As an athlete, professional, or high performer, you already know how to train hard. But when a mental block hits, your physical conditioning isn't always enough to override it.
Performance anxiety, the "yips," sudden slumps, and the fear of re-injury aren't character flaws or a lack of discipline. They are survival responses. When you experience a sports-related setback, your nervous system can get "stuck" in a fight-or-flight loop, causing your body to overthink movements that used to be second nature.
Traditional talk therapy can help you understand your performance anxiety, but it doesn't always clear the stress response held in your body. Our specialized intensives bridge the gap between brain and body to restore your competitive edge.
Mental Blocks & The Yips: Clear the sudden, frustrating loss of muscle memory and execution, breaking you out of performance slumps.
Injury Recovery & Physical Trauma: Reprocess the psychological impact of major injuries, neutralizing the lingering fear of re-injury and body-betrayal grief.
Competitive Pressure & Perfectionism: Tame a loud inner critic, eliminate subconscious self-sabotage, and maintain a calm focus when the stakes are highest.
Burnout & Career Transitions: Navigate pressure, intense training fatigue, or the identity shifts that come with retirement or pivoting away from sport.
Traditional therapy models aren't always built for the demanding schedules of athletes and high performers. Here is how our accelerated structure shifts the timeline:
50-minute weekly sessions that require months to build momentum.
Frequent interruptions due to strict training, travel, or competition schedules.
Spending the first 15 minutes of every session catching up, losing valuable processing momentum.
Targeted half-day or multi-day blocks for rapid, deep neural rewiring.
Compressed timelines designed completely around your active season or off-season.
Maximized efficiency. We get straight to the root of the block and stay there until it clears.
Athletes seek Sports Performance Intensives for many different reasons. While every athlete's experience is unique, some of the most common concerns include:
Competition anxiety
Choking under pressure
Fear of failure
Fear of reinjury
Loss of confidence after a mistake or poor performance
Difficulty moving on from a disappointing season
Performance inconsistency
Perfectionism
Burnout
Difficulty trusting their training
Persistent self-doubt
Trouble returning to competition after injury
Whether these challenges developed gradually or began after a specific event, they can interfere with an athlete's ability to perform at the level they know they're capable of. An EMDR Sports Performance Intensive provides dedicated time to address these barriers and help you move forward with greater confidence and flexibility.
Our intensives combine two of the most effective, evidence-based modalities for peak athletic conditioning:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) isn't just for traditional trauma; it is a powerful tool for athletic optimization. By utilizing structured bilateral stimulation (like side-to-side eye movements or tapping), EMDR desensitizes the neural "alarm system" linked to past failures, bad games, or injuries. This unlocks your brain's ability to access fluent, intuitive muscle memory without the interference of overthinking.
During your intensive, we utilize HeartMath® technology to measure your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in real time. You will visually see how stress impacts your cardiac rhythms and learn exact somatic breathing tools to shift your autonomic nervous system out of "survival mode" and into a state of psychophysiological coherence—the clinical definition of being "in the zone."
Not ready for a full intensive program yet? Take a somatic tool with you to your next event. Download our free Pre-Competition Mental Preparation Checklist to learn how to actively regulate your nervous system under intense pressure.
[ Download the Free Checklist Now ]
Whether you are a competitive athlete looking to return to form after an injury, a professional facing high-stakes performance blocks, or an elite performer looking for a competitive edge in Denver, let's build an intensive plan tailored specifically to your goals.
Reach out to schedule a free, 30-minute consultation today to discuss your goals and see if an intensive program is the right fit for you.
FAQ's
Performance anxiety often involves more than nerves before competition. It can develop after difficult performances, injuries, repeated mistakes, or experiences that cause the brain to associate competition with danger rather than challenge. EMDR helps process these experiences so they become less emotionally disruptive. Many athletes find they are better able to stay present and trust their training after addressing these underlying patterns.
An EMDR Sports Performance Intensive is an extended therapy session designed specifically for athletes and high performers. Rather than meeting weekly over several months, intensive sessions provide dedicated time to focus on the experiences, beliefs, and emotional patterns that may be interfering with performance. This format allows for deeper work while minimizing disruption to training, school, or work schedules.
Weekly therapy provides steady progress over time, while an intensive condenses several weeks or months of therapeutic work into one or more extended sessions. Intensives are often a good option for athletes preparing for an upcoming season, returning from injury, working through a specific performance block, or wanting focused treatment without committing to weekly appointments.
No. While EMDR is well known for treating trauma, athletes often seek EMDR for experiences that continue to affect confidence or performance even if they would not describe them as traumatic. Examples include a difficult competition, repeated performance setbacks, fear of reinjury, or persistent self-doubt. Treatment is individualized based on your goals and experiences.
Many athletes find that one disappointing performance continues to affect future competitions. They may replay mistakes, lose confidence, or become increasingly anxious under pressure. EMDR can help reduce the emotional intensity connected to these memories so they no longer have the same influence on future performance.
Returning to sport after an injury is often physically and mentally challenging. Even when the body has healed, athletes may experience hesitation, fear of reinjury, or reduced confidence. EMDR can be incorporated into treatment to address the emotional impact of injury and support a more confident return to competition.
Sports Performance Intensives may be appropriate for athletes who experience:
Performance anxiety before competition
Fear of failure
Fear of reinjury
Loss of confidence
Mental blocks during competition
Difficulty recovering after mistakes
Perfectionism
Burnout
Trouble trusting their preparation
Athletes at the high school, collegiate, recreational, and professional levels may benefit from this approach when performance challenges are interfering with their goals.
In-person sessions are available in Denver, Colorado. Telehealth services are also available for individuals located in Colorado and Iowa, provided they are appropriate for your needs and consistent with state licensing requirements.
Intensive sessions are customized based on your goals and the concerns you would like to address. During your consultation, we'll discuss the recommended format, expected preparation, and whether an intensive or weekly therapy would be the best fit.
An intensive may be a good fit if you've been working hard physically but continue to feel mentally stuck. If anxiety, confidence issues, difficult past performances, or fear of reinjury continue to interfere despite your preparation, an intensive offers an opportunity to address these barriers in a focused, structured format.
I work with athletes across a variety of sports and competitive levels, including high school, collegiate, recreational, and adult athletes. Whether you're preparing for a championship season, returning from injury, or looking to perform more consistently under pressure, treatment is tailored to your individual sport and goals.
Yes. Therapy is designed to complement—not replace—the work you're doing with your coach. Coaches help you develop physical skills and strategy, while therapy addresses psychological and emotional barriers that may be interfering with your ability to apply those skills consistently.
Sports Performance Intensives are designed for individual athletes. If you're interested in workshops, presentations, or consultation for teams or organizations, please reach out to discuss available options.
Following your intensive, we'll discuss recommendations for continued progress. Depending on your goals, this may include follow-up therapy sessions, additional EMDR work, or practical strategies to help you apply what you've learned during training and competition.
If the athlete is a minor, parents or legal guardians are involved in the intake and consent process. The initial consultation is an opportunity to determine whether an EMDR Sports Performance Intensive is appropriate based on the athlete's age, goals, and individual needs.
The goal of an EMDR Sports Performance Intensive is not to guarantee better athletic performance. Rather, treatment focuses on reducing psychological barriers that may interfere with performing at your potential. Every athlete's experience is unique, and outcomes vary based on individual circumstances.
EMDR Sports Performance Intensives are private-pay services. Depending on your insurance plan and the nature of treatment you may be able to utilize HSA/FSA funds. We'll review fees and payment options during your consultation.
Sports psychology and EMDR Sports Performance Therapy share the goal of helping athletes perform at their best, but they often approach challenges differently. Sports psychology frequently emphasizes mental skills such as goal setting, visualization, confidence, and focus. EMDR Sports Performance Therapy may also include these strategies, while addressing experiences and memories that continue to trigger anxiety, self-doubt, or performance blocks. For some athletes, combining skill-building with processing underlying experiences creates a more complete approach.