EMDR Intensives for Athletes, Coaches and Leaders

05/12/2026

One of the things I continue to notice in working with athletes is that not every performance struggle is simply about motivation, confidence, or mindset.

Sometimes the nervous system is still responding to:
• pressure,
• injury,
• fear of failure,
• burnout,
• or unresolved experiences that continue to affect performance and wellbeing.

As a former athlete and EMDR therapist, I’m passionate about helping athletes better understand the connection between the brain, body, and performance.

I recently updated my newest blog on EMDR Intensives for Athletes, Coaches, and Leaders to reflect more of the nuance behind this work — including:
✔️ what EMDR intensives are
✔️ how nervous system responses can impact performance
✔️ why some athletes feel “stuck” under pressure
✔️ and how healing and performance are often more connected than we realize

Not every athlete seeking EMDR identifies as having trauma or a mental health disorder. Sometimes the work is about helping athletes stay more present, connected, and adaptable under pressure.

Would love to hear what resonates with you.

EMDR Specialist

05/07/2026

Last week at the College Athlete Mental Health Conference in Houston, one theme kept coming up:

Many athletes aren’t struggling because they lack motivation or toughness — their nervous system is overwhelmed.

Performance anxiety, freezing under pressure, panic during competition, or difficulty getting back into “flow” can often be nervous system responses, not personal failures.

I wrote a new blog about nervous system regulation, EMDR, and performance in athletes. Would love to hear what resonates with you. 👇

Read the blog here

https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/nervous-system-regulation-athletes-emdr-performance/

EMDR Specialist

05/04/2026

Still feeling energized after attending the inaugural College Athlete Mental Health Conference in Houston 🙌

If you know me, you know I’m always looking for teammates in this work—and last week did not disappoint. Being surrounded by so many passionate, driven people committed to supporting college athlete mental health was incredible. My heart was full seeing rooms packed with providers, coaches, and leaders all leaning in.

One of the highlights? The deep interest in EMDR and Brainspotting as powerful tools to help reset the nervous system and support athletes not just in performance—but in healing.

This is the direction we need. More trained providers. More awareness. More conversations that normalize the mental side of sport.

Grateful to keep learning, connecting, and being part of this movement.

04/28/2026

Often when athletes are struggling, the message they receive is to do more.

More effort. More mindset work. More pushing through.

But what if performance challenges aren’t a sign that you need to add more…
What if they’re a signal that your nervous system needs something different?

In my latest blog, I explore this idea through the lens of EMDR and nervous system regulation—how athletes can move out of survival states (like anxiety, shutdown, or overdrive) and back into the flow of performance.

It’s a shift I care deeply about: helping athletes trust that sometimes doing less—creating space, processing what’s underneath, allowing the system to reset—is actually what unlocks more.

You can read the full blog here:
https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/emdr-therapy-for-athletes-nervous-system-performance/

I’m also looking forward to heading to Houston this week for the inaugural College Athlete Mental Health Conference, where I’ll be presenting alongside Thad Frye. We’ll be sharing how EMDR and Brainspotting can support athletes in a deeper, more sustainable way.

Grateful for opportunities to connect, collaborate, and continue evolving how we care for athletes.

Would love to hear your thoughts—where have you seen “less” make a difference?

EMDR Specialist

04/21/2026

I hear this often from athletes and high performers:

They know exactly what to do…
but in the moment, they can’t execute.

It shows up as:
• the yips
• performance slumps
• hesitation or overthinking
• anxiety after injury or mistakes

And it’s often misunderstood as a mindset or confidence issue.

But more often than not—it’s a nervous system response.

When the brain and body are stuck in protection mode, performance will never feel consistent, no matter how hard someone tries to “push through.”

That’s why I’m so passionate about integrating EMDR into performance work.

Because when we help the nervous system actually process what it’s been holding onto, performance starts to shift—naturally.

Confidence becomes embodied.
The game slows down.
Ex*****on becomes fluid again.

I wrote a new blog breaking this down for athletes, coaches, and leaders:

https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/emdr-athletes-nervous-system-performance/

Would love to hear what resonates or what you’ve seen in your own performance or the athletes you work with.

04/14/2026

A player goes down and the other players take a knee as the coaches and trainers rush toward him.
A player fouls out of a basketball game and then there is conflict with the coach and a parent gets involved
Another player goes down and first responders are called to the field

Sport gives us so much—connection, joy, purpose, resilience. But it also asks a lot of the human body and nervous system, especially in moments like these.

After a week like this, I found myself reflecting on the emotional and physiological toll that often goes unspoken in sport.

Are athletes, coaches, and even fans truly equipped to process what happens in these intense moments?

In my latest blog, I share reflections along with practical tools from EMDR and HeartMath that can help support regulation, recovery, and performance—on and off the field.

If you work with athletes or love sports, I’d love for you to take a read and share your thoughts.

https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/emdr-for-athletes-heartmath-performance/

04/06/2026

I’m really looking forward to being in Houston at the end of April for the Inaugural College Athlete Mental Health Conference.

I’m grateful to be co-presenting with Thad Frye as we share how we’re using EMDR and Brainspotting to support sports performance and athlete mental health.

It’s an honor to be part of a conference that’s focused on advocating for athletes, breaking down stigma, and bringing more trauma-informed approaches into sport.

If you’ll be there, we would love to have you join our presentation. And please reach out if you’ll be in Houston—I’d love to connect.

Really excited to learn from others, collaborate, and continue growing this important work together.

04/02/2026

One of the most common things I hear from athletes:

“I can do it in practice… I just can’t seem to do it in competition.”

It’s frustrating. And often, it gets labeled as nerves, pressure, or inconsistency.

But there’s something deeper going on.

It’s called state-dependent learning—and it may be one of the most overlooked factors in performance.

We know from psychology and neuroscience that we access skills best when we’re in the same internal state in which we learned them.

The challenge is that most athletes:
• Train in a more controlled, regulated state
• Compete in a high-pressure, high-intensity state

And that mismatch can make it harder to access even well-learned skills.

This is where working with the nervous system becomes so important—and where approaches like EMDR can help athletes shift how they respond under pressure, not just how they think about it.

I’ll be sharing a blog next week that breaks this down in a practical, athlete-friendly way, including how this shows up in real performance and what can actually help.

If you’re an athlete, coach, or parent and this sounds familiar, I think it will really resonate.

Stay tuned—I’m excited to share more.

03/31/2026

A few times a year, I like to share what I’ve been reading—because what we take in shapes how we show up.

Here’s what’s been on my stack lately:

• Mentality Wins — practical tools and concepts shared in a reader-friendly way, with engaging stories and actionable steps for athletes.

• What’s Really Important — brings in real-world coaching perspectives. I really appreciate the values-driven approach and the question it raises: what is the cost of greatness?

• The Development of the Unconscious Mind — deepening my understanding of interpersonal neurobiology, especially the importance of right-hemisphere functioning in a left-brain dominant world.

• You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For — a meaningful introduction to parts work (IFS) in relationships. I love the concept of the “relationship trailhead.”

• Strong Ground — research and insight on what courageous, collaborative leadership looks like.

• EMDR Toolbox — a foundational resource for understanding the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, with practical tools and case examples.

These books continue to shape how I think, how I write, and how I show up in my clinical work—especially in supporting athletes and high performers in more integrated, trauma-informed ways.

I always appreciate learning from others—what have you been reading lately that’s impacted you?

I’m also sharing more in-depth reflections on Substack: The Regulated Athlete
https://open.substack.com/pub/regulatedathlete

03/27/2026

Last week I shared about completing my IFS Level 1 training—six months of learning, practicing, and really investing in a modality that’s changed how I understand people and performance.

One of the things I love most about this work is how much it just makes sense.

Most of us can relate to having different “parts” inside of us.

I often describe it as a team within us.

There’s the driven part that pushes.
The inner critic that keeps us sharp.
The part that wants connection.
The part that protects when things feel overwhelming.

And just like any team… some parts take on bigger roles—especially under pressure.

What I’ve seen in working with athletes, coaches, and high performers is that real change doesn’t come from pushing those parts harder or trying to get rid of them.

It comes from getting to know them.

This is where integrating IFS with EMDR has been so powerful in my work.

When parts feel heard and supported, the deeper work—processing difficult experiences, performance blocks, injuries—can happen with less resistance and more lasting impact.

If you’re curious, I shared more about what this looks like in an intensive in my newest blog:

https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/ifs-informed-emdr-for-athletes/

I’d love to hear—what part of your “team” tends to show up most when you’re under pressure?

EMDR Specialist

03/10/2026

You’ve been cleared to play. Your rehab is done. Your strength is back.

So why does part of you still feel scared?

Many athletes experience fear of reinjury even after their body has healed. This isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s your brain’s way of protecting you. Thoughts, emotions, and body sensations from the original injury can stay linked in the nervous system, showing up as hesitation, tension, or anxiety when you try to fully trust your body again.

In my newest blog, I explain:
• Why athletes can still feel fear after being medically cleared
• How the brain stores injury experiences
• How EMDR therapy can help athletes process the injury and rebuild confidence

If you work with athletes — or are navigating injury recovery yourself — this is an important piece of the puzzle.

📖 Read the full blog here:
https://emdrintensivesforathletes.com/fear-of-reinjury-after-injury-athletes/

EMDR Specialist