Sports Performance
What this specialty means
Sports Performance support focuses on the mental, emotional, and behavioral factors that influence how athletes and active individuals train and compete. Professionals may use performance coaching, psychoeducation, and counseling skills to help people build focus, confidence, and resilient routines. This work complements, not replaces, medical care for injuries or illnesses. When clinical concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, or eating disorders are present, psychotherapy with a licensed clinician may be indicated, while coaching centers on mental skills and habits tied to practice, competition, and recovery.
Why people seek support
People may seek sports performance support for many reasons: pre-game nerves, performance anxiety, inconsistency, slumps, or difficulty closing out high-pressure moments. Others come during life transitions, team role changes, selection pressure, or return-to-play after injury in coordination with medical guidance. Some want help with motivation, perfectionism, overtraining tendencies, burnout warning signs, or balancing sport with academics, work, and relationships. Support can also be preventive, offering mental skills training to build confidence, communication, and resilience before major events, tryouts, showcases, or college and professional milestones.
Typical goals
Collaborative goals might include clarifying values and purpose, setting process-oriented objectives, and creating pre-, during-, and post-performance routines. Individuals may practice attention control, imagery, self-talk, and arousal regulation (for example, breathing and grounding) to respond more flexibly under pressure. Work could involve confidence rebuilding after mistakes, communication strategies with coaches and teammates, and sustainable recovery and sleep habits. When appropriate, plans may coordinate with healthcare teams for medically guided return-to-play, and psychotherapy may address broader mental health concerns, while coaching remains focused on transferable performance skills.
Trifecta Health educational information. For educational purposes only—not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice.
Find a specialty provider
Dusty Shandy
LPC
I am a licensed professional counselor in Georgia with 10+ years of experience working with a variety of clients. I have additional experience in school-based/family counseling, case management for foster children, parental education, resource allocation for vocational rehabilitation, and education and career counseling...
Catelyn Durham
LPC, PMH-C
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and certified Perinatal Mental Health Specialist in the state of Georgia. I work with adult women who are experiencing issues related to pregnancy, post-partum, or infertility. As a mother of three young children, I understand the emotional complexity and the often isolating nuances of motherhood...