In short: Training with a MindBalanceSPORT mental performance coach follows The MBS Approach, a five-stage process: you’re matched with a coach who fits your sport and goals, you complete the MBS Mindset Assessment to set a baseline, you train specific mental skills like visualization, focus, and self-talk, you test those skills in real practices and games, and you keep refining them with your coach.
Most athletes start with a 6-session Performance Package or a 12-session Mastery Package, in person in McLean, VA or Plano, TX, or virtually anywhere in the U.S.
Elite athletes know that physical talent is necessary but not sufficient for sustained success. Decades of sport psychology research connect psychological skills like attentional control, self-regulation, imagery rehearsal, and stress management to measurable performance gains across sport (Weinberg & Gould, 2023). Yet mental performance training remains out of reach for most youth athletes.
MindBalanceSPORT was built to close that gap. The MBS Approach blends professional athletic standards with specialized youth psychology to equip the next generation of competitors with the mental skills high performance demands.
“Competitive success requires the same dedication of mental and physical performance training.”
Table of Contents
The MBS Approach
MindBalanceSPORT uses a five-stage developmental model that every athlete progresses through. Each stage builds on the last, and early skills become the foundation for more advanced work, just like progressive overload in physical training.
| Stage | What happens | What the athlete gets |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Coach Match & Consultation | MindBalanceSPORT matches the athlete with a coach whose specialties fit their sport, needs, and location preference. | A coach who understands their competitive context |
| 2. MBS Mindset Assessment | A detailed assessment sets baselines for cognitive load, stress responses, growth mindset, self-confidence, team culture, and health behaviors. | An individualized profile that shapes training priorities |
| 3. Skills Training | Core mental conditioning: visualization, attentional focus, self-talk restructuring, and resilience frameworks tailored to the athlete. | Practice-ready mental skills |
| 4. Integration into Sport | Skills are tested in practices and games, followed by structured debriefs. | Evidence of what works under real pressure |
| 5. Optimization & Refinement | An ongoing feedback loop with the coach adds new protocols as foundational skills develop. | Skills that keep developing season to season |
What Does a Mental Performance Coach Actually Do?
A mental performance coach trains the mental side of sport the way a strength coach trains the physical side. At MindBalanceSPORT, that means teaching specific, practiceable skills for the moments athletes find hardest: nerves before a big game, losing focus after a mistake, confidence that disappears under pressure, or a mental block on a skill they used to do easily. That work looks different for a 12-year-old than for an elite competitor, so every plan is tailored to the athlete’s age and level.
Common focus areas include:
- Pre-competition nerves and performance stress
- Concentration and focus under pressure and distraction
- Confidence and performance-based self-belief
- Self-talk that helps execution instead of hurting it
- Visualization and imagery rehearsal
- Resetting after mistakes, slumps, and setbacks
- Working through mental blocks
- Consistency, motivation, and goal-setting
Mental performance coaching is not therapy, and coaches don’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions. It complements an athlete’s medical, athletic-training, and mental health care rather than replacing it.
Mental performance coach vs. sports psychologist
| Mental performance coach | Licensed sports psychologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Building the mental skills behind performance | Assessing and addressing clinical mental health concerns, plus performance work |
| Typical credentials | Graduate training in sport psychology; many hold the CMPC (Certified Mental Performance Consultant) from AASP | Doctoral degree in psychology and a state psychology license |
| Provides clinical treatment? | No | Yes, within their license |
| At MindBalanceSPORT | The coaching team, several of whom hold the CMPC credential | Co-founders Dr. Brenna Chirby, Psy.D. and Dr. Virginia Jones, Psy.D. |
Because MindBalanceSPORT is founded and overseen by licensed psychologists, athletes who need clinical support can get it within the practice or through a referral, without starting over somewhere else.
Training Pathways
Some athletes meet with their coach weekly, while others prefer periodic check-ins throughout their season. Frequency depends on the athlete’s goals and where they are in The MBS Approach. See how individual mental performance sessions work.
| Performance Package | Mastery Package | Team Training | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions | 6 sessions | 12 sessions | Scoped per team |
| MBS Mindset Assessment | Included | Included | Scoped per team |
| Format | One-on-one with an MBS coach | One-on-one with an MBS coach | Workshops for athletes, coaches, and staff |
| Best for | A specific, near-term goal such as pre-competition nerves, concentration, or confidence under pressure | Athletes committed to working through the complete five-stage MBS Approach | Culture, communication, and collective performance |
| Progress tracking | Assessment feedback and measurable progress tracking | Assessment feedback and measurable progress tracking | MBS works as an extension of the performance staff |
Delivered in person in McLean, VA and Plano, TX, or virtually nationwide over secure, HIPAA-compliant video. Contact MindBalanceSPORT for current rates.
Team Training
Team training addresses the organizational layer of sport that individual work can’t reach. It builds the culture that sustained competitive success requires, through shared goals and communication workshops for athletes and coaches alike. Learn more about team mental performance training.
What to Expect in Your First Session
In your first session, your MindBalanceSPORT mental performance coach walks through your MBS Mindset Assessment results, introduces The MBS Approach, and starts setting goals with you. You leave with a clear objective for your mental performance work and the first steps toward it.
Many athletes notice a shift in how they mentally approach tasks, setbacks, and intentions by around the third or fourth session, as new habits start to take hold. Results vary by individual, and lasting improvement comes from continued practice in real competition. MindBalanceSPORT supports progress rather than promising specific outcomes.
Virtual vs. In-Person Mental Performance Coaching
MindBalanceSPORT coaching works the same way whether you meet in person or online. You go through the same five-stage MBS Approach, the same Mindset Assessment, and the same skills work with your coach. Most families choose based on location and schedule.
| In person | Virtual | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | McLean, VA (Washington, DC metro) and Plano, TX (Dallas–Fort Worth) | Anywhere in the U.S., over secure, HIPAA-compliant video |
| Same method? | Yes: the full MBS Approach and Mindset Assessment | Yes: the full MBS Approach and Mindset Assessment |
| Often a good fit for | Local athletes who prefer face-to-face sessions | Athletes outside the DC and DFW areas, busy travel and tournament schedules, college athletes away from home |
Mental performance coaching is offered virtually nationwide. Any licensed-psychology services are subject to state licensure rules, so confirm the details for your state when you reach out.
Skills You’ll Develop
Every athlete arrives with different goals and backgrounds, and every MBS athlete leaves with stronger mental tools for the field and for life. These skills generalize well beyond sport, into the classroom and everyday pressure. For athletes coming back from an injury, the same skills anchor our injury recovery and return-to-play support.
| Skill | What it trains | Example in sport | Evidence / model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imagery & visualization | Mentally rehearsing performances so the body has "been there" before | A swimmer rehearsing the start, turns, and finish before a final | Holmes & Collins (2001), PETTLEP model |
| Attentional control | Narrowing and widening focus on demand in noisy environments | A point guard shifting from reading the whole floor to one free-throw cue | Nideffer's attentional model |
| Self-talk & cognitive restructuring | Replacing unhelpful inner dialogue with instructional and motivational cues | Swapping "don't miss" for "smooth and follow through" | Cognitive-behavioral principles |
| Stress regulation | Breathing and relaxation to approach an event calmly or reset after a mistake | A tennis player's between-points breathing routine | Arousal-regulation techniques |
| Confidence | Building durable, performance-based self-belief through mastery | Tracking small wins in practice before a big meet | Self-efficacy theory |
| Resilience | Staying flexible through injuries, slumps, and role changes | A reset plan for the first game back after a benching | Resilience frameworks |
Parents can reinforce these skills at home, too. Start with what to do if your child gets self-intimidated and the power of growth mindset in sports.
Sources: Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2023). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (8th ed.). Holmes, P. S., & Collins, D. J. (2001). The PETTLEP approach to motor imagery. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13(1), 60–83.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect in a first session with a mental performance coach?
In a first session at MindBalanceSPORT, your mental performance coach walks through your MBS Mindset Assessment results, introduces The MBS Approach, and begins setting goals with you. You leave with a clear objective for your mental performance work and the first steps you’ll take toward it. Sessions are available in person in McLean, VA and Plano, TX, or virtually.
How long does it take to see results from mental performance coaching?
Many MindBalanceSPORT athletes notice a shift in how they approach tasks, setbacks, and pressure by around the third or fourth session, as new mental habits start to take hold. Results vary by individual, and lasting improvement comes from practicing skills in real competition over time. That’s why MBS offers a 6-session Performance Package for near-term goals and a 12-session Mastery Package for complete development.
What mental skills techniques do sports psychologists and mental performance coaches teach athletes?
The core techniques are imagery and visualization, attentional control, self-talk and cognitive restructuring, breathing and stress regulation, confidence-building through mastery, goal-setting, and resilience strategies for setbacks. At MindBalanceSPORT, mental performance coaches tailor these skills to each athlete’s sport and MBS Mindset Assessment profile, then test them in practices and games through The MBS Approach.
How do I choose the right mental performance coach for my teenage athlete?
Look for graduate training in sport psychology and, ideally, the CMPC credential; experience with your athlete’s sport and age group; a structured process with a baseline assessment and progress tracking; and clear guidance on when clinical support is needed. At MindBalanceSPORT, the first stage of The MBS Approach is a coach match that pairs each athlete with a coach by sport, needs, and location, with licensed psychologists overseeing the practice.
How do virtual mental performance coaching sessions work compared to in person?
Virtual sessions at MindBalanceSPORT follow the same five-stage MBS Approach as in-person sessions, delivered over secure, HIPAA-compliant video. Athletes get the same assessment, skills training, and coach feedback from home or on the road. In-person sessions are available in McLean, VA and Plano, TX. Because licensed-psychology services depend on state licensure, confirm the details for your state when you reach out.
How much does mental performance coaching cost, and does insurance cover it?
MindBalanceSPORT offers a 6-session Performance Package and a 12-session Mastery Package, each including the MBS Mindset Assessment, plus team engagements. Mental performance coaching is private-pay and isn’t typically covered by insurance. If an athlete has a suspected or previous mental health diagnosis, one of the practice’s licensed psychologists can evaluate them and, where appropriate, invoice for that clinical portion. Contact MBS for current rates.
Schedule a Consultation with MindBalanceSPORT
Start with a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll learn about your sport and goals and match you with the right MindBalanceSPORT mental performance coach.
Phone: 571-556-5423
Email: info@mindbalancesport.com
McLean, VA (Washington, DC Metro): 1355 Beverly Road, Suite 225, McLean, VA 22101
Plano, TX (Dallas–Fort Worth): 555 Republic Drive, Suite 212, Plano, TX 75074
Virtual: Secure video sessions nationwide
