Mental Performance therapy illustration

Mental Performance Therapists in Canada

A psychology-based approach that helps athletes, performers, and professionals build the mental skills needed to perform consistently under pressure.

What to look for in a Mental Performance therapist on Purple Lotus

  • Training in sport or performance psychology (CSPA, AASP, or graduate degree)
  • Experience in your specific performance domain (sport, music, professional)
  • Goal-directed, structured approach with clear skill development
  • Ability to refer to clinical support if deeper concerns arise

2 therapists for Mental Performance in Canada

Browse 2 therapists specializing in Mental Performance. Find the right counsellor or psychotherapist for your needs.

Jess Tang

Jess Tang

You deserve to be seen and heard, not just for what you achieve, but for who you are. I specialize in supporting athletes, high achievers, and Asian and racialized individuals navigating anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, identity, cultural expectations, and performance-related stress. Much of my work focuses on helping clients untangle their relationship with achievement, productivity, and self-worth while building a more grounded and secure sense of identity. Many of my clients are capable, driven, and deeply responsible. On the outside, they appear high-functioning. Internally, they may be carrying pressure, self-doubt, anxiety, burnout, or a quiet sense that their worth is conditional on success. Despite their accomplishments, they often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to perform, disconnected from themselves, or unsure of who they are outside of achievement and productivity. I also work closely with athletes and teams across club, varsity, and national team sport environments. My work in mental performance focuses on confidence, emotional regulation, resilience, pressure management, performance anxiety, fear of failure, burnout, motivation, focus, injury recovery, and identity outside of sport. I support athletes through both performance enhancement and the mental health challenges that can emerge within competitive environments. As an Asian-Canadian and second-generation immigrant myself, my lived experiences deeply shape how I approach therapy and mental health. I understand how difficult it can feel to navigate multiple cultural worlds while balancing expectations around success, responsibility, achievement, and emotional expression. Many of the clients I work with carry invisible pressure — pressure to succeed, pressure to make others proud, pressure to not disappoint others, or pressure to struggle silently while appearing “fine” on the outside. I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely seen, understood, and supported. Therapy with me is collaborative, compassionate, and grounded in curiosity rather than judgment. Together, we work to better understand the patterns, experiences, and beliefs that may be keeping you stuck while helping you build a healthier and more sustainable relationship with yourself, your emotions, and your goals. In addition to my counselling work, I have over 11 years of experience coaching wrestling and have held leadership positions at both the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) and National Sport Organization (NSO) levels. I have also worked with Canadian Women & Sport for the past three years. These experiences continue to shape my understanding of performance culture, athlete development, and the systemic pressures that many individuals face within high-performance environments. My approach to counselling is strengths-based, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and grounded in evidence-informed practices. I believe therapy should feel tailored to you and your unique experiences rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. If you’re looking for a therapist who understands the nuances of Asian mental health, the internal world of high achievers, or the mental demands of athletics, I would be honoured to walk alongside you. I offer a culturally attuned space to unpack these experiences, without shame or blame, so you can move toward a more integrated sense of self.

Hybrid
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Nathan Walton

Nathan Walton

I am currently completing my clinical residency at Yorkville University via True Self Counselling. I practice under supervision of a highly experienced therapist, and am scheduled to graduate in May 2026. I specialize in working with people who feel wired differently - highly sensitive, gifted, neurodiverse, or twice/thrice exceptional. You may see the world in ways others can’t, yet find yourself overwhelmed by sensory overload in a world that’s too loud. Therapy can help you honour your unique wiring, manage challenges, and create a life that truly fits.

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What is Mental Performance?

Mental performance work draws on sport and performance psychology to help people develop the mental side of their craft. It is used by competitive athletes, musicians, performers, students, and professionals who want to perform more consistently, manage pressure, and develop a stronger relationship with their own mind. The focus is practical: building skills like focus, confidence, composure under stress, and the ability to recover from setbacks.

Unlike general therapy, mental performance work is often goal-directed and structured around specific challenges tied to performance. That might mean a golfer who freezes before critical shots, a musician who struggles with audition anxiety, or an executive who loses composure in high-stakes presentations. Sessions typically combine skill-building with reflection on what gets in the way.

The field is rooted in decades of research in sport psychology. Applied sport psychologists and mental performance consultants use evidence-based techniques including visualization, attention control training, self-talk restructuring, arousal regulation, and pre-performance routines. These tools have been studied in competitive sport since the 1970s and are now used across a range of performance contexts.

Who this approach may help

Athletes dealing with performance anxiety

People who feel confident in practice but struggle to perform at the same level in competition, or who experience physical anxiety symptoms that interfere with technique.

Anyone in a "yips" or slump

Athletes or performers experiencing a sudden loss of automatic skill, or a prolonged stretch of below-average performance that has not responded to technical fixes.

Performers and artists preparing for high-stakes moments

Musicians, actors, dancers, or public speakers who want to manage nerves, stay present, and access their best work when it matters most.

Professionals under high-pressure conditions

Executives, surgeons, first responders, or others in demanding roles who want to build consistent performance and manage the mental toll of high-stakes decisions.

Student athletes navigating identity and transition

Young athletes dealing with the psychological pressures of competition, parental expectations, college recruitment, or the emotional transition out of sport.

People returning from injury

Athletes who have recovered physically from an injury but struggle with fear of re-injury, loss of confidence, or difficulty trusting their body again.

What happens in a session?

  1. 1

    Assess the performance challenge

    The practitioner asks about specific situations where your performance is inconsistent or feels blocked, and what mental factors seem most relevant.

  2. 2

    Identify mental patterns

    Together, you examine thoughts, self-talk, attention habits, and emotional patterns that affect how you perform under pressure.

  3. 3

    Build targeted mental skills

    You learn and practice specific techniques, which might include visualization, breathing strategies, focus cues, or pre-performance routines tailored to your situation.

  4. 4

    Practice with increasing demand

    Skills are practiced in progressively more realistic conditions, from low-pressure rehearsal to simulated or actual performance environments.

  5. 5

    Review and adjust

    You and your practitioner review what is working, what is not, and adjust the approach based on real performance experiences.

How it compares to other approaches

General therapy (CBT, psychodynamic)

General therapy addresses psychological wellbeing broadly and may not be designed around performance goals. Mental performance work is goal-specific and often time-limited, focusing on skills rather than symptom reduction.

Life coaching

Coaching focuses on goal setting and accountability. Mental performance work is grounded in sport and performance psychology research and specifically targets the mental mechanisms that affect performance under pressure.

Anxiety therapy

Anxiety therapy addresses general anxiety and its impact on daily life. Mental performance work focuses specifically on performance-context anxiety, which often requires different techniques than those used for generalized anxiety.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

MBCT builds broad mindfulness skills to manage mood and thought patterns. Mental performance work may include mindfulness-based attention training, but applies it specifically to performance contexts and skill execution.

Sports medicine or physiotherapy

Sports medicine addresses physical injury and conditioning. Mental performance work addresses the psychological side of sport, though the two are often used together, particularly during injury rehabilitation.

How to choose a Mental Performance therapist

Questions to ask before booking:

  1. 1

    Ask about their training and credentials. Look for practitioners with a background in sport or performance psychology, such as a certification from the Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA) or the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), or a graduate degree in sport psychology.

  2. 2

    Ask whether they have worked with people in your specific performance domain. A practitioner with experience in team sport may approach performance differently than one who works primarily with musicians or corporate clients.

  3. 3

    Ask how they structure the work. Mental performance consultation is often shorter-term and goal-focused. Ask what the process looks like from assessment through to skill development and how progress is tracked.

  4. 4

    Ask whether they also do clinical therapy, or whether they work only with performance concerns. Some practitioners are licensed therapists who specialize in performance; others are consultants without clinical training. Knowing the difference matters if you are also dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma.

  5. 5

    Ask how they involve your sport or performance context. Good practitioners want to understand your specific environment, competitive demands, and the culture around your performance.

  6. 6

    Ask what happens if mental performance work reveals deeper psychological concerns. A qualified practitioner should be able to refer you to clinical support when appropriate.

When this may not be the right fit

Mental performance work is most effective when a person is psychologically stable. If you are dealing with significant clinical depression, an eating disorder, substance use, or active trauma symptoms, those concerns typically need to be addressed first or alongside performance work.

Performance problems are sometimes rooted in technical issues rather than mental ones. If your performance issues have not been reviewed by a coach or technical expert, it may be worth ruling out skill gaps before investing in mental performance consultation.

If your performance anxiety is part of a broader pattern of anxiety that affects daily life, a clinically trained therapist may be a better starting point than a performance consultant without clinical credentials.

Mental performance work is not a substitute for appropriate medical care. If physical symptoms like chronic fatigue, pain, or neurological changes are affecting your performance, consult a physician before attributing them to mental factors.

Related specialties

Frequently asked questions

What is mental performance work in therapy?

Mental performance work applies sport and performance psychology techniques to help athletes, performers, and professionals build mental skills for high-pressure situations. It covers focus, confidence, composure, visualization, and recovery from setbacks. It is distinct from general therapy in that it is goal-directed and centered on performance-specific challenges.

Who can benefit from mental performance support?

Athletes at any level, musicians, performers, public speakers, executives, and students may benefit. It is particularly relevant for people who perform well in low-pressure settings but struggle when stakes are high, or for anyone dealing with performance anxiety, slumps, or return from injury.

How is mental performance different from sports psychology?

Sports psychology is the broader field. Mental performance is an applied subset focused specifically on developing mental skills that affect performance, often in a consultation or coaching format. Many practitioners use both terms. Some sport psychologists are also licensed therapists who can address clinical concerns.

What techniques are used in mental performance sessions?

Common techniques include visualization and mental rehearsal, attention control training, self-talk restructuring, pre-performance routines, arousal regulation strategies, and goal-setting. The specific tools depend on the challenge and the performance context.

How long does mental performance work take?

It depends on the goal and situation. Some people see meaningful improvement in six to twelve sessions. Others work with a practitioner across a full competitive season. Mental performance consultation is often shorter-term than clinical therapy, with a clear skill-building focus.

Can mental performance support help with performance anxiety?

Yes. Performance anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek mental performance support. Practitioners help identify what is driving the anxiety and teach practical tools for managing arousal, staying present, and maintaining composure before and during performance.

Is mental performance work available online?

Yes. Many practitioners offer sessions online, and mental performance work is well-suited to virtual formats because it focuses on conversation, skill practice, and reflection rather than physical techniques. Check each therapist profile for session format options.

Looking for a Mental Performance therapist?

Browse therapists in Canada who specialize in mental performance. Filter by location, fee, and session format to find the right fit.