Life 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|

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|

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|

Anxiety is No Joke
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Anxiety is No Joke

Life, Mental Health

Anxiety is No Joke

Anxiety disorders (there are several kinds) are some of the most common mental health concerns. Anxiety or feelings of anxiousness are normal in day-to-day life, maybe you feel anxious when having a difficult conversation, making decisions, or taking a test, however, anxiety disorders are much more than worry or fear. Anxiety disorders can disrupt daily work, school, sports, and [...]

2021-05-07T16:12:00+00:00By Becca Beauchemin|Life, Mental Health|

USOPC Expands Support of Mental Health!
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USOPC Expands Support of Mental Health!

Life, Mental Health, Other

USOPC Expands Support of Mental Health!

Excerpt from 5/3/2021 USOPC Press Release The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today joins the movement to promote Mental Health Awareness Month by announcing the launch of an online registry of mental health providers and unveiling an around-the-clock mental health support line for Team USA athletes. These resources are the latest developments in the USOPC’s ongoing commitment to [...]

2021-05-07T01:56:14+00:00By timothyherzog|Life, Mental Health, Other|

Smoke and Mirrors: Tips for female athletes seeing body image more clearly
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Smoke and Mirrors: Tips for female athletes seeing body image more clearly

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

Smoke and Mirrors: Tips for female athletes seeing body image more clearly

While the benefits of sport participation (academic success, physical fitness, learning critical life skills, etc.) often lend to overall mental and physical well-being, it’s important to recognize some of the struggles athletes experience when living, performing, and competing under heightened expectations from themselves or others. Body image is one concept that tends to have a more negative connotation in [...]

2021-03-09T20:34:39+00:00By Alex Oldham|Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|

Mental Health in Youth Sports- A brief interview
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Mental Health in Youth Sports- A brief interview

Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Other, Performance

Mental Health in Youth Sports- A brief interview

Recently, Dr. Herzog was interviewed on the status of addressing mental health in youth sports and how it impacts both their performance and overall wellbeing. We thought it was prudent to share his responses with our community! What do you think is the biggest impact that mental health issues in youth sports has on the future of the athletes? [...]

2021-02-24T22:41:16+00:00By timothyherzog|Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Other, Performance|

Coping with Holiday Stress
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Coping with Holiday Stress

Career, Life, Mental Health

Coping with Holiday Stress

Pandemic or not, holidays can be stressful. Traveling gets chaotic; even being at home with a smaller segment of your family during a pandemic can feel chaotic! Family members can love each other dearly AND know exactly how to push each other’s buttons. Gift giving and receiving can be fraught with hopes and expectations (and gifts can be expensive [...]

2020-12-22T19:02:21+00:00By Alex Oldham|Career, Life, Mental Health|