San Diego Mental Performance & Mindset Coaching for Athletes

Mental performance coaching helps athletes develop the mental skills needed to perform at their best under pressure. Through proven mental performance techniques, mindset training, and personalized strategies, you’ll learn how to sharpen focus, manage nerves, stay confident, and recover quickly from setbacks. Whether you’re competing at the youth, collegiate, or professional level, this training builds the resilience and consistency that elite performance demands.

One-on-one coaching is completely customized to you. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we focus on your unique goals, challenges, and competitive environment. You’ll get tailored mental skills training, ongoing feedback, and accountability to ensure you progress week after week. Unlike group sessions, where time and attention are shared, private coaching provides targeted solutions and direct support to accelerate your growth.

I work with athletes from a wide range of sports, including hockey, soccer, golf, baseball, tennis, martial arts, swimming, track and field, and more. My clients range from youth athletes just starting to build their mental game, to NCAA and professional athletes looking for an edge, to high-performing adults in business and other competitive arenas. If you want to improve focus, confidence, and consistency, mental performance coaching can help.

• Foundation Program (2 months): Learn and apply the essential tools for building a strong mental foundation.

• Performance Accelerator (10 weeks): Take your training further with advanced strategies, competition prep, and consistent accountability.

• Mastery Program (6 months): High-touch, VIP-level coaching with deep customization, priority access, and full integration of all tools for long-term excellence.

• All programs are designed to improve focus, confidence under pressure, resilience, and the ability to perform with intention and presence.

Yes. I work with athletes worldwide through secure video calls, so location is never a barrier. Virtual mental performance coaching gives you the same high-quality, personalized training as in-person sessions, plus the flexibility to meet from your home, school, or even while traveling for competition.

Many athletes notice a difference within the first few weeks as they begin to apply the tools in training and competition. The most significant, lasting changes typically occur over several months as mental skills become automatic under pressure. The more consistently you train your mind, the faster you’ll see results. Ultimately it will come down to how much you trust the process and your level of commitment.

The Athlete Within® App is a guided mental training library with on-demand tools, playbooks, and practices to strengthen your mental game anytime, anywhere. It’s available as an optional add-on for the Foundation Program (monthly or yearly) and is automatically included in the Performance Accelerator and Mastery Programs (12-month subscription). The app complements coaching by reinforcing concepts between sessions and helping you practice skills daily.

Yes. For youth athletes, I often involve parents in the process to ensure skills are supported at home and in competition. I also offer guidance for parents on communication, encouragement, and helping their athlete manage the mental side of sport without adding pressure.

The first step is to schedule a 15-min phone consultation, send me an email at kate@qpathlete.com or call 619-446-6846. From there a full initial session will be done so we can discuss your goals, challenges, and which program is the best fit. We’ll create a plan tailored to you and get your first session scheduled. You can apply or book your consultation directly through this website.

A sports psychologist is a licensed clinical psychologist who can diagnose and treat psychological disorders, in addition to helping athletes with performance-related challenges. As a mental performance coach, I specialize in training the mental skills that drive peak performance. My focus is on building mental strength, not treating mental illness.

Many people use the term “sport psychology” when referring to improving the mental side of sport — things like focus, confidence, and handling pressure. In the U.S., however, “psychology” is a protected title, meaning only licensed psychologists can legally use it to describe their services.

Mental performance coaching focuses on many of the same performance skills, but it’s not therapy or clinical work. Instead, it equips athletes with practical tools to train their minds — just like they train their bodies — to perform at their best under pressure. Many coaches in this field hold advanced degrees in sport or performance psychology, but their work stays focused on skill-building, not mental health treatment.

If you’re looking for support with mental health, a licensed psychologist or therapist is the best fit. If you want to build confidence, focus, and resilience, mental performance coaching may be exactly what you need.