Professional
Counseling
Professional
Counseling
athlete mental health faqs
Why therapy for athletes?
Athletes perform in environments defined by pressure, evaluation, and constant comparison. Over time, that pressure can shape identity, confidence, and emotional well-being. Therapy gives athletes a structured space to process stress, setbacks, injuries, and expectations without judgment.
Mental health therapy for athletes isn’t only about crisis or burnout. It helps athletes understand how their psychology affects performance, resilience, recovery, and motivation. Many athletes are taught to push through discomfort physically, but emotional strain accumulates if it’s never addressed.
Therapy strengthens the mental side of sport — the part that determines how an athlete responds under pressure, adapts after mistakes, and sustains a long career.
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What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety in athletes?
Anxiety in athletes doesn’t always look like obvious panic. It often shows up as chronic tension around performance, training, or expectations.
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Common signs include:
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Excessive worry about mistakes or failure
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Difficulty relaxing even during rest days
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Racing thoughts before competitions
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Sleep disturbances
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Muscle tension or stomach issues
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Irritability or emotional reactivity
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Overanalyzing performance
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Fear of letting others down
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Avoidance of high-pressure situations
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Athletes with anxiety often appear highly functional on the outside while feeling mentally exhausted internally.
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What is burnout in athletes?
Athlete burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and pressure.
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Signs of burnout include:
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Dread around training or competition
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Emotional detachment from sport
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Feeling trapped or resentful
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Declining performance despite effort
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Chronic fatigue
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Cynicism toward coaches or teammates
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Loss of enjoyment in the sport
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Burnout often develops gradually and is common in athletes who push through stress without adequate recovery.
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What are the signs and symptoms of depression in athletes?
Depression in athletes is frequently misunderstood because high performers can continue training and competing while struggling internally.
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Symptoms may include:
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Loss of motivation or passion for sport
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Emotional numbness or persistent sadness
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Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
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Decreased confidence
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Social withdrawal
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Changes in appetite or sleep
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Feeling disconnected from teammates
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Increased self-criticism
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Hopelessness about performance or the future
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Depression is not weakness — it is a treatable mental health condition that can affect even elite athletes.
How does therapy help athletes?
Therapy helps athletes identify patterns that interfere with performance and replace them with healthier mental frameworks. Insight-based work improves both emotional regulation and competitive mindset.
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Athletes often report improvements in:
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Performing under pressure
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Confidence and self-trust
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Focus during competition
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Recovery after mistakes
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Injury rehabilitation mindset
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Fear of failure or choking
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Anxiety before events
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Communication with coaches and teammates
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Burnout prevention
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Identity outside of sport
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The goal isn’t just symptom relief — it’s building a psychological foundation that supports consistent, high-level performance and personal well-being.
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What is performance anxiety in athletes?
Performance anxiety is a sport-specific form of anxiety that appears in situations where an athlete feels evaluated or judged.
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It may include:
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Fear of choking or making mistakes
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Overthinking mechanics during competition
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Physical symptoms like shaking or nausea
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Tight muscles or restricted breathing
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Mental blanking under pressure
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Hyper-focus on outcomes instead of process
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Performance anxiety isn’t a lack of talent — it’s the nervous system reacting to perceived stakes.
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What is the difference between general anxiety and performance anxiety?
General anxiety affects many areas of life: relationships, health, work, or daily functioning.
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Performance anxiety is more situational. It’s triggered by evaluation, competition, or pressure to succeed.
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An athlete can have:
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Performance anxiety without generalized anxiety
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Generalized anxiety that worsens during competition
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Both conditions interacting
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Understanding the difference helps determine the right therapeutic approach.
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Why do athletes experience performance anxiety?
Performance anxiety develops from a combination of psychological, biological, and environmental factors:
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Fear of failure or disappointing others
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Identity tied too closely to performance
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High expectations from coaches or family
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Past negative competitive experiences
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Perfectionism
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Pressure from scholarships or career stakes
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Nervous system sensitivity to stress
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In many athletes, performance anxiety is not about lack of preparation — it’s about how the brain interprets pressure.
With the right support, athletes can learn to regulate stress, rebuild confidence, and perform more freely.
High Achievers & Professionals mental health FAQs
Why therapy for high achievers?
High achievers often live in a cycle of productivity, responsibility, and expectation. Success can mask stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. Many high performers appear functional while privately struggling with pressure, perfectionism, or fear of slowing down.
Therapy offers a space to examine the internal drivers behind achievement — ambition, identity, self-worth, and fear of failure. Without insight, high achievers can become trapped in overwork, burnout, or chronic dissatisfaction despite outward success.
Therapy helps high achievers align performance with psychological health so success feels sustainable rather than draining.
What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety in high achievers and professionals?
Anxiety in high achievers often hides behind productivity. Many professionals continue functioning at a high level while experiencing constant internal pressure.
Common signs include:
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Persistent worry about performance or reputation
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Difficulty relaxing, even during downtime
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Racing thoughts about work
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Overpreparing or overworking to avoid mistakes
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Sleep disturbances
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Muscle tension, headaches, or stomach issues
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Irritability or emotional reactivity
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Fear of disappointing others
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Trouble disconnecting from work
Because high achievers are skilled at pushing through discomfort, anxiety can go unnoticed until it becomes chronic.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression in high achievers?
Depression doesn’t always look like withdrawal or inactivity. Many professionals remain outwardly successful while feeling internally depleted.
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Symptoms may include:
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Loss of motivation despite career success
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Emotional numbness or persistent sadness
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Fatigue that rest doesn’t fix
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Decreased satisfaction from achievements
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Social withdrawal
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Increased self-criticism
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Difficulty concentrating
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Changes in sleep or appetite
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Feeling disconnected from purpose
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High-functioning depression is common in professionals who feel they “should” be happy but aren’t.
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What is burnout in high achievers and professionals?
Burnout is emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and overperformance.
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Signs of burnout include:
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Dread around work
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Cynicism toward career or colleagues
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Chronic fatigue
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Reduced productivity
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Feeling trapped by responsibilities
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Irritability or detachment
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Loss of meaning in work
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Resentment toward demands
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Declining performance despite effort
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Burnout isn’t laziness — it’s a stress injury to the nervous system.
How does therapy help high achievers?
Therapy helps high achievers develop awareness of the patterns that fuel both success and stress. Insight-based work allows clients to keep their ambition while reducing emotional cost.
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High achievers often report improvements in:
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Managing pressure without burnout
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Perfectionism and self-criticism
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Work-life boundaries
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Emotional regulation
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Confidence that isn’t performance-dependent
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Decision-making clarity
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Relationship dynamics
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Stress recovery
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Motivation without exhaustion
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Long-term career sustainability
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Therapy doesn’t reduce drive — it refines it. The goal is sustainable success supported by emotional stability and psychological flexibility.
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What is work performance anxiety?
Work performance anxiety is fear or distress tied to evaluation, visibility, or high-stakes professional situations.
It may include:
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Fear of making mistakes publicly
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Overthinking presentations or decisions
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Physical symptoms before meetings or deadlines
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Mental blanking under pressure
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Excessive self-monitoring
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Avoidance of visibility or leadership roles
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Perfectionistic paralysis
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This form of anxiety is situational and tied to perceived consequences of failure.
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What is work performance anxiety?
Work performance anxiety is fear or distress tied to evaluation, visibility, or high-stakes professional situations.
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It may include:
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Fear of making mistakes publicly
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Overthinking presentations or decisions
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Physical symptoms before meetings or deadlines
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Mental blanking under pressure
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Excessive self-monitoring
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Avoidance of visibility or leadership roles
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Perfectionistic paralysis
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This form of anxiety is situational and tied to perceived consequences of failure.
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What is the difference between anxiety and performance anxiety?
General anxiety affects many areas of life — health, relationships, finances, and daily functioning.
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Performance anxiety is triggered by evaluation or high-stakes situations. It’s situational rather than constant.
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A professional may experience:
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Performance anxiety without generalized anxiety
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General anxiety that intensifies under evaluation
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Both interacting and reinforcing each other
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Understanding the distinction helps guide effective treatment.
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Why do high achievers and professionals experience performance anxiety?
Performance anxiety often develops from internal and external pressures tied to success.
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Common contributors include:
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Identity tied to achievement
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Fear of losing status or credibility
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Perfectionism
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High personal standards
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Competitive work environments
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Past professional failures
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Imposter syndrome
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Chronic stress exposure
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Fear of disappointing others
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In high achievers, performance anxiety isn’t a lack of skill — it’s a nervous system reacting to perceived stakes. With the right therapeutic work, professionals can reduce fear, regulate stress, and perform with greater clarity and confidence.
Therapy FAQS: What to expect & how it works
How long will I need to be in therapy?
There’s no universal timeline — therapy is personal and tailored to you. Insight-based depth work focuses on creating meaningful, lasting change. Brynne helps prioritize what needs attention first so you can experience immediate relief while also building a longer-term plan that addresses underlying patterns.
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Many clients begin noticing shifts within 6–8 sessions. If you attend weekly, that’s roughly 6–8 weeks. Greater spacing between sessions can extend the timeline. Clients with more intense symptoms often start weekly and taper frequency as relief increases.
How long will it take to feel better?
Therapy isn’t instant, but it’s not endless either. Many people feel some relief after the first session simply from being heard. Change typically happens gradually. Small shifts accumulate over 6–8 months, and clients often begin noticing they’re responding differently, coping better, and handling situations with greater clarity and control by 10–12 months.
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Even after clients reach their goals and experience improved functioning or performance, many choose to continue therapy. Insight-based depth work helps maintain progress and provides ongoing space for guidance, reflection, and perspective as new life challenges arise.
How often will I need to attend therapy?
Typically, my clients who work with me on a weekly or bi-weekly basis start to feel relief around 6 to 8 weeks, notice major changes around 6 to 8 months, & make significant progress towards their goals after 1 year.
How do I schedule, change, or cancel appointments?
The client portal allows you to schedule your appointments on your device, at your convenience. You simply select from the available time slots & a request will be sent directly to me. You can cancel your appointment at any time so long as it is at least 48 hours in advance. To change your appointment, cancel the original & submit a request for a new one.
How much does therapy cost?
The price of therapy is generally based on the length of the session, the service(s) being provided, & the number of individuals or providers in attendance. An overview of rates is outlined below.
How do I pay for services?
The client portal lets you enter your preferred payment method. Charges will process electronically after each appointment, which helps avoid detracting from your session. The client portal will also notify you when your invoices & superbills become available to you which can be downloaded & saved to your own device.
Who do you work with?
While my practice does have a primary focus on athletes & anxiety, I am committed to working with individuals from all backgrounds who are dealing with mental health challenges related to anxiety & depression. I aim to provide support to anyone in need, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, can access the help they need.
Why don't you accept insurance?
I do not accept payment via the client's insurance provider. However, if you receive any out-of-network benefits from your insurance coverage, I can provide a receipt (aka superbill) with the necessary details you'll need to submit a request for reimbursement from your insurance carrier if applicable.
I empathize with how frustrating it is not only to understand how insurance works but also to find providers who accept payment from insurance companies. To help shed some additional light on the intricacies of health insurance, I have provided some resources below.
therapy FAQS: The process
The First Step: The Consultation
Therapy is like any other service. You get to try it before you buy it!
Brynne offers complimentary consultations to provide prospective clients the opportunity to get a feel for whether or not she & her approach to therapy may be a good fit for you. Consultations are about 15 to 20 minutes over the phone & can be scheduled at your convenience. Schedule Now >>
The Second Step: The Intake
After the consultation, it's entirely up to you whether or not you'd like to move forward & schedule an intake appointment. From there, you'll receive access to your personal client portal where you'll fill out a few questionnaires to help paint or more thorough picture of what is going on & your history. During the 90-minute intake appointment, Brynne will review the questionnaires with you to assess your symptoms, discuss what brings you to therapy in more depth, establish preliminary goals, & present her clinical recommendations for session frequency & primary areas of focus for initial treatment.
The Third Step: Follow-Up Sessions
After the intake assessment, Brynne will make a clinician recommendation for session frequency based on the severity of your symptoms, needs, & goals. Ultimately, the frequency of visits is your choice. Most often, people schedule weekly or bi-weekly appointments. Each follow-up session is 50 minutes & scheduled on the hour. Brynne uses the last 10 minutes of the hour for note-taking, patient care, & treatment planning in order to ensure progress.
Individual Therapy
in a nutshell
Brynne tailors her therapeutic approach to align with your unique needs & goals. She believes understanding the past is essential to understanding the present & creating change. This is why she blends insights from Psychoanalysis with a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Throughout your sessions, Brynne helps you explore your life history & untangle the underlying sources that are either triggering or exacerbating your emotional distress. Over time, the collaborative work both within & outside of sessions facilitates the development of more effective coping strategies & fosters the transformation of thought & behavioral patterns that contribute to emotional distress. Ultimately, this process can empower you to take control of your anxiety rather than allowing anxiety to control you.
Experience overview
Brynne has experience addressing a wide array of mental health challenges, including depression, mood disorders, personality disorders, relationship issues, & more. Through this experience, Brynne uncovered & cultivated her passion for anxiety & its treatment because of it's prevalence, negative impacts, yet relative ease with which it can be improved. In 2020, she founded her private practice, Peak Pursuits, primarily offering telehealth services to individuals aged twelve & older.