performance therapy for sport and life

By: Lisa Dorfman, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist in Florida and Utah

Performance Defined: Sport and Life

While some might associate performance solely with sports, performance therapy is a type of psychotherapy utilized not only by professional and recreational athletes, but also by individuals in high-pressure occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. The US Military utilizes sports and performance psychologists, cognitive therapists, and counselors to assist active duty service members in maintaining focus during combat and managing stress, even after returning from combat zones.

Other examples of those who may benefit from performance therapy include performing artists like dancers, singers, rock bands, actors, and actresses. Students may also pursue performance therapy to improve their test results and overall academic performance.

What Performance Therapy Is

Performance athletes often combine personalized mental fitness training and nutrition as part of their success. Performance Therapy includes the same elements, and more, tailored to the individuals unique needs.

Seeking a professional in Performance Therapy can provide specialized psychotherapy sessions for athletes, professionals, first responders and students. As a Licensed Mental Health and Performance Therapist (LMHC), Registered Dietitian (RD), Board Certified Sports Nutrition expert (CSSD), and former professional athlete, I understand personally and professionally what it takes to be at the top of your game in sport and life.

What are Performance Therapy Sessions Like?

Counseling sessions begin with getting to know you beyond your title or role, whether attaining or maintaining world-class athletic status, pursuing the Olympic Gold, or acting in a movie role that demands a specific physique. I look at all the ingredients of your story—your age, gender, culture, and years in sport; whether you are recovering from injury or taking a proactive step in preventing illness or injury; and most importantly, YOUR goals for pursuing therapy as an essential element in your success on or off the field.

Therapy typically consists of 1-3 meetings to understand, assess, and take the pieces of your personal story and create an action plan. The program combines a complete psychosocial assessment, dietary and body comp analysis, and food and mind training plan with exercises to take home, work with, and return to therapy for discussion, processing, or modifications.

Together, we’ll examine your game-day performance, diet, exercise habits, body composition, nutrition, and sleep hygiene using evidence-backed strategies to improve cognitive performance and mental toughness, reassess, and modify as needed. Sports psychology will also address roadblocks and issues sought to resolve in traditional therapy, such as interpersonal issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, and eating disorders.

A complete program can take from one month to one year or more, particularly if training for Olympic qualifiers and the Games or working on issues that have been in storage and are ready to be resolved.

To Schedule an Appointment, contact Lisa

Lisa@Lisadorfman.co or 305-854-1065