Sport Psychologist in Utrecht
Do you need a sport psychologist in Utrecht? I’m Thijs Wagenaar, and I can help you. I can assit you as an athlete in dealing with challenges, developing your talent, and achieving top performances.
What does a sport psychologist do?
As an athlete, you’ll encounter various challenges in your career on your path to success. One of the most common issues I hear in my practice in Utrecht is dealing with pressure. Small details can make all the difference between winning and losing, and it can sometimes feel like everything was for nothing. Centimeters or thousandths of a second determine whether you’re successful or not. In addition, you also have to balance your life as an athlete with life outside of sports. Often, sports take the highest priority. That can be quite tough.
As a sport psychologist in Utrecht, I guide athletes mentally to better cope with setbacks, perform better, let go of control where necessary, learn to manage performance anxiety, handle competition stress more effectively, and improve focus. All of this contributes to the greatest development and the best performances. The focus is always on the individual. Who are you as a person? What drives you? What challenges do you face in life? Together, we’ll build the mental foundation for you to perform better. The enjoyment of the sport and the development of a growth mindset are central to optimal talent development.
Why choose Thijs as a sport psychologist in Utrecht?
I get straight to work with you. I have no waiting list, so we can start our journey together on short notice. We don’t just sit and talk; I also observe and practice with you in the situations where you want to improve. This way, we identify where gains can be made. If necessary, as a sport psychologist in Utrecht, I’m also in contact with your trainer, coach, and/or parents. Together, we create all the conditions and environment that contribute to your progress.
Since 2016, I’ve had the opportunity to guide many athletes from Utrecht and the surrounding areas. The most popular sports I’ve worked with include cycling, soccer, golf, speed skating, tennis, rowing, gymnastics, rugby, judo, darts, and karate. Fortunately, the athletes I’ve worked with are very satisfied with our collaboration. Of course, I have a duty of confidentiality, and everything we discuss is private, but Othmane Boussaid has spoken about it himself in the NPO podcast De Dag: “Thijs has helped me enormously in focusing on the things I can control. He made me realize that, besides winning and losing, I can also focus on other goals during training where I have more control.”
How do I work as a sportpsychologist in Utrecht?
Would you like to work together on improving your performance or development? Or are there other challenges you can’t resolve on your own? Schedule a non-binding introductory meeting with me. This can be done online or at my practice in Utrecht. During the intake session, we’ll first discuss your needs and goals. We’ll go beyond the surface and quick fixes. After that, we’ll work on the skills that can help you the most. We take our time for this. Most athletes require six to ten sessions. There is, of course, always the option to continue working together afterward. Mental training is like training your muscles; you also go to the gym or the physiotherapist to maintain your fitness.
Which mental skills can a sport psychologist help you with?
Below you’ll find a few examples of the mental skills I help athletes develop in my practice in Utrecht. I created these videos in collaboration with Topsport Gelderland.