Kierstin Collins, MS, LPC

06/03/2022

Over half of female student athletes do not believe their mental health is a priority in their athletic department. At The Institute of Sports Performance, we're working hard every day to change this narrative. If you're a student athlete, coach, athletic director, or loved one who wants to know what mental support or performance tools could help and why you need them now instead of later, let's talk!

Thank you ABC13 Houston for putting those story together!

Contact me at 713-522-2200 or kierstincollins@tinssp.com

Institute of Sports Performance Texas

"As athletes, you know you will never be perfect," said a two-time softball champion who struggled. "But you will die trying to climb that hill to reach perfection."

09/28/2021

Proactive vs Reactive. Inevitably every year I get calls and emails from athletes and parents who are only days away from a big match, game or tournament, frantic to manage the problems that have been building all season. This is being reactive. While there can be some good work done at any time, it is much EASIER and more EFFECTIVE to start working on mental blocks, building skills and tools, or addressing pressure from the beginning of the season. This is being proactive. Successful athletes are proactive athletes.
You wouldn't begin going to practice or conditioning just the week before the championship game, so why wait to work your mental muscles?
Now is the time to call or email for a free consultation, let's figure out the ideal timing for you to gain lasting improvement!

05/19/2021

This past weekend, I GOT to do an Olympic distance triathlon. I don't know if I have ever been more grateful to race after the last year! Grateful for the opportunity, grateful for a healthy body, grateful for the work I put in to get there. And guess what? All that mindset preparation, positive thinking and attitude of gratitude landed me a stellar finish and so much FUN along the way.
When I teach my athletes about mindset shift, positive thinking, and the importance of attitude, it's not just talk and it doesn't happen overnight. When you are training your body for months and months leading up to championship season, it's also about training your mind. It takes time to strengthen mental muscles and there's no better time to start than now.

05/12/2021

Tune in Thursday at 2 pm on the CFISD Guidance & Counseling page to learn how mental skills and mental health affect athletes. I even give you a tool you can start using today to improve your performance! Thank you CFISD for recognizing how important this is for student athletes!

Join us this Thursday as we discuss the impact of mental health on our athletes!

05/11/2021

What an illuminating article by The New York Times Magazine on the call for change in gymnastics culture and coaching!
In the article, athlete-maltreatment researcher Gretchen Kerr points out that gymnastics routinely ignores "that physical maltreatment has never been shown to have any evidence-based improvement on sports performance". Much like harsh treatment, corporal punishment, and fear-based practices have been proven ineffective when it comes to learning.
Whether this sounds like your gymnastics experience or the culture of another sport, it's time to make a change! I am so grateful to work with athletes in recognizing when coaching isn't working and how to find a healthy environment to grow in.
Copy link to read the full article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/magazine/gymnastics-abuse.html

05/11/2021

After spending a lifetime training for various sports and the last year specifically spent training for a 70.3 triathlon, only to have my race postponed multiple times and ultimately cancelled. And even with years of learning and practicing to replace my limiting thoughts with positive, empowering ones, I have struggled! While many athletes have returned to their sport, the continued start-stop culture of sports now is HARD.
The typical flow of a season tends not to happen these days. Through my own experience and the athletes I work with, I'm seeing more of a struggle to maintain motivation these days. It becomes harder to put out consistent effort for long periods of time when there is no competition along the way or end in sight. I get it and I can help!
Much like a coach encourages you to work your body harder when you might not feel like it. I can help you keep your mind in check when it's hard to do it on your own. Contact me soon to learn how to keep your head in the game when the game keeps disappearing!

05/11/2021

If you're constantly worrying about the next part of your life, you're missing out on being right in the middle of what you used to look forward to.
I hear lots of athletes hit big achievements and goals, only to shrug it off for the next one. My response is stop! Celebrate the steps to where you want to be in the long run. You can't get to the top of the staircase without climbing one step at a time and you might as well enjoy the journey.
Not sure what the difference between outcome goals and process goals are? Ask me!

05/11/2021

As parents, you don't want to see your kids upset or struggling. Makes perfect sense-it's your job to protect them and raise them up!
HOWEVER! As a sport parent, responding to a game, race, or performance that didn't go well is not the time to bring out your best cheerleading skills. Responding to a difficult situation with overly positive responses without acknowledging what your child is experiencing invalidates the athlete's reality. It sends the message that it is more important for you to be ok than to experience an athlete's reality.
Swipe for examples of how to respond to uncomfortable feelings! Still not sure how to support a frustrated, defeated athlete? Contact me and let's talk about it!

05/11/2021

Mental or Performance Blocks. When an athlete suddenly experiences an inability to execute routine plays, skills, or behaviors, resulting in feeling “stuck”, “locked”, or “frozen”. Typically, accompanied by high levels of worry and anxiety about why this is happening and a hyper focus on getting back to “normal”.
Almost always, I have seen blocks stem from injuries or disturbing experiences in sport. These memories can get “stuck” and not heal, re-activating the stress and fear response in the brain each time an athlete returns to practice, games, races, or competitions.
GOOD NEWS! Blocks are normal reactions to abnormal events and are entirely treatable! Want to know more? Click the link in bio to contact me!

05/11/2021

Comparing how you feel on the inside (struggling) to the way someone else looks on the outside (great) never works out.
We live in a world of highlight reels and comparing your real life to someone else's reel is detrimental. Everyone feels sad, alone, frustrated, wonders if they're good enough, worries that they're not, and questions themselves! You're not alone and talking about the thoughts, feelings, and fears is how you take power and control of your mind back.
Find a trusted person like a coach, counselor, or adult to normalize what you're experiencing and perform at your best. If you're not sure where to start, I'm here to help!

05/11/2021

Recovering from an injury is more than just physical! Good surgery, good physical therapy, and good mental support is the best way to get back out there.
When an injury occurs, the limbic system locks in the details of the event to prevent it from happening again. This is what the brain is supposed to do! But, for athletes this leads to fear of re-injury when the brain is re-triggered by sports situations. Mental blocks, anxiety, hesitation, or phantom pain can happen when the brain's record of the injury isn't addressed.
We use specialized techniques to target distressing memories of the injury and calm the brain down. Athletes can recover fully physically and mentally with the right support!

05/11/2021

Coaches can be an important part of an athlete's life. A relationship that may foster character development, passion, and of course athletic success.
But sometimes this relationship can be negative, if not abusive. Many athletes tough it out, believing it's ok because coaches are in a position of power. This takes its toll on sports performance. Mental blocks, fear of making mistakes, high anxiety, or worry about consequences can be developed.
At The Institute of Sports Performance we understand how difficult it is to talk about this dynamic and are here to support athletes in being able to play their sport free from fear.