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!

Having systematic and professional workshops delivered to our athletes had a tremendous impact on our program, the Volleyball Canada Centre of Excellence (VCCE). It's important for those working with the Program to relate to the athletes and create interesting and meaningful dialogue; this allows the athletes to verbalize their thoughts and make significant changes in their mental approach to volleyball. In a sport with so much time to think, mental training has drastically helped the athletes think about the right things that will result in positive changes and ultimately, improve performance. As the Director of the VCCE London it was important to provide our athletes with training in all areas of the game, not just the technical and physical. Having a Mental Skills Coach work directly with the athletes and coaches was a big part of our Centre's success.

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.

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.

My daughter was progressing along the rugby pathway and we wanted to give her opportunity to develop her mindset skills to support the work she was doing in other areas of her game. The mental training program helped Courtney develop imagery skills, self-talk, goal-setting and pre-performance routines. All of these skills were instrumental in helping Courtney reach her top athletic ability. In addition to developing mindset skills our daughter got the opportunity to share her goals and dreams with a professional and feel supported and understood as an athlete. I wanted to give my daughter the best chance of reaching her potential as an elite athlete and with the support of a mental training program she had the skills, tools and strategies needed to progress up through the elite-sport pathway.

We had attempted to implement a Mental Skills Training (MST) program into our varsity rugby program on our own but we were not seeing the results. We explored working with a professional consultant with expertise and experience in sport and mental health, and the process yielded enormous benefits for our players individually as well as for our whole program collectively. We were able to develop a common language around MST, as well as a common understanding of the key principles. In simple terms, the process got us "on the same page" through activities that engaged our athletes. We were systematically introduced to a variety of tools and strategies that were highly applicable to our athletes' needs. As the players began to implement these tools and strategies, the mental performance consultant was available to guide the athletes on their own MST paths. We gained a strong common understanding of MST and the individual consultations for athletes provided targeted feedback. With a professional onboard our MST component of our program moved from a place of uncertainty and disconnectedness to a place of clarity and action. We learned what strong mental skills looked like and we knew how to work on and improve the application of these skills.

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.

It was important for our group to have a mental performance coach who could tailor enjoyable sessions specific to the needs and interests of the athletes. The athletes were guided through various exercises to reflect on their approach to competition and the athletes were provided tools to enable athletes reach their ideal performance state. The athletes not only appeared more confident and relaxed, they raced with more confidence.

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.

We were looking for a Mental Performance Consultant to work with our players to develop mental skills; we were very impressed with the MPC's personalized approach, attention to detail, organization, and positive rapport that was developed with our players in this short time [2010-2013 seasons]. Our players responded very well to the mental skills training and viewed the MPC as a trusted advisor. They key was to work with an individual who was always professional, respectful, and aware of our players needs both on and off the ice; it was a pleasure to work with the MPC.

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.