Erin Ayala, PhD, LP, CMPC

I am a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) with over 10 years of clinical experience and 5 years of experience in sport psychology. I offer virtual mental health therapy for athletes (14 and older), one-on-one performance consulting with athletes, mentorship for early career performance consultants, clinical supervision, and group workshops for teams and sport organizations. I'm based in Minnesota but can work with athletes in all states and multiple countries. Athletes typically come to me for the following reasons: injury recovery, performance anxiety, depression, generalized anxiety, throwing up or stomach aches before competitions, low confidence, pressure they put on themselves, perfectionism, and high levels of self-criticism. I see a lot of “anxious achievers” who find satisfaction in athletic performances and athletic pursuits, but they tend to burn the candle at both ends and eventually realize their patterns & behaviors aren’t sustainable. I’ve worked with athletes of all levels and disciplines, but specialize in working with female endurance athletes–specifically running, cycling, swimming, rowing, nordic skiing, and triathlon. Other sports I’ve worked with include: hockey, volleyball, softball, basketball, football, soccer, figure skating, rock climbing, and weight lifting. Sport psychology has a ways to go in terms of regulation, so it’s often difficult to know where to start when searching for providers. In short, I left no stone unturned with licensing or credentials. I am licensed as a Psychologist with the Minnesota Board of Psychology. I am also a Certified Mental Performance Consultant via the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and am certified as a mentor for those pursuing their CMPC certification. I have PSYPACT interjurisdictional approval to practice as a psychologist and treat mental health concerns (such as depression and anxiety) in 36 states. I am listed on the United States Olympic & Paralympic Mental Health Registry. Finally, I am a published author of 20+ empirical journal articles and book chapters related to health promotion, diversity, and sport psychology. Athletes who come to me won't be cutting corners and can trust they have someone with the competence needed to support them using evidence-based approaches. I approach my work with a feminist and multicultural lens, which means I create space in sessions to process how cultural identities affect experiences in (and out of) sport. I use self-disclosure when appropriate, and I work hard to develop an egalitarian relationship between myself and my clients. I am passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion in sport and am active in the LGBTQ+ athlete community, having contributed to legal briefings to advocate for trans athletes in sport. As an athlete myself, I appreciate the importance of actionable feedback and the need for game plans, and thus play an active role in sessions. Many of my interventions, concepts, and strategies come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I use a lot of analogies in my work with athletes. I actively encourage athletes to lean into the hard stuff and practice self-compassion. I am a firm believer in the benefits of rest (and SLEEP!). I also know athletes perform their best when they experience joy. When athletes come to me, they’ll learn skills and strategies that can help them show up in the ways that are most important and meaningful to them. Outside of my time with clients, I am an avid endurance sport athlete and advocate, having completed nine marathons, seven half-distance triathlons, and one full-distance triathlon. I am the co-founder of a cycling team and non-profit in Minneapolis with the mission to diversify cycling. I regularly race in events throughout the Midwest as a cat 1 road cyclist and avid gravel cyclist. In the winter, you can find me dabbling in virtual racing, fatbike racing, and crossfit. Having forged inroads from athletics into outreach, I have experience as a volunteer for a “couch to 5k” program for domestic violence survivors in New York and mentor for “Little Bellas”, a non-profit mountain biking organization for 7-13 year-old girls. Finally, Skadi Sport Psychology sponsors the Minnesota high school mountain bike league by providing coaching education and a dedicated “chill zone” for student athletes who need to step away from the stimulation of race day, destress, and recenter. Anything I didn't mention above? Don't hesitate to contact me at Erin@SkadiSportPsychology.com and we can schedule a time for a phone call.