Counselling for Athletes

Because sometimes the hardest part of sport has nothing to do with the sport itself.

Sport teaches discipline, resilience, and the ability to push through discomfort. Those qualities can be incredibly valuable, but they can also make it difficult to recognize when something isn't working anymore.

You might be performing well while quietly struggling with anxiety, self-doubt, perfectionism, or the pressure to keep holding everything together. Or maybe you're recovering from an injury, questioning your identity outside of sport, or feeling like the standards that once motivated you are now working against you.

As both a former competitive bodybuilder and certified personal trainer, I understand the culture of sport and the mindset that often comes with it. You won't have to explain why missing a training session feels like more than just missing a workout.

Common Reasons Athletes Reach Out

Every athlete's experience is different, but many of the conversations we have revolve around:

  • Performance pressure and perfectionism

  • Returning to sport after injury

  • Anxiety, confidence, and self-doubt

  • Burnout and loss of motivation

  • Identity outside of sport

  • Relationships with food, training, or body image

  • Navigating difficult team or coaching environments

  • Feeling like you should be able to handle it on your own

When the sport stops

Retirement, being cut, aging out, or getting injured badly enough that the decision gets made for you. It is one of the harder transitions I see, and it is routinely underestimated because it is not obviously a loss to anyone outside it.

If your training schedule set your day, your body set your self-image, and your teammates were your social life, then leaving the sport takes all three at once. The work is about who you are with the structure removed, which turns out to be a genuine question rather than a mood, and not about getting over anything.

When Sport Becomes Your Identity

For many athletes, sport is more than something you do. It shapes your routine, your relationships, your confidence, and the way you see yourself.

When an injury, retirement, or major life change disrupts that, it's common to feel like you've lost more than just your sport. Together, we'll explore who you are outside of competition and what it looks like to build an identity that isn't dependent on performance alone.

Injury, Transition & Identity

Sport often becomes much more than something you do. It shapes your routine, your confidence, your relationships, and sometimes even the way you see yourself.

When an injury, retirement, being cut from a team, or another major transition changes that, it's common to feel like you've lost more than just your sport. Even when your body is ready to return, your confidence may not be. You might find yourself hesitating, second-guessing your decisions, or wondering whether you'll ever feel like yourself again.

These experiences are more common than many athletes realize, yet they're often the hardest to talk about.

Together, we'll explore what has changed, what you're grieving, and how to rebuild trust in yourself. Whether your goal is returning to competition, adjusting to life after sport, or simply finding your footing again, our work will focus on helping you move forward with confidence, both inside and outside of athletics.

My Approach

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My Approach ⁎

I don't approach this work as performance coaching, and I don't expect you to leave every session with a new mental skills routine.

Instead, I focus on understanding the person behind the athlete. We'll explore how sport has shaped the way you see yourself, where those expectations came from, and how they continue to influence your life both inside and outside of competition.

Whether you're competing at a high level or simply someone who takes training seriously, you're welcome here.

Booking a Session

Finding the right counsellor is important, and I don't expect you to know whether we're a good fit from a website alone.

That's why I offer a free 20-minute phone or video consultation. It's an opportunity for us to talk about what's bringing you to counselling, answer any questions you might have, and decide together whether working together feels like the right next step, without any pressure or obligation.

I see clients in person in Burnaby at the Burnaby Therapy Collective, in Kitsilano, and online throughout British Columbia.

If you'd like to learn more about session fees, insurance coverage, or billing, you can find those details on my Rates page.

Book a Consultation

Frequently asked Questions about Couples Counselling

  • Not at all. I work with competitive athletes, recreational athletes, former athletes, and people who simply have a strong connection to training and movement.

  • Not exactly. My work is counselling that understands the unique culture and demands of sport. Performance may be part of what we talk about, but my focus is on supporting the person behind the performance.

  • Absolutely. Many athletes prefer to come while they're actively competing because that's when the pressure is most present. Online sessions also make it easier to work around training and travel schedules.

  • That's something we can absolutely explore together. If body image or your relationship with food becomes a larger focus, you may also find my Body Image Counselling page helpful.