Sports Performance
Supporting athletes and high performers with the mental and emotional side of performance.
You put a lot into what you do. But sometimes the pressure to perform, improve, win, or simply not mess up can start getting in the way of actually enjoying it. Sports and performance therapy provides a space to work on the thoughts, emotions and patterns that can impact how you feel and perform, both in and outside of your sport or performance environment.
You May be here because:
You know you're capable, but your confidence doesn't always match your ability.
Maybe you're great in practice but struggle to perform the same way when it counts. You replay mistakes long after they're over, compare yourself to teammates or competitors, or put so much pressure on yourself to perform that nerves start taking over. Or maybe things are going well, but you want to strengthen the mental side of your performance just as intentionally as you train the physical side.
Sports and performance therapy can support athletes and high performers experiencing:
Performance anxiety or pre-competition nerves
Low or inconsistent confidence
Fear of making mistakes or failing
Perfectionism and high expectations
Negative self-talk and self-criticism
Overthinking during competition
Difficulty resetting after mistakes
Comparison with teammates or competitors
Pressure from coaches, parents, teammates or yourself
Emotional regulation during high-pressure moments
Motivation difficulties or burnout
Injury, rehabilitation and returning to sport
Changes in identity related to sport or performance
Balancing sport with school, work, relationships and life
Retirement or transitions away from competitive sport
How Sports & Performance Therapy Can Help
Therapy is individualized to you, your goals and the demands of your sport or performance environment.
Together, we may work on developing more helpful self-talk, understanding performance anxiety, managing pre-competition nerves, building confidence, regulating emotions, responding to mistakes, setting realistic expectations, creating routines and reset strategies, and separating your sense of self-worth from your performance.
We can also explore what might be happening beyond performance itself. Athletes are people first, and anxiety, relationships, school or work stress, grief, identity, family dynamics and other mental health concerns don't disappear when you step onto the field, court, ice, stage or competition floor.
What Therapy May Look Like
Sports and performance therapy isn't just about talking about how your game went. We use evidence-informed therapeutic approaches and practical strategies to help you understand what's happening mentally and emotionally, and learn how to respond differently when pressure shows up.
Here are some examples of what that might actually look like:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Maybe you make one mistake and immediately think, “I'm playing terribly. Coach is going to take me off.” We might work on noticing these automatic thoughts, understanding how they affect your emotions and performance, and developing more balanced and useful ways of responding in the moment.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Instead of trying to completely get rid of nerves before a competition, we might work on making space for them. You can feel nervous and still compete. ACT can help you shift your attention away from fighting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings and toward what matters to you and what you want to do next.
Self-Compassion & Helpful Self-Talk
If you wouldn't speak to a teammate the way you speak to yourself after a mistake, we might explore that. This doesn't mean pretending everything went well or endlessly telling yourself to “be positive.” It's about learning to respond to yourself in a way that helps you recover, learn and keep going.
Reset Strategies & Routines
Made a mistake? Bad call? Missed opportunity? Instead of carrying it into the next play, point or shift, we can develop a personalized reset routine that helps you acknowledge what happened, refocus your attention and return to what is within your control.
Visualization & Mental Rehearsal
We might mentally rehearse an upcoming competition, difficult situation or specific performance skill — including how you want to respond when things don't go perfectly. Visualization isn't only about imagining success; it can also help you prepare for pressure, uncertainty and setbacks.
Goal Setting & Process-Focused Performance
Instead of going into a competition thinking, “I can't make any mistakes” or “I have to win,” we might identify goals that are actually within your control , such as communication, effort, decision-making, staying present or resetting after mistakes.
Therapy is tailored to your age, sport, goals, personality and experiences. Some sessions might involve learning and practising a specific skill, while others might involve unpacking a difficult competition, exploring confidence or identity, navigating something happening outside of sport, or simply having a space where you don't have to perform at all.
Ready to Get Started?
Lauren Mallon Psychotherapy offers sports and performance therapy in person in Burlington and virtually across Ontario with therapists Lauren & Hailey.