Mental Freedom for Athletes

Freeing the Athlete’s Mind – The Route to Enhanced Performance in Sport

As an athlete, do you wonder why there are days when you’re fully engaged and confident and others when you barely make your presence felt while displaying negative behaviours (including blame) towards team-mates, coaches and your family?

While most people realise that the mind is responsible for over 90% of the factors affecting performance, very few understand how it works or that you can experience the profound psychological freedom necessary to be consistently outstanding. Nowadays, instead of turning to the traditionally trained sports psychologist for help, many athletes are actively seeking greater control over their own performance. They wish to understand how their state of mind, wellbeing and resilience impacts their sporting achievements and life decisions.

How I help you

With over 30 years’ experience in elite sports performance, engaging in transformative conversations with coaches and managers at club, regional, elite, national and professional levels, I can help you to:

  • Understand the mind-performance link– avoid performance sabotage, see your learning, development and results arising from the power of your own insight rather than the outside world.
  • Embrace the power of thought that leads to positive, profound and sustainable change.
  • See the difference between mental health and mental illness, ensuring you’re physically and psychologically ‘fit for purpose’.
  • Realise your innate creative potential and enjoy a happy, healthy and achievement-filled life.
  • Uncover the misunderstanding that causes all self-image and identity issues, and live life full-out and fearless.

As a result, you will be able to:

  • Handle selections and feedback with greater clarity and confidence.

  • Make sense of stress, worry and anxiety that is sabotaging your performances and enjoyment in life.

  • Understand what’s behind addictive, and compulsive behaviours, so that these habits dissolve with ease.

  • Recover quickly from losing to a tough opponent, enjoy and maximise the learning from every experience.

  • Banish conflict, and unnecessary angst, remain calm and connected when things go wrong.

  • Stop blaming others or circumstances for poor performances; be able to take responsibility for your psychology.

  • Understand the true nature of the performance zone state so that you experience natural flow more and more of the time!

If you identify with any of the above outcomes, then you are ready for change via one of our Transformative Coaching Programs for athletes:

Silver

£119700One off

  • A Six-Week Transformative Session-Based Training (In person and online)

    This includes:

  • Two private 90-minute coaching sessions per day for three days
  • Four further private 90-minute weekly coaching sessions
  • Resources – DVDs, downloads, and books
  • In person training held in West Malling, Kent, UK on-line via zoom conferencing calls
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Gold

£247500One off

  • A Three-Month Transformative Intensive Training (In person)

    This includes:

  • Three full six-hour days of private coaching (at least two days must be consecutive)
  • Four further private 90-minute coaching sessions
  • Weekly tasks to aid reflection and deepen understanding
  • Resources – DVDs, downloads, and books
  • In person training held in West Malling, Kent, UK (Overseas in-person training available on request, details to be agreed)
Buy NOW

Bronze

£49700One off

  • A One-Month Transformative Intro-Training (In person and online)

    This includes:

  • Four 90-minute private coaching sessions
  • Resources – DVD’s and downloads
  • In person training held in West Malling, Kent, UK on-line via zoom conferencing calls
Buy NOW

What People Say About Working With Denise

When I was first invited to join the University first team sessions, I was so eager to impress I couldn’t take in the coaching points. My head filled with doubts and insecurities; sometimes making it difficult even to do straightforward passes! I’m delighted in just six weeks to make the first team playoff team. My skills and understanding of the game have grown immensely, now that my mind is clear – I am free to ‘just play’. I’m also more confident to speak up when the whole team needs to dig deep! Denise has helped me to raise my game beyond anything I could have imagined inspiring me to apply for a scholarship next season – this is incredibly powerful. We got ‘two for the price of one’, having Denise as our Performance Netball Coach.

Claire Wolf
1st-year student BA Spanish and Drama University of Kent - Netball

I enjoyed this course very much as it improved my shooting technique and accuracy dramatically. I learned that you do not have to be controlled by your negative thoughts because they are not you.

Harriet Bonner-Leney
Age 12

Denise has the skills and experience to wake people up to deeper knowledge about themselves. In the sporting arena, this knowledge happens to be crucially important.

Adam Ashe
Professional Rugby Player – Glasgow Warriors

Denise has been instrumental in my evolving understanding of the Three Principles and how they specifically apply in high-performance sport. Her insightful and intuitive way of working has challenged and deepened my fundamental understanding of all human performance. I’ll always be appreciative of her significant role in my development as a performance director and coach.

Richard Pybus
Founder & CEO Optimal Performance - Former Director of Cricket - West Indies Cricket Board

MIND THE GAP was brilliant! I would recommend this course to other netballers as they will benefit from understanding their thoughts which will help them play more freely.

Scarlet Bonner-Leney
Age 14

Denise has a tremendous understanding of how to achieve elite performance in sport. Her contagious enthusiasm is motivating and inspires you to the next level

Lesley MacDonald
Scotland National Netball Athlete (107 caps)

If we can get together and help the youth see the simplicity of life, see that they have this beauty inside of them, to see they have this power within them, the youth will grow up very very wise, and this world will change and become a far far better place to live in.

Sydney Banks
Philosopher/Writer

Denise is impressive in her abilities by any standard. Her ability to teach and develop those around her, mark her out as someone with exceptional leadership and coaching skills. I constantly seek advice and counsel from her and trust her implicitly.

Floyd Woodrow MBE
Chairman and CEO of Chrysalis Worldwide

I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Denise when we met in America. It would be easy to accuse me of exaggeration or sensationalising by making the following statement, but I can only offer you the truth as I see it.

Matthew Roberts
England International High Jumper who came back from breaking his neck!

I appreciate the support Denise gave me when I was transitioning into my new role at Leinster and helping me understand how to ‘free my mind!

Stuart Lancaster
Senior Coach Leinster Rugby – Former England Rugby Coach

Before I took part in Denise’s Health and Well Being programme, I stressed in many situations; it would prevent me from taking part in different things. I now look at the situations holistically and not let thoughts prevent me from putting myself forward.

Charlie Harris
2nd-year student – The University of Greenwich – Forensic science with Criminology Student

Denise’s new approach is great for teamwork, we don’t get upset with each other anywhere near as much, and get over disappointments quickly.

Amelia Davies
Third Year Student - The University of Kent, Sports and Excercise for Health

I used to struggle to remain calm and confident in stressful situations, what others think of me, what would happen if I did something wrong? We are all capable of achieving, no part of our abilities is lacking! This programme has truly changed me for the best and is perfect during my final year of University.

Hannah Salem
Third Year Student - The University of Kent - Sports Therapy

I am so grateful to have worked with Denise, I used to float in and out of different moods and believed it was other things and situations causing them. Honestly, this understanding has changed my life.

Nadia McMillian
Third Year Student - The University of Kent, Sport and Exercise Science.

Before I took part in Denise’s Health and Well Being programme, I stressed in many situations; it would prevent me from taking part in different things. I now look at the situations holistically and not let thoughts prevent me from putting myself forward.

Charlie Harris
2nd-year student – The University of Greenwich – Forensic science with Criminology Student

I enjoyed speaking with Denise about the mind and performance. The conversations were very insightful and always had me challenging and questioning the status quo regarding mental performance. The critical pointer Denise gave was that our natural state is freedom of mind, clarity and potential. We don’t need to overexert the mind to find these states. Searching for them often leads us further into tension. I found this very relatable to direct experiences in life and sport.

Grayson Hart
Scotland International Rugby Player - London Scottish FC