Mental performance for athletes
Hypnosis & Mental Coaching for Athletes
Sports hypnosis and practical mental skills for athletes in any sport, from youth to professional. Private sessions by Zoom to help you handle pressure, break out of slumps and compete with confidence.
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Work directly with Robert BarnettCertified Hypnotherapist · C.Ht., PMP, MBA
Free 20-minute consultation
No cost · No obligation · By phone
Athletes spend countless hours training the body, and far less on the mind. Yet when the game is close, the tryout matters or the match is on the line, the mental side often decides the result. Sports hypnosis, also called sports hypnotherapy, is mental performance training that uses hypnosis, a state of focused attention, together with practical mental skills to help athletes manage pressure, sharpen focus and rebuild confidence. Robert Barnett, C.Ht., PMP, MBA, is a certified hypnotherapist and mental performance coach with 35+ years of hypnosis experience. He has worked with athletes in nearly every sport, from recreational to professional, individual and team, and with athletes as young as elementary school. He works with athletes and their parents by Zoom from anywhere.
When the mental side matters
Sound familiar?
Athletes who:
Get nervous before competing
Feel tight, rushed or flat before a game, match or round, and the body that works in practice does not show up.
Practice better than they compete
Perform well in training but become a different athlete when the stakes are real.
Fall into slumps
Carry one bad performance into the next, until doubt is louder than the plan.
Hit mental blocks
Develop a fear, a hesitation or a block that lessons and reps do not fix, often in one specific moment or skill.
Feel the pressure to perform
Carry the weight of expectations from coaches, family, recruiters or themselves.
Come back from a setback
Are cleared after an injury or a rough stretch but still hesitant, afraid it will happen again.
Mental coaching for your sport
Sport-specific coaching
Every sport puts the mind under pressure in its own way. Choose yours to see how the work applies, or read on for how it works for any athlete.
Golf mental game
Fear on the course, first-tee nerves and the gap between the range and the round.
Learn more →
Equestrian
Riding anxiety, show nerves and confidence after a fall.
Learn more →Tennis
Big-point nerves, serve anxiety and match-day pressure.
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Baseball & softball
Slumps, pitching under pressure and fear of the error.
Learn more →College & high school athletes
For student-athletes and parents: pressure, recruiting and slumps.
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Motorsport
Track-day and racing nerves, fear after a scare and consistency at speed.
Learn more →Soccer
Missed-chance replays, penalty nerves and confidence in matches.
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Gymnastics
Twisties, fear and mental blocks, from Xcel to top competitors.
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Cheer
Tumbling blocks, flyer and base confidence, and tryouts.
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Darts, Archery & Shooting
Dartitis, target panic, the flinch and a release that breaks down under pressure.
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Volleyball
Serving nerves, resets after errors and recruiting pressure.
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Wrestling & combat sports
Composure on the mat, from match nerves to bouncing back.
Learn more →Swimming & water polo
Meet nerves, race focus and big-moment pressure.
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Lacrosse
Goalies, attack and recruiting pressure.
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Hockey
Goalie and skater confidence, resets and big-game focus.
Learn more →Basketball
Free throws, slumps and confidence under pressure.
Learn more →Football
All positions, from quarterbacks to kickers.
Learn more →Every other sport
Robert has worked with athletes in nearly every kind of sport, from recreational to professional, individual and team: golf, equestrian and bull riding, cycling, trials riding, hockey, football, wrestling, mixed martial arts, fencing, climbing, figure skating, CrossFit, Hyrox, skeet shooting, pool, and many more. Whatever you compete in, the mental side can be trained.
Book a free consultation →What it is, and what it is not
Forget all you think you know about sports hypnosis
Mental performance tools can be used in many ways in sport, from focus and pre-performance routines to handling pressure. Hypnosis is one of them, used alongside practical mental skills. It is not mind control, and you stay in charge throughout.
In practice, the stakes are low, so you perform on trained habit. In competition, the same moment can feel like a threat, and an automatic stress response takes over: tension, rushed decisions, doubt. Coaching improves skills and fitness, but it does not change that response, because it runs below conscious thought. That gap is what sports hypnotherapy works on.
How it helps
How sports hypnotherapy helps improve performance and reduce sports anxiety
There are two overarching ways hypnosis and hypnotherapy can help athletes perform better: preventative and reactive.
Preventative mental training
All athletes meet a new range of emotional and mental responses as their level of competition rises. We train the body to prevent injury, but often neglect the mind. Sports hypnosis can address those mental challenges early, identify weak links, and build a foundation that helps prevent future issues.
Reactive mental coaching
A reactive approach uses hypnotherapy tools to address issues you can already see: a block, a slump, performance anxiety or a loss of confidence, anything that keeps you from performing your best or reaching your goals.
Focus areas
Mental toughness is not about showing no response to external factors. It is about training the appropriate response to drive maximum performance.
Watch
Overthinking and the flow state
A short introduction to how we help athletes get out of their own way.
Individual experiences vary and results are not guaranteed. Coaching with hypnosis is not medical or mental health treatment.
The mental game plan
The solution: a mental plan built around your sport
The work usually follows three steps, shaped around your sport, your season and your goals:
Map your pressure moments
We pin down when and where performance changes: before competition, at key moments, after a mistake, or when someone is watching.
Rehearse a better response
Hypnosis and guided visualization work at the subconscious level, where automatic reactions live, so you can practice the focus and composure you want before you are in the moment.
Take a routine into competition
You leave with a pre-competition routine, focus cues and a reset you can use after a mistake or a bad break.
Hypnosis is a state of focused attention, and it is one tool among several. Most pressure reactions, such as freezing, rushing or overthinking, are automatic habits that run below conscious thought, which is why willpower and positive thinking rarely fix them. We combine hypnosis with complementary methods: cognitive behavioral techniques (CBT) to identify and restructure the thoughts that feed doubt, NLP methods to change how you picture and respond to pressure situations, and subconscious pattern work to replace old reactions with new ones. In Robert's experience, combining them gets results more quickly than any one alone.
Visualization is a core skill we teach, and we use it inside hypnosis. Research supports pairing skills: a 2025 meta-analysis of 86 studies found that imagery works better when combined with other psychological skills, which is why we pair it with hypnosis and cognitive tools.
Sessions are one-on-one by Zoom, so they fit around practice, travel and competition. Everything is built around your sport and the situations that trip you up. Robert offers three program lengths and recommends one after your free phone consultation; see program details. In Robert's experience, the shortest is a starting point, since skills that hold up in competition usually take longer to build.
You start with a free 20-minute phone consultation. We talk through what happens when you compete and whether this is a fit. Your sessions are then held one-on-one by Zoom.
Mental coaching complements your coach's training. It is not technical instruction in your sport, and it does not replace medical or mental health care. Progress is individual; results vary.
Free consultation
Book your free 20-minute consultation
We start with a short phone call about what happens when you compete, what you want to change, and whether this is a fit. No cost, no obligation. Sessions are then held one-on-one by Zoom.
Consultations by phone. Sessions by Zoom, worldwide. Based in Trumbull, CT.
Your sport. Your season.
Compete with
a clear head.
Every athlete's pressure points are different. The work is built around your sport, your schedule and the situations that trip you up.
- A pre-competition routine you can repeat
- A reset for mistakes, bad calls and bad days
- A plan for big games, tryouts and championships
What the research says
The science of mental performance
Research on hypnosis in sport is still developing, but randomized studies and recent reviews have reported improvements in performance, confidence and other factors that matter under pressure. We combine hypnosis with established mental-performance strategies such as imagery and cognitive techniques, and never promise a specific result.
In a randomized controlled study of 59 collegiate soccer players, three hypnosis sessions improved performance and self-efficacy on a soccer task compared with an active-control group. The gains were still present four weeks later among the athletes who returned for follow-up. View the study
Reviewing 13 studies of hypnosis in athletes, researchers found significant associations between therapeutic hypnosis and better athletic performance, less psychological distress and better injury-recovery outcomes. Most studies were small and uncontrolled, and the authors call for larger randomized trials. View the review
A 2025 meta-analysis of 86 studies found that mental imagery practice improved athletic performance, and that imagery combined with other psychological skills worked better than imagery alone. The authors rate the evidence quality as low and call for stronger trials. View the meta-analysis
The thinking side: a 2026 meta-analysis of 33 randomized controlled trials (1,848 participants) found that structured self-talk produced a moderate improvement in sport performance (Hedges' g = 0.52). The authors note possible small-study effects and urge caution. View the meta-analysis
These studies did not test High Performance Hypnotherapy's own program. Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed.
For parents and guardians
How it works for athletes under 18
For athletes under 18, a parent or guardian contacts Robert first. The free 20-minute phone consultation is a chance to talk about your athlete's goals, whether the timing is right, and how sessions would work. The details of parent involvement are discussed there.
Robert has worked with athletes as young as 6, and finds that engagement with the work becomes more consistent around ages 8 to 10. Sessions are private, one-on-one by Zoom, and fit around school and practice. You will get a clear plan for what to expect, and no obligation to continue.
In their words
What athletes and parents say
High Performance Hypnotherapy has 65+ five-star reviews on Google. The reviews below are quoted as posted by athletes and parents across several sports. Individual experiences vary and results are not guaranteed.
“I found Robert, and within the first session, saw what a gifted therapist could do… Over the course of the summer, while we were working together, I entered 4 tournaments. I and my partners won 3 of the flights, and I played better than I had played in more than 3 years.”
Golfer, Google review, 5 stars
“I am a professional athlete and been struggling with my mindset and mental performance on the court. Rob has provided me with amazing tools that added a lot of clarity and confidence to my process… I have noticed an improved consistency and confidence in my game.”
Professional tennis player, Google review, 5 stars
“Phenomenal. All star assistance. My son is a five star athlete who needed extra support during a critical time and this intervention made all the difference. Highly effective and could not recommend highly enough…”
Parent of a competitive tennis player, Google review, 5 stars
“Robert achieved excellent results for my son. He provided great strategies for handling the mental side of sports, and it was very obvious that he really cared. The hypnotherapy had a very noticeable effect and my son really looked forward to the sessions.”
Parent of a baseball player, Google review, 5 stars
“Over a period of a few weeks, I saw definitive progress in my confidence on and off the field. Using High Performance Hypnotherapy has been undoubtedly beneficial to helping me work towards the goals I set before starting sessions.”
College athlete, Google review, 5 stars
“Dr. Barnett’s services are truly life-changing and I would recommend them to everyone. Over the course of 5 sessions, Dr. Barnett helped me rebuild how I mentally approach every part of my life. I am happier, more focused and performing better in sports, school and beyond as a result of his work.”
Student-athlete, Google review, 5 stars
More client stories are on our client reviews page.
Meet your mental coach
About Robert Barnett
Robert Barnett is a certified hypnotherapist (C.Ht.) with a PMP and an MBA. He has practiced hypnosis for more than 35 years and runs High Performance Hypnotherapy from Trumbull, CT, working with executives, business owners and competitive athletes worldwide. He also coaches on public speaking. Learn more about Robert. Robert competed at a high level himself and knows sports anxiety from the inside: it built through years of competition in high school and college, with teammates counting on him and his name known across campus. He has worked with athletes in nearly every sport, from youth and high school to college and professional levels, and the conversation begins with your experience and the change you want to make.
HMI · Diploma in Hypnotherapy
Sports Performance TrainingQuestions athletes and parents ask
Sports hypnosis and athlete mental coaching FAQ
What is sports hypnosis, or sports hypnotherapy?
It is mental performance training that uses hypnosis, a state of focused attention, together with complementary tools such as CBT, NLP techniques, visualization and subconscious pattern work. The aim is to help athletes stay calm, focused and confident in competition. It is not mind control, and you stay in charge throughout.
Does hypnosis improve athletic performance?
Research is still developing. A randomized controlled study of 59 collegiate soccer players found better performance after three hypnosis sessions than in an active-control group, and a 2025 systematic review of 13 studies reported positive associations between hypnosis and athletic performance. Most studies in that review were small and uncontrolled, and the authors call for larger trials. Robert uses hypnosis as one tool among several practical mental skills and never promises a specific result.
Can sports hypnosis help with sports anxiety and performance anxiety?
Yes, that is one of the most common reasons athletes work with Robert. Mental training can help you stay settled and focused before and during competition, though no one can promise a specific result. It complements, and does not replace, medical or mental health care.
What is mental toughness training?
Mental toughness is not about showing no response to pressure. It is about training the appropriate response, so you stay composed, reset after mistakes and keep your focus on the process. The work combines hypnosis, CBT techniques, NLP methods and visualization.
Which sports do you work with?
Robert has worked with athletes in nearly every kind of sport, individual and team, from recreational to professional: golf, equestrian and bull riding, motorsport, cycling, trials riding, hockey, football, wrestling, mixed martial arts, fencing, climbing, figure skating, CrossFit, Hyrox, skeet shooting, pool and many more. There are dedicated pages for golf, equestrian, tennis, baseball and softball, and college and high school athletes.
Do I have to be a professional or elite athlete?
No. Robert works with athletes from recreational to professional level. If your sport matters to you and your mindset is getting in the way, mental coaching can help.
What is the difference between preventative and reactive sports hypnosis?
Preventative work addresses mental challenges early, such as identifying weak links and building a foundation as your level of competition rises. Reactive work addresses issues you can already see, such as a block, a slump or performance anxiety.
Can mental coaching help after an injury or a bad stretch?
Many athletes are physically cleared but still hesitant, or carry a bad stretch into every competition. Mental coaching can help with confidence and focus when you return. It does not assess physical readiness or replace medical care, so follow your doctor's and trainer's guidance.
Does this replace my coach or a sports psychologist?
No. Mental coaching complements your coach's technical training. It is not instruction in your sport and does not replace medical or mental health care.
Do you work with young athletes?
Yes. For athletes under 18, a parent or guardian contacts Robert first for the free 20-minute phone consultation. Robert has worked with athletes as young as 6 and finds that engagement with the work becomes more consistent around ages 8 to 10. Sessions are private, one-on-one by Zoom.
How do online sessions work?
Sessions are held privately, one-on-one by Zoom. Join from a quiet place where you can sit comfortably and speak without interruption. His practice is based in Trumbull, CT, and most clients work with him remotely.
What happens in the free consultation?
It is a 20-minute phone call about what happens when you compete, what you want to change, and whether this approach fits. There is no obligation. If you decide to work together, sessions are held one-on-one by Zoom.
How many sessions will I need, and how quickly will I see a change?
It depends on your goals, your sport and how much you practice between sessions. Robert offers three program lengths and recommends one after the free consultation. Results and timelines vary, and no one can promise a specific result.
Who is Robert Barnett?
Robert Barnett, C.Ht., PMP, MBA, is a certified hypnotherapist and mental performance coach who has practiced hypnosis for more than 35 years. He founded High Performance Hypnotherapy in Trumbull, CT, in 2019 and works one-on-one by Zoom with athletes, executives and business owners worldwide.
Free consultation
Ready to compete with a clear head?
Call (203) 816-0015 or request your free 20-minute phone consultation. You can also contact us here or see programs and pricing.
Book my free consultation