Value-based training to energize your performance.

Mind Athlete is here to help you improve. We believe in a value-based approach to performance – rather than just focusing on achieving the next milestone, the goal is to feel great doing it (whatever feeling great means to you).

Together, we work to:

Engage your personal strength,

Energize towards your goals,

and remember to

Enjoy the process.

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An athlete is commonly defined as a person who is trained or skilled in activities requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. A Mind Athlete is therefore a person who is trained or skilled in activities requiring mental strength, agility, or stamina – or to put it simply: mental capacity. Working with Mind Athlete will help you develop mental capacity to perform in all areas of your life.

Does your performance suffer due to anxiety, distractions, or frustration?

Do you wish you could consistently feel motivated, confident and focused, even in the most demanding and stressful situations?

Through coaching based in sport & performance psychology and leading research in stress resilience, we work to help you identify precise areas for growth, then create a training program which includes tangible mental skills practice. Training is structured to develop five elements of focus, which increase mental capacity: awareness, intention, self-regulation, attention and self-trust.

  • Awareness is knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists.

    At any given moment while climbing, preparing to climb, or resting we can be aware of what is happening. Things to be aware of that specifically impact our climbing are body awareness, thoughts, emotions, nervous system arousal level, hazards, what we enjoy, why we enjoy it, etc. 

    Cultivating the skill of awareness is the foundational element of focus. If we are unaware, we won’t be able to effectively develop and apply the additional elements. Therefore, the Mind Athlete system begins with basic awareness exercises before moving on to other elements.

  • Intentions is a determination to act in a certain way with a purpose or goal in mind.

    Intentions can be made based on our goals. They can be larger intentions made in preparation for a day at the crag or a training session at the gym. Or they can be smaller route by route or move by move intentions. The goal is to clarify intentions, first between training and performance, and second specifically on desired outcome. Once we cultivate the ability to direct our attention, we are more able to direct attention towards our intended actions/behaviors. 

    Intention is very closely related to motivation. If you struggle with motivation, get frustrated easily, feel a lack of self confidence, suffer from performance anxiety, there’s a good chance working on clarity of intentions will help improve your climbing experience.

  • Self-regulation is all about managing nervous system arousal. Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being alert and ready to respond to stimuli.

    Nervous system arousal, correlated with stress and engagement in an activity, directly impacts our performance. Arousal can be on a spectrum from disengaged to panic. To perform at a high level, we want to be somewhere close to the center.

  • Attention is the act or state of applying the mind to something.

    At it’s core, training the mind is all about cultivating the ability to pay attention to what is important now.

    At any given moment our attention can be internally or externally directed, broadly aware or narrowly focused, observing or processing. Our goal in training is to be able to direct our attention on the appropriate thing based on our intention.

  • Trust is the firm belief in the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.

    Self-trust is about making committing decisions. It is the necessary component in the space between intention and execution of a behavior. I think of the self-trust element of focus as having three distinct parts: 

    • Having an accurate perception of your ability and the hazards

    • Making a decision to act based on analysis of risk

    • Then releasing attachment to outcome

TRAINING OPTIONS

Mind Athlete Training App

Mental & Physical Training for Climbers
$45/month

The Mind Athlete Training App includes a training program with tangible exercises for climbers to boost their performance.

Recommended for climbers who have moderate to zero training experience.

Program includes sessions with both physical and mental exercises: 

  • Rope climbing, which can be done indoors or outdoors

  • Bouldering sessions (indoor recommended to maintain the correct difficulty)

  • Weight training sessions, designed for climbers to develop a solid foundation of strength and power

  • Tangible mental exercises and mobility exercise are built in to the above sessions

Best Value

Mind Athlete Coaching Program

1:1 Ongoing Support
$295/month

The Mind Athlete Coaching Program provides the most individualized 1:1 ongoing coaching support.

Recommended for those who are committed to improving their performance (any level).

Program includes:

  • Weekly zoom sessions 

  • Unlimited email/text support

  • Access to the Mind Athlete Training App

  • 20% off outdoor coaching sessions at crags around Lander, Wyoming

This is the "I'm here for you" coaching option, where I can really get to know you and your climbing and provide lots of guidance. This is the best option for continued performance improvement at any level.

Coaching

Coaching & Outdoor Climbing Sessions
$125/hr or $650/day

Virtual or in-person sessions in Lander, Wyoming. In-person can be meetings or at the crag.

Recommended for those looking for support on a specific skill (mental or physical).

Sessions are customizable – We can meet to focus on mental skills/tactics OR go to the crag for coaching on mental skills, technical skills, tactics and/or movement.

  • Technical skills/tactics can include: bigwall skills, self-rescue techniques, trad climbing, onsighting and projecting tactics, multi-pitch efficiency, and more.

  • For sessions at the crag, a climbing partner can join at no additional cost.

  • After our session, you’ll receive a plan with tangible exercises for continued practice.

Mental training saved my relationship with climbing.

Hi, I'm Josie and I'll be your coach as you train to improve performance and enjoyment.

From 2015 to 2017, the combination of search and rescue work, constant pressure to perform in my personal climbing and being involved in a terrible incident, all but destroyed my relationship to climbing. I was constantly stressed and dreaded going climbing. (Read more of my story here.)

This is why I’ve devoted my career to helping others boost their mental capacity, energy and passion.