Sport & High Performance Psychology

In the 1920s and 1930s, athletes and performers began exploring the use of psychology’s latest scientific findings to improve their performance.

Early sport and performance psychologists focused on areas such as reaction time, information processing, memory, and personality traits.

By the 1970s and 1980s, the term "sport psychologist" could refer to a variety of roles: a kinesiologist, a psychological researcher in the lab, or a psychologist working directly with athletes and performers to address issues like motivation, stress management, and consistency.

Today, high-performance psychology, which draws on the fields of sport and exercise psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, and multicultural psychology, is recognized as a vital discipline. It supports individuals striving to lead meaningful lives—often in the public eye—by helping them manage the unique challenges of performing under pressure and scrutiny.

While both involve psychological support, sport and performance psychology focuses specifically on enhancing performance, building mental skills (like focus, confidence, and stress management), overcoming performance blocks, and optimizing the mental side of competition.

Regular therapy typically addresses mental health concerns, emotional difficulties, and life challenges. Some clients benefit from both simultaneously.

To be called a “psychologist” means an individual is a “licensed psychologist” in their state or territory of residence, meaning they have met the minimum professional criteria to be a licensed psychologist set by their state or province. In Colorado, for example, becoming a licensed psychologist requires meeting strict standards, which can be found here (DORA).

Not all psychologists have the same training or scope of practice. The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes only a few main types of licensed psychologists, including school psychologists, counseling psychologists, and clinical psychologists.

Sport and performance psychologists must have training in one of these general areas at the doctoral level, as well as additional specialized training in sport and performance psychology as a subspecialty of their practice. They provide psychological services to individuals who identify as performers, supporting them through challenging yet fulfilling experiences.

For providers who hold a masters degree only, they are not considered “sport psychologists” because they do not meet the state of Colorado’s minimum training requirements to be a “psychologist.”

At Atlas Psychology, Brooke and Bob are counseling psychologists, Adam is a clinical psychologist, and all three of us identify as sport psychologists. Our approach is informed by our personal interests, formal education, professional training, and experiences helping clients pursue their goals and perform at their best.

We build customized, evidence-based solutions designed to meet your unique needs as an athlete, leader, or high-performing professional.

Whether you’re seeking personal growth, mental health support, or peak performance, our integrated approach brings together clinical depth and sport psychology expertise.

Our services include:

• Mental health counseling for athletes, executives, and other high achievers.

• Comprehensive psychological testing and assessment, including ADHD and neurodivergence evaluations, personality and trauma assessments, and Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) support.

• Individual and team mental skills training to enhance focus, confidence, and resilience.

• Leadership and organizational consultation to strengthen communication, motivation, and culture.

• Performance anxiety and stress management strategies rooted in evidence-based sport and clinical psychology.

• Visualization, goal-setting, and focus training to prepare for competition and sustain excellence under pressure.

• Resilience and recovery programs to support injury rehabilitation, burnout prevention, and career transitions.

• Mindfulness and acceptance-based performance enhancement to promote clarity and composure.

• Crisis and transition support for life events, loss, or identity shifts beyond sport.

• Workshops and group facilitation on mental wellness, leadership, and team dynamics.

Each service is tailored to your goals, preferences, and values—helping you perform, lead, and live with clarity and purpose.

Sessions are collaborative and goal-focused, often involving mental skills training, performance assessment, visualization techniques, goal-setting strategies, and practical tools you can apply immediately in training and competition. We tailor our approach to your specific sport, performance domain, and individual needs.

The duration varies based on your goals. Some clients work with us intensively during a competitive season, while others engage in ongoing performance support throughout their athletic or performance career.

While results vary by individual and by situation, our structured approach typically shows measurable improvements within 6-8 hours of working together.

We'll collaborate with you to create a plan that fits your timeline, competition schedule, and objectives.

We operate from an evidence-based stance, which means we prioritize those mental training techniques that have been found to be effective for performance populations using empirical means. Some wonderful, free, evidence-based techniques that we love referencing can be found online (e.g., the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley; the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; the Mind and Life Institute; the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education from Stanford University; the Character Lab from University of Pennsylvania, etc.).

Another major source of guidance for us is our extensive, amazing mentorship network who continue to teach us about their work and research, with whom who we are in regular contact. We read lots of books, articles (both scientific and practical) and listen to a few podcasts, as well. Of course, we learn most of our lessons from clients who are willing to try out mental training techniques and share with us their experiences.

Our sports performance therapy integrates:

• Evidence-based techniques from leading research centers

• Customized training protocols

• Regular progress assessment

• Cultural awareness and sensitivity

• Integration of mental health principles

• Performance-specific strategies

We utilize the best available psychological tests, interview protocols, and analysis techniques from the broader scientific literature base to make meaningful, data-driven insights designed to highlight your unique psychological strengths, abilities, attributes, and characteristics.

Our comprehensive assessment at Atlas Psychology Boulder includes:

• Evidence-based psychological testing

• Performance-specific evaluations

• Mental health screening

• Strengths and challenges assessment

• Customized training recommendations

• 6-8 hours of thorough evaluation

Of the providers currently at Atlas Psychology, the following have gone through extensive, formal training in sport and performance psychology, and have accrued years of experience “in the field” supporting individuals, teams, organizations, and non-athletic high-achieving performers:

• Adam O’Neil, PhD, CMPC

• Brooke Lamphere, PhD, CMPC

• Kate Volatile, MA

• Bob Diehl, PhD

Our team has expertise in mental skills training, performance optimization, and the unique psychological demands faced by competitive and high-performance populations. Our highly experienced team of sport and performance psychologists have many training and professional experiences in common. Each have earned and/or underwent:

• Doctoral degrees in clinical or counseling psychology from APA-Accredited Doctoral Programs, considered to be gold-standard programs in psychological training

• Completed doctoral internships at APA-Accredited Internship Programs, also considered to be gold-standard internship programs upholding the highest standards of applied clinical care

• State licensure as generalist psychologists, formally trained in clinical or counseling psychology

• Formal, specialized and extensive training in sport and performance psychology (e.g., masters degrees in sport and performance psychology separate from doctoral degree programs)

• Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology

• Adjunct professors at the University of Denver’s masters program in sport and performance psychology

• Extensive experience with athletes and performers in high performance environments

• Consultation, keynote speaking engagements, and workshops for multiple professional (non-athletic) organizations and teams

• Ongoing professional development and research involvement. See each team member’s bio page for research citations, if applicable.

Typically, no. Insurance companies generally consider sport and performance psychology to be preventive or enhancement services rather than medically necessary treatment, so these services are not covered by most insurance plans. We offer transparent pricing and can discuss payment options during your initial consultation.

We work with athletes and performers across the lifespan, from youth athletes and student-performers through collegiate, professional, and masters-level competitors, as well as performing artists and business professionals seeking performance optimization.

Sport & High Performance Psychology services range in benefits, and can help:

• College athletes

• Professional athletes

• Paralympic & Olympic athletes

• Recreational athletes & performers

• Athletes & performers in career transitions

• Youth athletes (ages 9+)

• Performing artists

• Corporate executives

• First responders

• … anyone interested in training their mind for high performance pursuits!

No. Sport and performance psychology is designed for anyone looking to improve their mental game, enhance focus, build confidence, manage competition anxiety, or optimize their performance—regardless of whether they have a mental health diagnosis.

We work with both! In addition to individual athletes and performers, we provide team consultations, workshops, organizational consulting, and group mental skills training for athletic teams, performance groups, and organizations seeking to optimize collective performance and team culture.

We like to think at our core, our values as sport and performance psychologists shape the services we provide.

We are evidence-based practitioners, actively conducting research to contribute to the field. We rely on data to identify patterns in thoughts, behaviors, and performance, using it to guide our work and help clients perform at their best.

We value both the science and the artistry of mental training. Although mental training is intangible, its impact is real—by training the mind, we can change behavior and improve performance. Psychological skills play a crucial role in refining and enhancing performance.

We also prioritize social welfare and positive change. We apply data-driven mental training methods to help individuals achieve their best, particularly under stress and pressure. We believe that sustainable high performance requires a strong foundation of mental health.

You won’t find client testimonials on this site, and that’s intentional. The work we do together is confidential, personal, and unique to each individual or team. Sharing those stories publicly, even with permission, risks shaping expectations in ways that may not serve future clients. Our collective goal is for you to have your own experience — one that’s grounded in authenticity, privacy, and professional integrity.

As Boulder’s leading sport and performance psychologists, we offer:

• Evidence-based practices

• Data-driven performance assessments

• Culturally sensitive sport psychology integration

• A variety of theoretical approaches

• Comprehensive mental health support, including individual counseling, family support, and team/organizational consultation

• Virtual and in-person sessions (at our office or on-site)

• Extensive experience in high-performance sports

We want you to thrive in what you love.

We are honored that you are willing to bring us along in your journey.

We vow to leverage the best available research from many scientific fields – clinical health sciences, neuroscience, cross-cultural psychology, etc. – to bring you options for how you want to address your psychological approach to performance.

Our approach is to create the conditions for psychological flexibility and freedom during times of uncertainty, judgment, fatigue, duress and danger.

When we don’t know something, we will tell you that.

When an appropriate referral is warranted, we will offer that, with your consent.

We want you to thrive in what you love.

The Clearing is a fully licensed micro healing center authorized to provide Colorado state-legal psilocybin-assisted therapy services to our community and visitors to our beautiful state.

As a licensed clinical and sport psychologist, Adam O’Neil, PhD is among the first licsensed practitioners able to offer legal psilocybin-assisted therapy to athletes and other high performers. This work brings together evidence-based psychology, peak performance science, and the emerging field of psychedelic medicine — all within Colorado’s safe, ethical, and professionally regulated framework.

Adam’s focus is on helping individuals explore healing, growth, and performance from a place of integrity and whole-person care. This work reflects a lifelong commitment to integrating cutting-edge science, ethical practice, and respect for the human spirit — helping people move toward clarity, balance, and purpose.

Learn more at The Clearing’s website hyperlinked here.