ATHLETES AND Performers

THE MENTAL SIDE OF PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

Counselling for athletes and performers navigating pressure, setbacks, and the weight of expectations.

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Training builds your body.
What about your mind?

You’ve put in the hours. You know what you’re capable of. But when the pressure is on, something gets in the way: a tight body, a split-second hesitation, a mind that won’t quiet down, a confidence that disappears after one bad day.

Stress, fear, and self-doubt don’t stay in your head. They show up in how you move, how you sleep, and how you recover. That’s the mental and emotional side of performance, and it deserves as much attention as your training.

Does this sound familiar?

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    I perform well in training, but I tighten up when it counts.

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    One mistake or bad result, and my confidence takes days to come back.

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    I’m afraid of failing, letting people down, or getting hurt again.

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    My motivation comes and goes, and it’s hard to stay consistent.

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    So much of who I am is tied to my sport, and I’m not sure who I am without it.

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    I’m facing a big transition: an injury, deselection, or the end of my career.

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    The pressure is affecting my sleep, my relationships, or my love for what I do.

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    I feel pressure to perform, and it’s hard to stay focused under all this stress.

Your Mind & Body are One System

Why the mental side shows up in your body.

When your mind senses a threat, like a big competition, a high-stakes moment, or the memory of an injury, your body responds. Muscles tighten. Your heart rate climbs. Your attention narrows. Sleep and recovery suffer. Fear of re-injury can quietly change the way you move.

This isn’t weakness. It’s how humans are wired. Working on the mental and emotional side supports everything you’re doing physically.

Counselling doesn’t replace your coach, trainer, or physio. It supports the work you’re already doing with them.

WHO I WORK WITH

I support people whose performance depends on both mind and body, including:

  • Competitive, varsity, and elite athletes

  • Youth athletes

  • Recreational and endurance athletes chasing big goals

  • Coaches carrying the pressure of their athletes and programs

  • Dancers, musicians, and other performers

  • Athletes returning from injury — Learn More about Injury & Recovery

  • Athletes navigating retirement, deselection, or a change in direction

How can Mike help?

Every athlete is different. We’ll build a plan around you and what you’re working toward:

  • Manage pressure. Practical tools to calm your body and focus your mind, so pressure sharpens you instead of shutting you down.

  • Rebuild confidence after setbacks. Challenge the limiting beliefs and harsh self-talk that follow a mistake, a loss, or a bad season.

  • Work through fear. Fear of failure, of letting people down, or of getting hurt again, so it stops holding you back.

  • Process the emotional side. Frustration, anger, disappointment, and low mood are part of sport too.

  • Find consistent motivation. Discover your strengths and set goals rooted in your values, so you keep showing up when motivation dips.

  • Strengthen your identity. Answer the question “who am I outside of my sport?” so your sense of self doesn’t rise and fall with your results.

  • Build habits that last. Create routines and plan for setbacks, so the progress you make sticks.

  • Use gratitude as a tool. Gratitude keeps you connected to why you started, especially when you’re not seeing results.

WHY This Matters to Me

As a coach with Canada’s National Development Halfpipe Ski Team, I saw how often talent was held back by pressure, fear, and self-doubt, not by ability.

Then in 2013, a crash on the job left me paralyzed from the neck down. My recovery taught me firsthand that the mind and body heal and perform together.

Today I bring my coaching background, my lived experience, and my clinical training as a Registered Clinical Counsellor to help you perform and live from a steadier place.

“Mike’s ability to overcome adversity is unparalleled. After going through any athlete’s worst nightmare, he’s taken a seemingly tragic experience and used it to motivate, inspire, and uplift everyone around him. Many of the tools and outlooks he uses I was taught firsthand by Mike and went on to win an Olympic Gold Medal”

— Cassie Sharpe, Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, Freestyle Skiing, on working with Mike as her coach.

  • No. I’m a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). I provide counselling that focuses on the mental and emotional side of performance: pressure, confidence, fear, mood, and identity. If you need more specialized support, I’m happy to help you find it.

  • No. This is counselling, tailored for you. There’s no fixed package. We’ll decide together what you need and how often we meet.

  • Not at all. If pressure, fear, or self-doubt is getting in the way of something you care about, it’s worth working on, at any level.

  • With your consent, I’m happy to coordinate with your coach, trainer, or physio so we’re all working in the same direction.

  • Yes. We’ll talk at the start about how parents or guardians will be involved, so everyone knows what to expect.

  • Many extended health plans cover Registered Clinical Counsellors. I bill directly through Telus Health (including Canada Life, Manulife, and other providers in its network), Pacific Blue Cross, GreenShield, and Sun Life.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ways to work together

Gratus Health offers virtual counselling across BC, in-person sessions in downtown Victoria, and walk-and-talk sessions in Greater Victoria.

Direct billing is available through Telus Health (including Canada Life, Manulife, and other providers on its network), Pacific Blue Cross, GreenShield, and Sun Life.

Book a Free 20-min CONSULTATION

Let’s talk about how we can help you move forward. Schedule your free consultation with Mike to see if it’s a fit.

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