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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Mental Coaching the same as Sport Psychologist?
Mental coaching and sports psychology share common goals, but they are distinct disciplines with unique approaches.
Mental Coaching: This practice focuses on practical applications to enhance mental toughness and resilience. It often involves personalized strategies tailored to an individual athlete's needs, aiming to unlock their full potential in performance settings. Mental coaching is more about action-oriented strategies, mental skills, and mindset, guided by a coach who works hands-on with the athlete.
Sports Psychologist: This field is rooted in clinical practice, involving licensed psychologists who address a range of mental health disorders including bipolar, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, and much more. Sports psychologists provide therapy and counseling for deeper psychological issues that affect performance less directly.
In essence, while both aim to empower athletes, sports psychology can delve into deeper therapeutic realms, whereas mental coaching focuses more directly on performance-related goals and improvements.
What is Mental Coaching?
Everybody seems to be familiar with strength and conditioning coaches, they help athletes make the most of their body for their sport. S&C try to help athletes develop strength and to be well conditioned for their sport. A mental coach does the same thing, except they do it with the mind.
What do sessions with Clay look like?
When I work with any athlete, my session usually follows three steps: 1) Questions, I make athletes ask me questions and I ask them a few. This usually helps both of us get on the same page and make sure we're staying on target to reach the goals we've set. 2) Review, we will review the last session and the commitments made. Every session will end with something to do, so we follow up on that to make sure the athlete is progressing. 3) Next Step, if the athlete has made great progress, we will move to the next thing, if not, we will keep troubleshooting, I don't move on unless we're making progress.
Why don't you do therapy?
I very seriously went down the path of becoming a licensed therapist and mental health counselor, but as I continued on that path I decided that it was too heavy for me and quite frankly, wasn't what I was passionate about. I didn't enjoy learning about or applying therapy practices. I interned with a sport psychologist and really felt off about it all. I also saw that I would be bound by HIPPA regulations and that would keep me on an island outside of well integrated high performance team. I wanted to collaborate freely with parents and coaches as I worked with my athletes.
Additionally, I saw that many athletes didn't want or need therapy. They wanted to just improve their ability to perform, which is NOT part of any Masters or Doctorate program or training.
I knew early on that I wanted to help athletes develop mental skills and mindsets that would help them in their performances, for that reason I chose to become a coach that would more freely let me do this.
Does this go through insurance?
I do not (nor can I) charge insurance.
Why should I work with you?
I started my business in 2012 and have been at it ever since. As of May 4, 2024 I have worked with 2,490 athletes. Every single athlete that has committed to my system and followed through on the sessions we've done has gotten results that they are proud of.
