Performance. Relationships. Purpose.
Performance Psychology & Relationship Consulting
For athletes, high-performing professionals, and their partners
Helping ambitious people build lives that thrive in competition, at work, and at home
What is the difference between consultation and therapy?
Check out the differences between consulting and therapy in the table below to understand the difference. Contact me at kelly@athletementalwellness.com for further clarification.
| Consulting | Therapy |
| You may live anywhere or be traveling anywhere at the time of consultation services. | You must live in a state in which I am licensed to provide therapy (currently NC, VA, FL, UT, AZ, ID), and your body must be physically in one of these states at the time of therapy services. See Aspire Family Counseling for more information on pursuing therapy services. |
| You may NOT use insurance or HSA/FSA funds to pay for consultation. | You can use insurance or HSA/FSA funds to pay for therapy. |
| Diagnosing is beyond the scope of consulting services. | A diagnosis is required in order for treatment to be covered by your insurance. |
| Services include consulting related to non-clinical issues (symptoms that fall below the criteria for a clinical diagnosis). For example, developing pre-competition routines, stress management, improving focus or confidence, communication skills, leadership skill development, and self-perception. | Services treat clinical issues such as eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, self-harm, suicidality, addiction, etc. |
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Licensure and regulatory boards protect the public to ensure that mental health professionals have appropriate education and follow ethical codes. There is a governing body you can report to if you perceive malpractice that will ensure due process. Providing therapy requires a master’s degree or higher, a passing score on a licensure exam, and a state license in order to practice. |
| Performance psychology and relationship consulting is narrow in scope. While working with you as a consulting client, we will be diligent to clarify and stay in the lane of consultation related to your stated goals. I will refer you to another mental health provider in your state if I believe you need a higher level of care for the treatment of a diagnosable mental health disorder. I can work with you as a consultant on performance and relationship issues and your mental health provider can work with you on mental health issues. We can collaborate as part of your overall wellness team. Having a diagnosable mental health issue does not necessarily mean that I cannot work with you in a consulting capacity, but it does mean that I cannot consult with you directly on that issue because more serious issues require therapy rather than consultation. | Working with a therapist has a broader scope, and the need for referral to another provider is less likely. Scope creep is unproblematic. |
| The issue you want help with is specific in setting (i.e. stress about sports performance, concern about relationship during travel). | The issue you want help with is pervasive across settings (i.e. general anxiety in sport, at school, home, work, in relationships) |
| Greater flexibility in scheduling that can adapt to travel or time zone changes | Less flexibility in scheduling. At Aspire Family Counseling, therapy services are only available W/Th 9:00-3:00 EST |
Consultation or Therapy for Sports-Related Issues
If you’re doing pretty well overall but feel that learning some cognitive-behavioral sports psychology techniques could give you that extra edge, you’re right. If you’re putting in 15-20+ hours a week (or 60-80 hours a month) to get your body in peak physical condition to compete, it’s probably worth your time and money to spend an hour or two a month on giving your mind the competitive advantage it deserves.
Additionally, most athletes find themselves in a rut at one point or another whether it’s related to something new you’re implementing in training, coming back from an injury, or a relationship issue with your coach. A few sessions of consultation can reduce your stress and get you back on track quickly so you can make the most of your training time and enjoy your life more.
Relationship Coaching
Our primary romantic relationship can have a huge overall effect on other areas of our lives, like sport or work performance. Even if things are going pretty well in your relationship, it can be important to make sure you are using effective techniques to communicate and connect to keep it strong. Feeling supported can provide a solid foundation for peak performance in every other area of your life.
Partners of athletes and high performers can also benefit from consultation to make sure their own dreams, goals, and identity don’t get lost in the excitement of supporting the career that is more lucrative or in the spotlight. Maintaining effective connection during high-demand seasons of travel or other work responsibilities is essential to making sure you still have the relationship you want ten, twenty, and more years down the road.
Areas of Expertise
Sport and Performance Psychology
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Getting your body in top shape is only half the battle. Being mentally tough and learning cognitive-behavioral strategies to keep you at the top of your game can give you a competitive edge and keep your sport fun. Techniques to reduce stress such as relaxation strategies, visualization, replacing negative thoughts, and problem-solving are all important skills to help you achieve peak performance.
Body Positivity
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Treating an eating disorder is well beyond the scope of performance consulting. However, it is very common to experience some level of body dissatisfaction or an unhealthy relationship with food at some point in your life. This may be distracting you from your true performance goals. Learning focus and boundary-setting strategies can help.
Achievement Orientation
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Developing a healthy relationship with achievement and success, and understanding how to deal with setbacks, is essential. Learning to change your thinking about performance outcomes can make life more enjoyable and can make you more successful at your sport. Finding the balance between pushing yourself to the limits of your ability and being happy with what you have achieved can be difficult to accomplish, yet learning how to optimize this balance can improve confidence.
Identity Issues
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Defining yourself as an athlete is an important identity for most people who love their sport. We all have other factors to our identity that we may not have fully explored, and processing the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality, religion, or being a parent is an important component of psychological flourishing. Additionally, when you transition away from athletics defining your life, such as at the end of a successful career, it can be difficult to figure out who you are beyond just being a great athlete.
Life Transitions
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Athletic transitions like injuries, moving up to a higher level of competition, trying a new position or event, or retiring from your sport can all be difficult to navigate. Having the tools to navigate life transitions like moving to a new city, a new relationship, becoming a parent, or dealing with grief can make it easier to keep up in your sport or at work.
Relationship Issues
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Relationships with people who care about your athletic performance can be a source of stress, even if they are generally going well. Learning effective communication strategies and ways to support each other can help.