Solution Focused Therapy & Mental Performance Coaching
Build Confidence. Strengthen Resilience. Train the Mind.
What Is Solution Focused Therapy and Mental Performance Coaching?
Solution Focused Therapy, also known as Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT or SFT), is a strengths-based, future-focused, evidence-based approach to growth and performance.
When applied to Mental Performance Coaching, it becomes a powerful system for mental training, targeting:
- Confidence & self-belief
- Composure under pressure
- Emotional regulation
- Focus and concentration
- Resilience after mistakes
- Leadership presence
- Identity strength
- Effort and attitude consistency
This approach is highly effective for athletes, coaches, performers, musicians, dancers, executives, and leaders operating in high-pressure environments.
Rather than analyzing problems endlessly, we ask:
- Who do you want to become?
- What does your best performance look like?
- What would be different if you were confident, composed, and resilient?
- What is already working that we can build on?
The work is collaborative, structured, and practical. Similar to athletic coaching, we clarify goals and reverse-engineer success. Grounded in clinical expertise, identity, mindset, and nervous system regulation are addressed at depth.
Who Is This For?
Athletes & Parents
- Youth, elite, and high-performance athletes
- College, NCAA, professional, and Olympic/national team athletes
- Injured athletes & those navigating playing time challenges
- Athletes preparing for draft years or recruitment
Coaches
- Head coaches & assistant coaches
- High-performance staff
- Coaches building culture, leadership, or navigating burnout
Teams
- Youth teams & academy programs
- Collegiate teams & professional organizations
- Leadership groups and captains
High Performers
- Musicians and dancers
- Business leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs
- Public speakers & competitive professionals
What Is It Used For?
Solution Focused Therapy and Mental Performance Coaching improve performance in environments where pressure, competition, and evaluation are constant:
- Confidence and belief
- Consistency under pressure
- Performance anxiety & emotional regulation
- Response to mistakes
- Leadership development & team culture
- Communication
- Burnout recovery
- Motivation and clarity
- Identity beyond performance
- Resilience during adversity
- Injury recovery mindset
Key Principles
1. Future Focused
We don’t just ask what went wrong. We ask:
- If you performed at your best consistently, what would be different?
- What would your body language look like?
- What would your internal dialogue sound like?
- What would your coach notice?
If we can clearly define your preferred performance future, we have direction.
2. Strengths Based
You already have evidence of capability. We identify past high-performance moments, games where you bounced back well, times you handled pressure, leadership qualities, coping strategies, and support systems. We build from what works.
3. Desired Outcome vs. Desired Transformation
Desired Outcome (External)
- More playing time
- Winning & making the team
- Scholarships & career advancement
Outcomes are influenced by many external factors.
Desired Transformation (Internal)
- Calm under pressure & confident posture
- Resilient mindset & disciplined prep
- Ownership of effort and attitude
Transformation is always within your control. Control the controllables!
The Resilience-Focused Approach
Imagine nothing externally changes—playing time stays the same, the coach remains demanding, and pressure stays high. But internally, you become stronger.
Reflection Questions to Shift Identity:
- What would be the first clue something is different?
- How would you walk into the rink, studio, boardroom, or stage?
- What would your posture communicate?
- How would you respond after a mistake?
- How would your effort and attitude show up?
Athlete-Specific Examples
Scenario 1: Limited Playing Time
Challenge: “I just want more ice time.”
Resilience Question: If your ice time stayed the same this month, how could you become the most prepared, confident, and composed version of yourself?
Growth Focus: Bench engagement, encouraging teammates, short memory after mistakes, competing every shift, owning controllables. When identity shifts, opportunity often follows.
Scenario 2: Responding to Mistakes
Challenge: Spiraling after a mistake or goal against.
Resilience Question: How would the strongest version of you respond right now?
Growth Focus: Deep breath, reset routine, next-shift focus, confident body language, and system discipline.
Scenario 3: Coach or Leadership Pressure
Challenge: Navigating critical or tough feedback.
Resilience Question: How would the most resilient version of you interpret this feedback?
Growth Focus: Separate correction from identity, extract instruction, maintain composure, and use it as fuel.
Scaling for Measurable Progress
We use performance-based scaling to create tangible, observable action steps:
Rate Yourself (0 to 10):
- Where is your confidence?
- Where is your composure?
- Where is your focus?
- Where is your effort?
Moving Up the Scale (e.g., from 6 to 7):
- Describe what a 6 looks like today.
- Why not a 2? (Highlights existing strengths)
- What would a 7 look like in behavior tomorrow?
- Identify tangible steps to gain momentum and get unstuck.
Why It Works
Solution Focused Mental Performance Coaching works because it systematically builds:
- Vision: Clear direction for performance goals
- Identity: Strong foundation independent of external outcomes
- Controllables: Focus on effort, attitude, and preparation
- Resilience: Capability to navigate adversity and pressure
Ready to Grow?
You do not have to eliminate pressure. You can become the version of yourself who handles it with confidence, composure, and clarity.
Outside of BC? If you are located in the United States, connect with me through Alive Coaching Group for online mental performance coaching for athletes and counseling for clients in Tennessee.
Contact Barb to begin individual sessions, team or organizational workshops, or mental performance coaching.
