The Inner Athlete
Providing Effective Mindset Training and Counseling
Providing Effective Mindset Training and Counseling
About the Inner Athlete
About the Inner Athlete
The Inner Athlete’s approach to performance optimization works because it’s based on our ability to establish trust with the athlete and to apply the right interventions effectively. We provide mental training that helps the athlete shape the way they perceive and respond to events and achieve their best performance.
How We Work
How We Work
The first step is an initial, no-cost conversation with the athlete either over the telephone or in person to assess the athlete’s needs and assist them in understanding their issues and knowing that other athletes have shared the experience and successfully overcome similar challenges. This conversation helps establish a foundation for the work ahead based on the athlete’s hope and belief in what’s possible.
Every athlete is unique, and there is no “one size fits all” approach to recovery. After the athlete’s needs are assessed, we teach them a curated set of mental exercises to address those needs. Most of these exercises fall under the umbrella of cognitive behavioral therapy, including self-discovery, visualization, relaxation, and mindfulness techniques.
The athlete is given homework exercises that are the foundation of a sequential progression toward recovery wherein the athlete develops the skills necessary to overcome the issues. Each subsequent meeting with the athlete builds on the prior session’s training and further cements the automatic response and implementation of desired thinking practices.
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
The Inner Athlete provides mental training for individual athletes, groups of athletes, and teams. The duration of individual, group, and team sessions ranges from 30-45 minutes, while team “chalk talks,” which take place before or after practice, are approximately 15-30 minutes long.
We also work with coaches and parents in an advisory capacity to help facilitate and reinforce best practices and interventions for their athletes.
Where We Work
Where We Work
The Inner Athlete is based in Fairfax, Virginia and provides services to athletes throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Meetings are scheduled at times and locations that are convenient to the athlete(s) or team.
Meetings can take place in a variety of locations, requiring only that the location is comfortable for the athlete, and that there is enough privacy and lack of distraction that the athlete can focus. Meetings with individuals, groups, and teams have taken place in gyms, coaches’ offices, bleachers, dugouts, on sports fields, and at student union buildings and restaurants.
How Long It Takes
How Long It Takes
Some athletes have resolved their issues in two or three sessions, however, many athletes request five or six sessions to master the mental training necessary to overcome their issue.
The majority of athletes benefit most from meeting on a weekly basis as schedules permit and the issue requires. Following a series of sessions, we observe the athlete in action to fine tune the approach and any interventions that have been implemented.
Most athletes also benefit from an occasional check-in meeting after their issue has been resolved. This gives the athlete the opportunity to build on the mental skills they’ve developed to take their game to the next level.