You’ve put in the work. But there’s a gap between what you’re capable of and what you’re actually doing — and it’s not a skills problem. Sports performance therapy addresses what’s underneath: the anxiety, the mental blocks, the fear that shows up when it matters most.
Questions? Read our FAQs · View our fees
You’ve put in the work. Hours of practice, early mornings, the kind of commitment most people never see. But the anxiety spikes the moment it matters most. The inner critic replays every mistake long after the game is over. The mental block you can’t push through no matter what you try.
This is where sports performance therapy comes in — not to teach you to think more positively, but to address what’s underneath the performance problem. Athletes at every level, and high-performing professionals who know what it’s like to perform under scrutiny, find this work useful.
The mental patterns that affect performance don’t stay on the field. These are the areas we address in sessions.
The pregame nerves, competition pressure, and fear of making mistakes that spike at the worst possible moments
The inexplicable freeze, hesitation, or “yips” that resist willpower alone
The inner critic that’s never satisfied, even after a good performance
And sometimes, fear of actually succeeding — the weight of expectation from yourself and others
Staying present under pressure when your mind wants to wander to outcomes
When the thing you loved starts to feel like an obligation you can’t escape
When your sport is a big part of who you are, and you’re figuring out what happens when things change
The psychological side of returning to sport and rebuilding confidence after being sidelined
Finding out who you are when a chapter closes — career end, graduation, retirement from competition
Sports performance therapy at Discover Counseling is actual clinical therapy — not a coaching program, and not just mental skills training.
That distinction matters. Coaching approaches layer new skills on top of the problem. Therapy looks at what’s underneath: the anxiety, the perfectionism, the patterns of self-worth tied to performance, the history that shaped how you respond to pressure.
Cayden draws on evidence-based approaches — including CBT, ACT, and trauma-informed care — to help you build a different relationship with the mental side of performance. That means developing real, grounded confidence (not just positive self-talk), learning to perform more freely under pressure, and building psychological flexibility that holds up when things get hard.
Helps you identify and shift the thought patterns and avoidance behaviors that fuel performance anxiety and self-critical spirals.
Helps you perform freely under pressure — even when difficult thoughts and feelings are present. Builds the kind of mental flexibility that holds up under real competitive stress.
When fear of failure, harsh self-criticism, or performance anxiety have deeper roots, trauma-informed approaches address what’s driving the pattern at its source.
Cayden Sharp is a Registered Associate (LPC) and former college athlete who understands firsthand that the mental side of performance is real and trainable. She works with teens, young adults, and adults — including athletes and high performers outside of sport. Read her full profile →
Questions we hear most often from athletes and high performers considering this work.
Read all FAQs →No. While the language of sports performance maps directly to athletes, the same patterns — performance anxiety, perfectionism, fear of failure, harsh self-criticism — show up for high-performing professionals, students, performers, and anyone who holds themselves to a high standard. If the mental patterns resonate, the work is relevant to you.
Coaching approaches layer new mental skills on top of the problem. Therapy looks at what’s underneath: the anxiety, the perfectionism, patterns of self-worth tied to outcomes, and the history that shaped how you respond under pressure. This is clinical work grounded in evidence-based treatment — not a program of techniques to layer on top of what’s already there.
Therapy sessions with Cayden may be covered by your insurance plan depending on your specific benefits and what you’re working on clinically. Sports performance is a focus area, not a billable diagnosis — coverage depends on the clinical concerns involved. Reach out and we can help you understand your options.
Sessions are clinical therapy — you’ll be talking through what’s happening psychologically: the patterns, the history, what drives the anxiety or the block. Specific mental skills and techniques may come in as tools, but the foundation is clinical assessment and evidence-based treatment, not a structured drills program.
This varies significantly depending on what you’re working on and how long the patterns have been in place. Some people see meaningful shift in 8–12 sessions. Others work longer, especially when identity, self-worth, or trauma are involved. Cayden will discuss realistic expectations early in the process.
We’ll help connect you with Cayden to see if it’s a good fit. Reaching out doesn’t commit you to anything — we’ll respond within one business day.
