Book Private Mental-performance Lessons with Coach Anica

I'm Coach Anica, a Mental Performance Consultant with an MSc in Performance Psychology from the University of Edinburgh and a doctorate in Sport and Performance Psychology currently in progress. My work is rooted in understanding the whole athlete: who you are, what drives you, and what's standing between you and your best performance. I've worked across sport and performing arts, from high school athletes to Broadway professionals, and I bring both the academic foundation and real-world experience to back every session.

Mental performance is the most undertrained skill in sport. I help athletes build focus, confidence, composure under pressure, and the resilience to bounce back from setbacks, the same way you build strength in the weight room. Through personalized plans rooted in cognitive performance psychology and mental skills training, I help you identify what's holding you back, take ownership of what you can control, and perform at your best when it matters most. The result isn't just a better athlete, it's a more self-aware, motivated, and mentally durable one.

Every session starts with you. We check in on where you are mentally, what's coming up in your season, and what we're working toward. From there, sessions are hands-on and practical; we don't just talk about mental skills, we train them. That might look like working through a pre-competition routine, building tools for managing anxiety or pressure, developing focus strategies, or unpacking a recent performance to pull out lessons and build momentum. Sessions are conversational, direct, and always tailored to what you need that day.

I founded AC Mental Performance in 2022, building a consultancy that serves athletes, performers, and organizations across a wide range of competitive environments. I currently lead the mental performance program at Mater Dei High School, one of the most competitive athletic programs in the country, serving coaches and student-athletes across sports, including lacrosse, swimming, volleyball, track and field, water polo, and cross country. I also serve as Mental Performance Coach to the Servite High School basketball program. Beyond sport, my clients include Broadway performers, professional actors, and professional athletes. I am a Certified Hintsa Mental Performance Coach, a methodology used with Formula 1 drivers and Fortune 500 executives, and am currently completing my Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

The best coach I ever had was my dance teacher in college. What made her exceptional wasn't just her knowledge of dance; it was the way she made you feel seen, both as a dancer and as a person. She had a rare ability to build you up while pushing you further than you thought you could go, and she did it in a way that never felt like pressure, it felt like belief.

When I didn't get a role I had auditioned and worked hard for, she didn't let me stay in the disappointment. She sat with me in it, helped me understand what it meant, and then reframed it as a roadmap for growth rather than a failure. That challenge made me a better dancer and a more resilient person. To this day, her approach shapes the way I show up for my own clients. The best coaches don't just develop your skills, they develop you. She taught me that.

I genuinely care about the people I work with. My approach is person-centered, meaning I meet every athlete exactly where they are, no judgment, no cookie-cutter plans. Mental performance work is a partnership, and I don't come in with all the answers, because the truth is, you already have them. My job is to help you find them. I create a space that is direct, honest, and judgment-free, where athletes feel empowered to take ownership of their performance and their growth. Parents can trust that their athlete is in a safe, supportive environment where they are challenged to grow, not just in sport, but as a person.