was in grade 2 I got special permission to stay back from a field trip to a science center because it was on the same day as track and field at school. I'm not sure how I could have been that passionate about track and field at such a young age, but maybe I just hated science that much! I competed with the kids a year older than me and I was so nervous, but I loved the feeling and that's how I think I got hooked. I literally felt sick to my stomach with nerves but it was a feeling that I looked forward to each spring when track and field rolled around. I started training competitively when I was 11 but back then I had dreams of being a long distance runner. When I was in grade 8 I broke a school board record for triple jump and since then I have been training competitively for jumping. Mental game is important to my performance because my sport is very mentally demanding and often what separates the successful athletes from everyone else is who can stay composed, relaxed, and more than anything, patient. I was very successful at a very young age and as I grew older it was very hard for me to accept that I wasn't going to keep jumping further and further by huge margins every single time I stepped on the runway. More than anything mental training gave me tools for dealing with adversity. It helped me deal with disappointment and even success. It really just kept me going forward in the right direction and get the most out of every situation. I had planned to compete in the NCAA but the coach I was going to work with quit his job so I ended up going to Western University. During that first year of university I struggled with accepting the change of plans. That's when I started working on my mental game and it really helped me come to terms with things and from there the improvements just kept coming. We talked about a lot of underlying things that I didn't even know were holding me back as an athlete. It was really great just having someone to talk things through and make sense of everything that was going on in my head. Working on my mental game helped me learn to be patient, and I understood that I was moving in the right direction even when it felt like I was plateauing. I learned to find the good in all things I experienced so that nothing was a 'waste', and learned relaxation techniques.

In my mid-sixties, I began to ride in local and international dressage shows. I had mixed success in the show ring and my coach told me that my skills and those of my horses are good enough to get high marks, but somehow when I began a dressage test in a show, I would lose my mind and stop riding effectively. Anxiety, lack of concentration and poor focus really got in my way. When I started working on my mental game and sharing my story, I was thankful to have someone comprehend all of the concerns that I had about my show performances and who could offer concrete suggestions about how to deal with them. In only five meetings I was able to probe more deeply into the barriers to my success and obtain solutions. I realized that all competing athletes have the same issues to face and having someone to talk to with wide sport experience made it easy. In my last show of that season I rode a test that was about half way up the scale of difficulty in international dressage and had been my personal goal for many years. My horse and I attained a very good score that was definitely a personal best!! Training my mind in the show ring was a huge contribution to our success that year. I struggled in competition but that changed with mental training and support.

I reached out for mental performance coaching when I was given the opportunity to participate in a Team Building challenge for work. It was a 6-day challenge in Africa that included a combination of running, hiking and mountain biking. In preparation for this challenge I started listening to endurance/ultra training related podcasts and realized the importance of seeking mental performance support, or else I probably would have never considered it. After my first session, I knew this kind of support was exactly what I needed. I look forward to every session with my Mental Performance Coach as I know I will always receive a new and different perspective. When I have doubts about myself and my abilities to accomplish my goal, I am reminded to trust my training and "box of tools", which helps me release self-doubt and regain/boost my confidence. My Mental Performance Coach is always able to show me that "I can", and that I do have a "formula/method" for success. Working on my mental game has helped with my adventure training as well as with my confidence at work and in my personal life. I have especially benefited from being coached on how to use imagery/visualization effectively.

Before working on my mental game, I was battling a serious mental block in competition. I was putting in the work and was consistently successful in the practice pen, but when it came to performing at an actual rodeo, I just couldn't put it together. Once I started working on my mental game, it didn't take long before I got to the pay window. Mental Performance sessions are an invaluable contribution to the development of my mental game in competition, which has led to increasing success over the last two years. I've learned first hand, that if you're wanting to perform at a high level, investing into your mental training is just as important as the physical conditioning of any sport and I'm eternally grateful for finding expertise in this field.

I was injured and angry about being injured and didn't know who to turn to. Coming from a strict regimented training schedule of training 6 days a week (sometimes twice a day) to all of a sudden doing nothing but small physio strengthening exercises was a lot to take in. Sport-informed counselling helped me to create a new type of schedule and understand a new type of training to help with the gradual ease back into full time training. Through open discussions and sharing my fears and hesitations, I was able to mentally get back out on my bike and on the road again, and able to be mindful during a workout. I learned many strategies that I still use, such as my "emergency kit" to help ease anxiety not only during competition and races but in everyday life as well breathing techniques to ease pain and discomfort. Being asked the right questions helped me open up and guide me towards a more positive outlook on the situation. By working on my mental game I was able to set goals and learn to celebrate successes, big and small. I am now able to mentally push through the tough stuff when my brain tells me to quit; I now feel I can face/conquer anything!

In sport, it's difficult to find someone who understands where I'm coming from as an athlete, but who isn't invested in a specific outcome. Speaking with a professional specializing in sport provided a safe place to leave the strict identities I may have created for myself and entertain a possibility of change. At times I had been banging my head against a wall feeling too invested in a certain outcome to realize that there was a door to change right in front of me. Having a plan and talking through it helped me find my happiness. When happiness is the priority, many decisions become clear!

Our 10-year old son had experienced difficulties with confidence and mental blocks both in sports and his personal life. We heard positive things about sport-informed counselling and we were pleased to provide this support for our son. Using a client-centred approach, the process involved identifying underlying issues, setting goals and outlining strategies to practice, which dramatically improved our son's performances after only a few sessions. By achieving his personal goals, our son changed his way of thinking and his improved confidence. He utilized these strategies within a sports context, as well as at school and in his personal life. We appreciated the support and what this process has done for our family.

Triathlon is a challenging sport with many component parts. I had struggled with open water swimming; I felt anxiety, panic and fear. I didn't know how to overcome this obstacle and that's when my coach told me about mental performance counselling. In the counselling sessions I was guided through the process of putting a plan in place to manage my thoughts, prepare to race, and manage obstacles. After only two months of work on my mental game I found success! I was able to complete my swim with confidence. For the first time ever I did front crawl for the whole swim and really I felt elated! I used the tools and strategies developed to help me with my performance and shortly after completing my mental training work I came in third in my age group; my first-ever podium finish! I am thankful and thrilled with the skills I developed during my sessions! Honestly, I felt stuck and didn't see any way to move forward but I was proved wrong. All I needed was to be guided through the process.

I was ready to quit bowling and I was struggling to figure out what to do; but working with a mental performance consultant gave me a new way to look at my sport and deal with the pressure of competition. For a long time, I felt like nobody understood me in my sport. Being able to speak with a professional trained in counselling and who has a sport background made it easier for me to open up and relate to. It was helpful having someone to talk to about my sport and the challenges I faced; I felt like finally someone understood me. I am very thankful for developing tools and strategies to help me reach my competition goals.

I was began working with a Mental Performance Consultant during the 2010 playoffs when I was in the OHL; at the time things really weren't going well. With the help of mental fitness techniques and an opportunity to talk openly about what was going on, I was able to get over my mental hump and put everything into perspective. The tools, strategies and techniques that I was introduced to during mental training sessions were easy to follow, practice and continue on my own. I put these methods and strategies into practice in a lot of my daily hockey activities and noticed a big difference. I would definitely recommend working on your mental game for any athlete who wants to elevate their performance to the next level.

I was struggling to understand how to have any control over any aspect of my performances. Working with purpose and direction on my mental game helped me to learn how to reframe my expectations, which reduced the pressure that I was putting on myself to perform. With sport-informed counselling I was able to understand how to prepare and plan for the different situations I could find myself in when training or racing. This helped me feel like I had more control, which left me feeling more relaxed in the boat, and helped me focus my energy into physical ability rather then having it be consumed by overthinking. I learned to not 'sweat the small stuff' and how to not let mistakes get to me. Now I feel that I have more control, and feel that I can prepare for all the possible situations or outcomes that could happen while racing.

I played rugby with my club, for my province and represented my university. I had sustained multiple concussions, and after receiving another concussion at university I was beginning to realize that something was very different and wrong with how I was feeling. I ignored how much my concussion symptoms were affecting my life until it got to the point where I couldn't go through my basic daily activities. I was unsure what to do and felt isolated. With the support of my coach, I decided to talk to a mental performance consultant about how I was feeling. Through our discussions I was able to understand that what I was going through was a difficult thing to do alone. I was provided with information about concussions and the psychological aspects related to recovery. I finally had someone to talk to about my injury and I learned that I had to adjust my lifestyle in order for me to start to heal. At the beginning of my healing process, I was afraid I was never going to be able to perform daily tasks without symptoms, but with time and support I started to slowly get back into physical activity and sport. As I got back into sport and life I was more confident to face any mental roadblocks that came my way; I look back on the guidance I received and I rely on the tools, skills and strategies to guide me through those mental limitations so I can succeed again.

As a heptathlete in track and field, dealing with competing in seven events is often hard mentally and physically. After a couple meets with disappointing results I sought out the help of a mental performance consultant to aid me with my performance anxiety and teach me tools to stay focused and set realistic and achievable goals. After learning and using the techniques and strategies, I saw a great improvement in both my mental and physical performance during competition. I was able to overcome barriers I had troubles with in the past and found a new positive outlook and attitude when it came to competing. The mental performance coach showed me how to focus on my strengths, take it one event at a time and be successful while doing so.

I started skating when I was 3 years old and started competing when I was 4. I enjoyed skating and competing until I broke my ankle while doing a jump. I struggled for a full year with no confidence and was afraid I was going to hurt myself. Skating was no longer fun and I had thought about quitting. A friend suggested I see a mental performance consultant. Working with my mental performance coach on my mindset and mental game helped me with my confidence. I learned to focus on the things I can do well and to believe in myself. On strategy I learned was to write down, before each practice, what I wanted to focus on and then, after practice, assess how I did. I also learned how to use imagery, which helped a great deal with my confidence, and I learned how to prepare for competition. Everything we did together really helped.

Working on my mental game with a mental performance consultant was very beneficial for me both on and off the ice. We were approaching the end of the regular season and gearing up for the playoffs, and I had been going through a slump where I felt I wasn't playing as well as I could (as a player I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well). I started working with the MPC and right away noticed a change in my play. We worked together for a few months during which time I learned how to use imagery before, during, and after games and even practices. I also learned to focus on the things you can control and not worry about what you can't control. Once I started focussing on what I could control it made the game a lot easier. I began playing my best hockey of the season because I had the right mind set going into every game and practice.

When I started working with a personal mental performance coach I quickly experienced huge improvements in my game. The MPC helped me manage my competition anxiety, which was really affecting my game. My confidence got stronger through the various exercises and techniques that I learned, and this not only helped me on the court but in the classroom as well. My work with the mental performance coach helped me turn the stress of competition into gaining a winning edge; I learned that my mental game is just as important as my physical game.

Once I began to work with a mental performance consultant I made some big improvements in my skating. My MPC helped me conquer my fear of landing a jump that I had injured myself on the previous year. The imagery we did really helped me achieve my goals and take control of my skating, and the MPC also helped me to stay calm before and during competitions. It was a great experience!