Most athletes don’t struggle with skill — they struggle with what happens mentally and physiologically under pressure.
Performance anxiety, overthinking, confidence collapses and emotional tension can interfere with timing, decision-making and execution, even in highly capable athletes.
At The Excel Practice, I help athletes and performers reduce mental interference, build calm confidence, and perform closer to their actual ability — in training, competition and high-pressure moments.
I work with athletes across Reading, Didcot and online throughout the UK and internationally.
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142
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Who This Is For
Athletes and performers who experience:
- Pressure that shuts down performance
- Overthinking during training or competition
- Confidence that disappears as stakes rise
- Fear of mistakes, judgement or letting people down
- Hesitation or “freeze” responses
- Racing thoughts before or during events
- Physical tension, tight breathing or nerves
- Difficulty staying present and adaptable
- Strong performance in training but not in competition
These patterns are not personality flaws. They are mind–body responses to pressure, and they can be changed.
The 3 Most Common Performance Patterns I Work With
Below are the three performance themes I see most often. Many athletes experience more than one.
1. Performance Anxiety & “Choking” Under Pressure
Performance anxiety happens when the nervous system shifts into fight-or-flight during competition, evaluation or high-stakes situations.
Common signs include:
- Overthinking and mental “noise”
- Faster heart rate and muscle tension
- Breathing that becomes shallow or tight
- Mind going blank during execution
- Reduced timing, accuracy or decision-making
- Playing “safe” to avoid mistakes
These responses are physiological, not a lack of ability or toughness. When the nervous system learns safety under pressure, performance becomes more natural.
How sessions help:
- Reduce nervous system overactivation
- Build safety around pressure and evaluation
- Increase present-moment focus
- Reduce judgement and catastrophising
- Improve confidence and emotional regulation
- Change how the mind interprets threat vs challenge
This allows athletes to access the skills they already have.
2. Confidence, Identity & Fear of Judgement
Confidence issues in sport rarely come from lack of capability — they come from how the mind processes expectations, self-worth and social pressure.
Common presentations include:
- Fear of being judged by teammates, coaches or spectators
- Holding back to avoid mistakes
- High self-criticism after sessions or games
- “Good in practice, hesitant in competition”
- Imposter feelings at higher levels
- Confidence that fluctuates depending on setting
We work with:
- Internal dialogue and self-evaluation
- Identity and self-concept as an athlete
- Nervous-system safety/social threat
- Belief patterns and expectations
- Reframing failure, mistakes and learning
The goal is not inflated ego — it’s calm, grounded confidence that holds up under pressure.
3. Focus, Flow & Performance Adaptability
Flow state is not mystical — it’s a nervous-system state where attention, timing and action align.
Flow is disrupted when:
- Overthinking takes over action
- Athletes play from fear instead of challenge
- The mind splits between past/future instead of present
- Nervous-system arousal is too high or too low
- Self-consciousness replaces task focus
Sessions help athletes learn:
- Task-focused attention (vs self-focus)
- Adapting to changing game conditions
- Nervous system regulation under intensity
- Challenge-state activation
- Reducing “internal interference”
- Trusting training rather than micromanaging mechanics
When interference drops, flow becomes a side-effect, not something forced.
What Sessions Look Like
Sessions are calm, practical and tailored to the athlete’s sport and cognitive style.
We typically explore:
- What happens under pressure (cognitively + somatically)
- How the mind evaluates threat, judgement and uncertainty
- Nervous-system responses during performance
- Internal dialogue and interpretation
- Breathing and regulation patterns
- Identity and expectations (self + external)
Approaches may include:
- Hypnotherapy (for regulation and integration)
- NLP (for pattern and state change)
- Mind–Body / Somatic work
- Identity and meaning frameworks
- Performance psychology tools
- Breathwork + rhythm + attentional control
There is no hype, no “peak performance motivational talk”, and no requirement to visualise.
Who I Work With
I work with:
- Youth athletes (11+ depending on sport)
- Adult athletes
- Competitive and recreational athletes
- Coaches and trainers
- Individual and team sports
Sports include:
- Football, rugby, hockey
- Tennis, squash, badminton
- Golf
- Gym / CrossFit
- Martial arts, boxing, combat sports
- Motorsports
- Swimming / triathlon
- Track & field
- Esports and precision performance
If you’re unsure whether this applies to your sport, you’re welcome to ask.
Why Athletes Work With Me
- Over 18 years professional experience
- Specialist focus on anxiety, overthinking and confidence
- Mind–body performance model (not just CBT or talk)
- Adapted for non-visual thinkers including aphantasia
- Works in-person or online with equal effectiveness
- Calm, grounded and non-judgemental approach
- Over 50 five-star Google reviews
Athletes often report:
- Less internal noise
- More confidence in action
- Better execution under pressure
- More enjoyment of their sport
- Healthier relationship with risk and challenge
Sessions & Locations
I offer sports performance mindset coaching in:
Reading, Berkshire
— Monday to Friday, daytime & evening appointments
Didcot, Oxfordshire
— Tuesdays with flexible times
Online (UK & International)
— Zoom or Microsoft Teams
I regularly support athletes from:
Reading, Caversham, Tilehurst, Woodley, Earley, Wokingham, Didcot, Abingdon, Wallingford, Wantage, and surrounding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to visualise?
No. All work is adaptable for non-visual thinkers and those with aphantasia.
Is this sports psychology or therapy?
It is mind–body performance coaching, integrating elements of hypnotherapy, NLP, performance psychology and nervous-system regulation.
Can this help if the issue is mainly confidence?
Yes — confidence and performance pressure are deeply connected.
How many sessions will I need?
Most athletes notice change within 3–6 sessions, depending on goals.
Does this apply to recreational athletes?
Yes — performance patterns do not care about level.
Next Steps
If you, your child, or one of your athletes struggles with performance anxiety, confidence or overthinking, you’re welcome to reach out.
For athletes who want to go beyond reducing interference and begin training the mental side of performance more intentionally, I also run a separate specialist framework called Athletes Ascend. It focuses on internal dialogue, nervous-system safety, flow thresholds and performance identity — the deeper layers that influence confidence and execution under pressure. There’s no hype, and no forced positivity, just a structured way of working with how the mind and body perform under stress.
If that interests you in the future, you’re welcome to ask about it.
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142