What is Performance Psychology?

High-pressure, fast-paced, and demanding work requires a mind that is well-tuned and prepared for the challenges in front of it. Performance psychology is a collaborative process between you, your performance counselor, and your brain’s unique strengths and needs. It’s designed to optimize the way you approach your work mentally. We utilize techniques from the mental health field, techniques unique to mental performance, and neurofeedback technology to provide expert coaching and training designed to keep you at the top of your game. Learn how to stay cool under pressure, make the most of your preparation, and become your own ally instead of your own worst enemy when it really matters.

Performance psychology is often used in athletics, but you don’t need to be an athlete to
benefit from this type of training. At Chicago Mind Solutions, we use mental performance
principles to help any style of high-performer do what they do best, whether that’s athletics,
art, public speaking, business, law enforcement, or any other field where the ability to perform under pressure is key to success.

What is Sport Psychology?

Sport psychology is genre of performance psychology where the primary goal is to increase an athlete’s quality of performance. This is done by removing unnecessary mental hurdles and learning how to make the mental processes of the athlete’s sport more streamlined and efficient. This can mean learning how to manage pressure, address perfectionism (for better or worse), make practice and skill acquisition more efficient, handle locker-room conflicts, develop healthy coping techniques and many other valuable skills. At Chicago Mind Solutions, we believe in utilizing the most cutting-edge modalities available when helping our athletes reach their ceilings. This means the integration of neurofeedback technology, QEEG brain scans, and the most modern research-based techniques is a top priority for us.

We also believe in developing healthy athletes. Our head performance counselor, William
Russell, is trained in both human mental performance and mental health counseling. He utilizes skills from both disciplines and works with each athlete as an individual to facilitate both personal and performance growth. In a field where being even one percent better than the competition can make all the difference, consider Chicago Mind Solutions a caring partner in helping you make the most of your unique talent and approach to your game.

How Performance Psychology is Applied Outside Sports

Performance anxiety, yips, jitters, choking, burnout, writers block, and stress are a part of any work that requires an individual to perform. Performance psychology is commonly associated with sports and military settings, but there are plenty of disciplines that can benefit from mental coaching. Just like a free throw can seem much harder in front of a crowd, performing a solo can become equally daunting when it moves from the practice room to the main stage. No matter what it is that you do, no matter what your style of performance might be, we are all human and we all have a brain that can feel like our best friend or our worst enemy when the bright lights come on. You are the expert in your discipline, we’re the experts on the brain you use to do it. At Chicago Mind Solutions, we believe in a collaborative relationship between you and your performance counselor where you are respected and empowered to put your expertise to use. Whether you have a specific challenge that needs to be addressed, or you want to see how you can take your performance to new heights, our clinic is ready and excited to help you on your journey.

Performance Psychology Services at Chicago Mind Solutions

Individual Performance Counseling

Work one-on-one with an expert trained in both performance psychology and mental health
counseling to address your specific needs. You will receive specialized coaching that is tailored to your strengths and weaknesses that is designed to promote elite performance and mental health. Each session is 50 minutes in length and is paired with a performance-focused neurofeedback training protocol specifically tailored to your brain.

Neurofeedback-Augmented Film Study

Curious about the performance benefits of neurofeedback, but not interested in one-on-one
coaching? We believe in catering our services to your needs, and it is not required to see a performance counselor to receive a personalized neurofeedback training regimen. Neurofeedback training has been shown to help with focus, anxiety, and general efficiency of the brain while also showing promising benefits in academic and/or work settings. Review film relevant to your discipline while simultaneously training your brain to work in your best interest in short, efficient sessions specifically designed to address your brain’s needs.

Team Performance Counseling

For teams that are seeking to mold more aware and mentally-prepared performers, our services can be provided in group settings. Our head performance counselor will meet with your leadership staff to create a custom program that is in keeping with your organization’s values, goals, and philosophy. This can include everything from observation and mental coaching during practice and games to group talks and interventions. We believe that an educated, self-aware, and cohesive team is a formidable one, and that extends to how we work with team leadership. Schedule a free consultation to learn if we are the right fit for your organization’s goals and culture.