Performance Archives - Reaching Ahead Counseling and Mental Performance

Why Talking Through Friction Matters (vs. Sweeping It Under the Rug)
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Why Talking Through Friction Matters (vs. Sweeping It Under the Rug)

Career, Life, Performance

Why Talking Through Friction Matters (vs. Sweeping It Under the Rug)

When tension, conflict, or discomfort (“friction”) is avoided rather than addressed, it doesn’t disappear—it goes underground. Over time, this leads to: Accumulation of unresolved emotion → resentment, withdrawal, or passive-aggressive behavior Distorted communication → people start reacting to old issues instead of what’s actually happening Reduced clarity and trust → uncertainty about where others stand or what’s safe to [...]

2026-04-29T15:40:48+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Life, Performance|

Face Your Fears: College Sailing Prep (On and Off the Water)
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Face Your Fears: College Sailing Prep (On and Off the Water)

Life, Mental Skills, Sailing

Face Your Fears: College Sailing Prep (On and Off the Water)

Origins of Tim’s Perspectives I work with competitive sailors at all levels of competition (Optis, H.S./420s/29ers/ILCA, College, Olympic, and America’s Cup). I often help sailors successfully transition from one stage to the next. As junior sailors check out college sailing teams, I try to weave in some first-hand understanding from my years as a college sailor and early career [...]

2026-04-22T12:31:45+00:00By timothyherzog|Life, Mental Skills, Sailing|

Why Teams Need Space to Process Transitions
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Why Teams Need Space to Process Transitions

Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance

Why Teams Need Space to Process Transitions

Processing (not dwelling) helps mental health off the court—and clarity on it Transitions are constant in sport. A teammate transfers.A season ends.Roles change.A starter becomes a backup.A senior plays their last game. And yet—most teams move right past these moments. The assumption is simple: keep going, stay focused, don’t dwell. But that assumption is wrong. Unprocessed transitions don’t disappear.They [...]

2026-04-16T15:38:51+00:00By timothyherzog|Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance|

The Mind–Body ABCs of High-Speed Performance
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The Mind–Body ABCs of High-Speed Performance

Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance

The Mind–Body ABCs of High-Speed Performance

Fast games reward clear minds. Whether it’s lacrosse, soccer, basketball, or hockey, athletes consistently perform better when they think less—not more. “Thinking less” isn’t about being passive—it’s about trusting what you’ve trained. Your physical reps are there so your body can act without hesitation. The same should be true for your mind. That’s where the daily Mind–Body ABCs come [...]

2026-03-29T15:15:41+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance|

Positive Reinforcement in Team Sports
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Positive Reinforcement in Team Sports

Lacrosse, Performance, Teams

Positive Reinforcement in Team Sports

Building Performance, Culture, and Trust In fast-paced team sports like college lacrosse, performance isn’t just about tactics, conditioning, or talent—it’s also about how behavior is shaped day to day. One of the most powerful (and often misunderstood) tools for shaping behavior is positive reinforcement. When used intentionally, it strengthens performance, relationships, and culture across all directions of a team [...]

2026-02-24T00:42:53+00:00By timothyherzog|Lacrosse, Performance, Teams|

Advice for Starting Out
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Advice for Starting Out

Career, Mental Health, Performance

Advice for Starting Out

Having set up private practice twice (once in Bozeman, MT and then again in Annapolis, MD), and having simultaneously worked in several other settings along the way (e.g., military and America’s Cup) – I think I can share a few pearls of wisdom for others starting out… Am I good enough? Pursue credentials and licensures, real ones like CMPC [...]

2026-02-17T00:00:08+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Mental Health, Performance|

Power of Authenticity in Performance Psychology and Mental Performance Consulting
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Power of Authenticity in Performance Psychology and Mental Performance Consulting

Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Teams

Power of Authenticity in Performance Psychology and Mental Performance Consulting

The Power of Authenticity in Performance Psychology Why Who I Am — and How I Practice — Both Matter Five years ago, I organized a conference panel around a question many practitioners wrestle with quietly: How do we bring our authentic selves into consulting while remaining ethical, professional, and appropriately boundaried? That question feels even more relevant today. The [...]

2026-01-28T23:48:04+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Teams|

Understanding Stress, HRV, and Self-Regulation in Performance
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Understanding Stress, HRV, and Self-Regulation in Performance

Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing

Understanding Stress, HRV, and Self-Regulation in Performance

Four Stages of Performance Let me preface this conversation by saying we can help our clients manage stress within four different stages of performance: Baseline Pre-performance During performance Recovery We probably want to significantly reduce stress during baseline and during recovery (especially deeper, longer recovery, which becomes our next baseline). We want to optimize stress levels pre-performance and during [...]

2025-12-15T15:03:21+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing|

Mindfulness In Injury Rehabilitation: Helping Athletes Heal in the Present
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Mindfulness In Injury Rehabilitation: Helping Athletes Heal in the Present

Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sport Injury

Mindfulness In Injury Rehabilitation: Helping Athletes Heal in the Present

When athletes are sidelined by injury, their minds often race backward and forward—replaying the moment of injury, worrying about lost progress, or fearing re-injury. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be powerful tools for helping them return to the present moment and reconnect with their bodies during rehabilitation. Staying Present During Recovery Injured athletes frequently find themselves stuck between past and [...]

2025-11-04T19:21:40+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sport Injury|

Bridging the Gap: Collegiate Mental Health Strategies for High School Athletics
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Bridging the Gap: Collegiate Mental Health Strategies for High School Athletics

Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Teams

Bridging the Gap: Collegiate Mental Health Strategies for High School Athletics

Written by W. Logan Kreisl The Hidden Strain on Student-Athletes High school student-athletes face a perfect storm of pressure: academic expectations, competitive performance, and the pursuit of scholarships or professional dreams. In fact, 91% of student-athletes report feelings of stress related to their sport (Ward et al., 2023). While collegiate programs have integrated mental-health services and sport psychology into [...]

2025-11-04T19:24:38+00:00By W. Logan Kreisl|Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Teams|

Handling Uncertainty Like a Pro
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Handling Uncertainty Like a Pro

Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sport Injury

Handling Uncertainty Like a Pro

Uncertainty is a constant in our lives—whether you're an athlete, other high-performer, or navigating everyday life. It shows up in our work, relationships, sports, health, society, environment, etc. It shows up everywhere and can come out of nowhere. At times, uncertainty can feel paralyzing and stop us in our tracks. At other times, uncertainty can feel like an annoyingly [...]

2025-07-07T23:55:50+00:00By jacquelinekdouglas|Career, Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sport Injury|

Why Focusing on the Process—Not Just Results—Improves Performance and Well-Being
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Why Focusing on the Process—Not Just Results—Improves Performance and Well-Being

Career, Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams

Why Focusing on the Process—Not Just Results—Improves Performance and Well-Being

Process Over Outcome: Focusing on Controllable Processes Builds Success and Fulfillment In performance settings—from athletics and academics to the workplace and everyday life—it's easy to become preoccupied with outcomes: results, grades, promotions, wins. But high-level performers across disciplines increasingly find that the path to excellence is not paved by obsessing over results. Instead, it’s built through consistent attention to [...]

2025-06-20T23:36:03+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|

“Ethically is a psychologist supposed to talk to a client in public?”
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“Ethically is a psychologist supposed to talk to a client in public?”

Career, Mental Health, Performance

“Ethically is a psychologist supposed to talk to a client in public?”

An old colleague recently posed this question on social media. I didn’t know there was a character limit (LOL). So I guess it’s a blogpost instead… He wrote: “Ethically is a psychologist supposed to talk to a client in public? AI answer: Generally, it's considered unethical for a psychologist to initiate a conversation with a client outside of a [...]

2025-07-01T21:36:24+00:00By timothyherzog|Career, Mental Health, Performance|

Who am I outside of sports?
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Who am I outside of sports?

Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams

Who am I outside of sports?

Adolescence into young adulthood is a period of questioning, including “who do I want to be?” and “who am I?” During this time, between pre-teen and young adulthood, life is riddled with decisions regarding paths and roles. Young people may find themselves identifying as a ”kid,” a “student,” and/or as a “friend” during this time. Some pursue sports, music, [...]

2021-09-08T00:47:43+00:00By Alex Oldham|Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|

Sport Retirement: What happens when the game’s over?
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Sport Retirement: What happens when the game’s over?

Career, Lacrosse, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing, Swimming

Sport Retirement: What happens when the game’s over?

Like it or not, all sport careers eventually end. Age, injury, family decisions, or other factors will determine how your competitive athletic career will end or be adapted. Like many athletes, especially elites, you may feel that the transition is abrupt. Your life and identity may revolve around sport. Your loss may cause emotional, financial, or personal challenges that [...]

2021-09-07T22:12:50+00:00By Alex Oldham|Career, Lacrosse, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing, Swimming|