Whether you are an athlete preparing for competition, a performer stepping into the spotlight, a student facing academic demands, or a professional working in a high-pressure environment, success requires more than talent or ability, physical preparation, and technical skill. It also requires mental preparation and the ability to manage pressure, stay focused, build confidence, recover from setbacks, and perform consistently when it matters most.
The Center for Sport and Performance Psychology helps individuals strengthen both performance and well-being through evidence-based mental health services and specialized sport and performance psychology services. Our approach recognizes that optimal performance and psychological well-being are deeply connected.
We work collaboratively with clients to develop practical skills and strategies that enhance resilience, confidence, focus, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and long-term success both within and beyond performance settings.
Who We Help
Athletes
- High School Athletes
- Collegiate Athletes
- Professional Athletes
- Recreational Athletes
- Injured Athletes
- Athletes Transitioning Out of Sport
Performers
- Musicians
- Dancers
- Actors
- Performing Artists
Professionals in High Pressure Environments
- First Responders
- Healthcare Professionals
- Physicians
- Attorneys
- Business Leaders and Executives
- Coaches
Students
- College Students
- Graduate Students
- Professional Students
Common Reasons Individuals Seek Services
Many clients seek support because they are experiencing challenges such as:
- Performance anxiety
- Difficulty performing under pressure
- Loss of confidence
- Perfectionism and self-criticism
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating
- Stress and burnout
- Injury recovery and return-to-performance concerns
- Emotional regulation challenges
- Difficulty coping with mistakes or setbacks
- Life transitions
- Identity concerns
- Leadership and communication development
- Motivation and goal attainment
Two Ways We Can Help
Mental Health Services
The Center for Sport and Performance Psychology provides individual therapy for athletes, performers, students, and professionals experiencing emotional, psychological, or interpersonal challenges.
Our goal is to help clients improve overall well-being, strengthen coping skills, and create sustainable balance while navigating the unique demands of performance environments.
Common concerns include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Burnout
- Psychological aspects of injury recovery
- Life transitions
- Identity development
- Relationship concerns
- Grief and loss
- Emotional regulation challenges
Mental health services are eligible for insurance reimbursement when clinically appropriate.
Sport and Performance Psychology Services
Sport and Performance Psychology focuses on helping individuals strengthen the mental skills necessary for consistent high-level performance.
These services are distinct from traditional mental health treatment and are designed for individuals seeking to optimize performance, strengthen one's mental game, enhance personal growth, and develop a sustainable competitive advantage.
Sport and Performance Psychology services are offered on a self-pay basis and are tailored to each client's specific goals and performance needs.
Areas of focus may include:
- Mental Skills Training
- Confidence Building
- Goal Setting
- Mindfulness
- Self-Talk
- Imagery and Visualization
- Focus and Concentration
- Motivation
- Performing Under Pressure
- Managing Competitive Stress
- Coping with Performance Adversity
- Leadership Development
- Communication Skills
- Pre-Performance Routines
What Is Sport and Performance Psychology?
Successful performance is built upon three foundations:
- Physical preparation
- Technical skill development
- Mental preparation
While physical and technical skills are often emphasized, mental skills frequently determine whether individuals can consistently perform at their highest level under pressure.
Sport and Performance Psychology is the science and practice of helping individuals develop the psychological skills needed to maximize performance, improve resilience, strengthen confidence, and enhance overall well-being.
Through structured mental skills training, individuals learn how to better manage pressure, remain focused in the present moment, respond effectively to adversity, and perform more consistently at their highest potential.
Workshops and Presentations
The Center for Sport and Performance Psychology offers educational workshops and presentations designed to help athletes, performers, students, and professionals strengthen mental performance skills and overall well-being.
Topics may include:
- Confidence
- Motivation
- Focus and concentration
- Stress management
- Resilience
- Leadership
- Communication
- Coping with adversity
- Performance under pressure
Workshops and presentations are customized to the needs of each audience and are offered on a fee-for-service basis.
Meet Dr. Jay Deiters
Dr. Jay Deiters is a licensed psychologist who earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Sport Psychology from the University of North Texas, following graduate training in the social psychology of sport and physical activity. He has provided performance-enhancement consultation and psychological skills training to high school, collegiate, and semi-professional athletes as well as performing artists, and has held research and consulting roles at UCLA's International Center for Talent Development and the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. His integrative, collaborative approach draws on person-centered, cognitive-behavioral, emotion-focused, and interpersonal therapies.
Read Dr. Deiters' full bio & credentials
Whether you are seeking support for a mental health concern, looking to strengthen your mental game, or hoping to perform more consistently under pressure, the Center for Sport and Performance Psychology can help.
Contact us today to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment.