Meet Your Mental Coach
I am living, breathing proof that the implementation of mental skills truly works.
My Story
As an athlete, I have been riding hunter/jumper style for over 20 years. When I was the ripe age of 18, I participated in Julie Winkel's Horse Industry Program for a full year in hopes of becoming a professional in the equine industry. After a year passed and many lessons were learned both on and off of horses, I realized that I had a different calling in the equestrian field.
I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton in 2019. I then found a way to combine my love of horseback riding with my psychology background and received my Master of Science Degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport and Performance Psychology at CSUF. I am currently continuing my education through the certification process within the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, so that I can become the best mental performance practitioner I can be and best unlock the mental successes of both my current and future clients.
Over the years, I've struggled with my own performance issues related to the mental game, and I empathize with the pressures that are endured to produce consistent and outstanding results. I am living, breathing proof that the implementation of mental skills truly works. I am committed to helping others experience that same revelation and transform into the best athlete and person they can be. Besides horses, there is nothing more that I love than helping riders achieve all of their mental performance goals, reach their optimal riding potential, and truly thrive both in and out of the saddle.
Julia Agahee
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT
Amy is a competitive hunter/jumper rider who recently graduated from high school. She came to me during her junior year of high school with an unmanageable amount of nerves both at home and at shows, a high level of perfectionism, and a fear of missing the distances to the jumps due to past, negative experiences with her previous trainer and current horse. As a result, Amy would pull her horse off the approach to the jumps in an attempt to circle back to a better distance and not be able to complete courses at horse shows.
We started by not only diving into the root of her fears and anxieties, but we also determined how exactly the anxiety manifested in both her mind and body. We then did slow, intentional work to undo her perfectionistic mindset and welcome mistakes, implement strategies to create a relevant focus and calm body, and transformed her negative thoughts with helpful self-talk. Amy welcomes each mental tool and strategy and very much leaned into the skills that resonated with her the most, such as her physical release that she could use on course and her pre-course routine that was adapted for both lessons and horse shows.
Over time, repetition, and with a lot of resilience, Amy transformed into a confident rider who could successfully manage her nerves, effectively talk herself through situations, and easily let go of and learn from mistakes. She was able to successfully transfer these skills from one horse to another, increasing her adaptability and mental strength through all the new experiences and unknowns.
Amy has come such a long way, and we still meet periodically on an as-needed basis to both strengthen and build her repertoire of mental skills as she continues to show and transition into the next phase of her life.
Location
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Not local? No problem, we can still meet virtually over Zoom or phone call!
Frequently Asked Questions
Have something else on your mind? I’d love to hear from you.
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Mental performance training is the development and utilization of mental skills in an effort to increase one’s performance. We tackle different mental challenges and work towards the unique performance goals of each, individual athlete and performer.
In very simple terms, your coach teaches you how to play the sport, while I teach you how to effectively think during the sport so that you can perform at your best every time. We work to build confidence, increase focus, manage nerves, and find consistency performing under pressure.
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Mental skills not only improve your sports performance, but are also directly transferable to daily life. You’ll find yourself more mentally prepared and equipped to effectively handle whatever life may throw at you. The implementation of mental skills also assists you in becoming a better person by becoming more self-aware, in control, and in tune with each situation that arises.
Besides benefitting daily life and all that comes with it, the best athletes in the world possess the physical skills along with a much stronger mental game than the average athlete. Oftentimes, their mindset is their greatest asset, upgrading their athletic status from good to great.
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No, I do not work with mental health populations. I work with performance-based issues rather than issues that are clinical in nature. For example, I can work with performance anxiety but not clinical anxiety.
My master’s degree and pending certification is in the kinesiology, and my bachelor’s degree is in psychology. Sport psychology can have a clinical component to it, but it is neither in my training nor background at this time.
All mental health cases and clients will be referred to mental health professionals.
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Of course not, mental performance training is for everyone! It is most commonly used by competitive athletes and performers, but it is beneficial for all activities and areas of performance. Some examples of populations who seek mental performance training include the US Army, police officers, firefighters, and businesses.
Even if you are an athlete who doesn't compete, mental performance training can benefit your recreational performance just as well as it would for competitive athletes.
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Not at all! If you were gifted with natural mental skills without instruction, you can still benefit from professional mental training. Although you are doing well, everyone struggles and hits roadblocks in both sport and life.
Mental performance training aims to assist you in bouncing back from hardships quicker and leveling up your overall performance. Mental performance training will help the successful athlete reach new heights and achieve even more that was thought to be in their repertoire of skills.
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The mind is complicated, each athlete and their goals are different, so therefore the possibilities are endless! A few examples include managing nerves, confidence development, decision-making, pre-performance routines and preparation, focus, energy management, self-talk, imagery, and SO much more.
Remember that the utilization of mental skills is unique to each performer and depends on many factors. Let’s chat more about it during your Free Consultation Session.
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It depends! Regardless of your personal mental goals, learning and solidifying new mental habits is not a quick fix by any means. It would be so nice if we could just flip a switch in our brains, but it takes much time, effort, practice, attention, and intentionality, similar to mastering a new physical skill. There is endless learning when it comes to mastering the mental game of sport and life, just like it would be to physically master your sport.
However, there are levels of mastery tied to both the amount and frequency of your sessions. The Starter Experience (5 sessions) can be useful for brief or minor mental performance struggles. The Midway Experience (10 sessions) offers more mental momentum and coverage of mental skills to get to your desired mental goals. The Full Experience (15 sessions) makes room for a wide variety of mental skills and personalized training to propel you towards your goals. Regardless, you will get out what you put into the process!
I am more than happy to explain what the process would look like for you during your Free Consultation Session.
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tart by either filling out your Discovery Form here or booking your Free Consultation Session here. We will talk more in depth about where you are currently mentally at, where you want to be, and what it’ll take to get there along with explaining the process of sessions and answering any questions you may have for me.
After determining that we are a good fit, we will then choose the best experience for you and get started with sessions.
Our very first session includes a longer, in-depth analysis about your performance, goals, and a plan to develop and improve certain mental skills that will help you achieve your personal mental performance goals. Regular sessions aim to work towards that plan by directly implementing the mental skills and include in-person, Zoom, or phone call.
Regularly scheduled sessions are highly encouraged to promote consistency of mental skills acquisition and utilization for long term change!