Start with a moment the athlete recognizes
An athlete might arrive saying, “I serve well at practice, but I rush when the score is close.” That gives a conversation somewhere to begin. When does the rushing start? What is the player paying attention to? What preparation have they already learned from their volleyball coach?
A useful first conversation makes room for the teenager’s account. The adult booking the session may be worried about confidence; the athlete may be unsure of a specific instruction. Those are different starting points. Ask the practitioner how the young person will help choose the goals.
What might happen during the session?
Here is an illustrative sequence, not a promised format or a description of anyone’s private appointment. A first meeting may spend more time understanding the situation; later meetings may revisit a skill the athlete has tried.
The Association for Applied Sport Psychology describes mental skills work that can address concentration, goal setting, relaxation and imagery. The exact methods and services depend on the professional’s qualifications and the person seeking help.
- Describe a real moment: the athlete explains what happens before, during and after it.
- Agree on a useful goal: for the serving example, that might be remembering the preparation already learned at practice.
- Rehearse a small skill: the athlete tries a reminder and talks through when it belongs.
- Plan a practice opportunity: decide where to test the idea and what to discuss afterward.
How is this different from regular sports coaching?
In the volleyball example, the sport coach teaches serving mechanics, chooses tactical targets and plans practice. A mental performance consultant may help the athlete work on attention and preparation around that task. There is overlap: good sport coaches also teach routines, communication and responses to pressure.
The people involved should understand each other’s roles. A new mental cue is less useful if it conflicts with the instruction being practiced on court. Ask how the consultant works alongside the sport coach, and what information the athlete agrees to share. The aim is a clearer practice experience, not competing voices in the player’s head.
What should a teen and parent ask before booking?
Ask about relevant training and experience with teenagers. “Mental performance coach” alone does not explain someone’s qualifications. AASP recommends checking a provider’s credentials against the services you need. Its CMPC directory can be a starting point for finding performance consultants; clinical care requires appropriate professional licensure.
Include the teenager in the choice. They should know who they are meeting and have a chance to ask their own questions. Families can discuss these practical points before making a commitment.
- What would we work on, and how would we decide whether it is useful?
- How do you involve parents while giving the athlete room to speak?
- What stays private, what may be shared, and what are the safety-related limits?
- What are the fees, cancellation terms and expectations between meetings?
- What happens if the athlete needs a kind of help you do not provide?
Bring one example, not a complete explanation of the problem
Before the first meeting, the athlete can note one recent sporting moment: what was happening, what they noticed and what they would like help understanding. ‘I rushed my second serve after missing the first’ gives the practitioner something concrete to explore. The teen does not need to arrive with a diagnosis or know which mental skill to request.
A parent can prepare practical questions separately, including cost, scheduling, consent and communication. Ask the provider how the athlete’s perspective will be heard and what family involvement looks like. Avoid turning the preparation into a dossier of everything the child has done wrong. An initial conversation should help establish whether the professional’s service fits the athlete’s needs.
| What to bring | An illustrative note |
|---|---|
| One recent sporting moment | I rushed the second serve after missing the first. |
| The athlete’s own question | How can I return to the preparation I already know? |
| Existing instruction | The serve routine my volleyball coach has taught. |
| A practice opportunity | A normal serving drill where I could try the agreed idea. |
| A practical constraint | School and travel limit which appointment times work. |
| A question for the meeting | What would we work on first, and what would we review next time? |
How many mental performance coaching sessions does a teenager need?
There is no universal session count that can be responsibly promised from this guide. A first meeting may clarify a small performance question or reveal a need for a different kind of support. Ask the practitioner what they expect to learn initially, what the athlete would practice between meetings and when you will decide whether to continue.
Make the review practical. Can the teen explain what they are working on? Is the suggested practice understandable and workable? Are there questions the current service is not addressing? Competition results can be part of the conversation, but a win or loss alone cannot show that the coaching caused a change. Avoid treating a package length or an advertised timeline as a guaranteed route to confidence.
How much does mental performance coaching for a teen cost?
Ask the specific provider for a written quote. Rates, appointment lengths, packages, locations and included contact vary; we do not have a verified market-wide rate to present as an average. Find out what is due before the first meeting, whether there is a consultation charge and how changes or missed appointments are handled.
Compare the total service with the family’s available time and budget. A subscription app, a private sport lesson and an individual mental performance appointment provide different things, so their prices are not interchangeable. Ask what support may already be available through the school, club or organization. You can discuss cost openly without requiring the athlete to justify the expense through better scores.
Where does an app like reset fit?
reset provides app-based mental skills training drawing on Dr. Braden Brown’s teaching. It does not book sessions or provide direct messaging with a human mental performance coach. Recorded guidance and app practice are a different experience from a person listening and responding in an appointment.
An athlete looking for an introduction to mental skills can explore how reset’s guided practice works. Someone seeking individual human guidance can use the questions above to choose a professional. If the concern is mental health, seek appropriately qualified care rather than assuming any mental performance service provides treatment.
Sources and further reading
- AASP: About Sport & Performance Psychology
Describes mental-skills practice and professional settings. The sample session sequence is an original reset illustration.
- AASP: How to Choose a Mental Performance Consultant
Supports checking competencies, credentials and fit for the requested service.