CERTIFIED MENTAL PERFORMANCE CONSULTANT & SPORT PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES IN CHARLOTTE, NC

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Ben’s Athletes Compete For The Following Organizations:

ACC

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FIA WEC

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NASCAR

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FIA WRC

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NFL

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SEC

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Red Bull

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MLB

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PGA

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Ford

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Toyota

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Subaru

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IMSA

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Chevrolet

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ACC • FIA WEC • NASCAR • FIA WRC • NFL • SEC • Red Bull • MLB • PGA • Ford • Toyota • Subaru • IMSA • Chevrolet •

THE PREMEIR SPORT PSYCHOLOGY EXPERT IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA…

Ben Foodman is one of the few professionals in the Carolinas that is both a licensed mental health therapist and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). With over a decade of experience, Ben’s private practice is specifically designed to work one-on-one with high school, collegiate, and professional athletes who need to unlock their peak performance. Athletes, parents, and coaches seeking the mental edge often contact Ben for the following specialized services:

An abstract image of athletes celebrating because they used sport pyschology

ENHANCE MENTAL TOUGHNESS: PRESSURE, RESILIENCE, AND AGGRESSSION TRAINING

Many talented athletes struggle to perform their best when the pressure is highest. Ben provides athletes with concrete, real-world mental strategies to train their mind to accomplish the following:

  • overcome sports performance pressure

  • thrive in clutch moments

  • developing a competitive focus

  • increase emotional control

  • autonomic nervous system regulation

True mental toughness involves more than just effort; it requires resilience and decisiveness to quickly rebound from mistakes, handle external critics, and cultivate the competitive aggression needed to dominate your sport consistently.

An abstract image of an athlete overcoming a mental block using sport psychology

OVERCOME MENTAL BLOCKS AND SPORTS TRAUMA WITH BRAINSPOTTING

A mental block can feel like an invisible barrier, often showing up as the yips or twisties, an inexplicable slump, or paralyzing fear after an injury or traumatic event. Ben’s practice offers specialized support by utilizing Brainspotting:

  • Brainspotting is a focused, powerful tool that helps the brain process and release deep-seated performance obstacles.

  • Ben collaborates with athletes to get to the root of the problem with Brainspotting

This allows athletes to quickly move past these mental barriers and return to the automatic, peak performance state athletes know they are capable of.

An abstract image of athletes training and increasing their mental energy

SUSTAIN PEAK PERFORMANCE: INCREASING MENTAL ENERGY VIA APPLIED EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY

Long seasons often lead to burnout and mental fatigue, causing dips in motivation and consistency. Ben implements principles from Exercise Psychology to accomplish the following:

  • Optimize your approach to training and rest, ensuring you have the mental energy required for sustained success.

  • Develop customized strategies for maintaining motivation, & managing seasonal training demands

  • Balance high-intensity effort with effective recovery techniques used in prehab

  • Learn how to allocate your focus strategically to reduce injury outcomes and stay locked in when it matters most.

An abstract image of an athlete recovering after using biofeedback

MASTERING AROUSAL CONTROL: TRAINING WITH BIOFEEDBACK FOR AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION

High-stakes competition can hijack your body's systems, leading to tension, racing thoughts, and difficulty breathing. Ben’s training utilizes Biofeedback technology to help athletes with the following:

  • Ben gives athletes real-time data on their physiological state (like heart rate and breathing).

  • Teaches athletes how to harness the power of the Autonomic Nervous System

  • Athletes learn how to precisely control their arousal levels, instantly reducing pre-performance anxiety and muscle tension.

  • This mastery allows athletes to reliably enter and maintain their personal optimal performance state under any circumstance.

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A collection of Ben's Training Report covers that revies sport psychology strategies

THE TRAINING REPORT: SPORT PSYCHOLOGY INSIGHTS FOR ATHLETES IN CHARLOTTE, NC

Stay ahead of the competition with the latest evidence-based strategies from Ben’s private practice. The Training Report offers expert guidance on mental performance, resilience, and anxiety management tailored specifically for high school, collegiate, and professional athletes in the Charlotte area and beyond. Discover actionable insights to unlock your peak performance consistently.

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FEATURED TRAINING REPORTS

Featured
Sport Psychology Case Studies - Mental Performance Coaching For Racecar Drivers, Not Therapy
Sport Psychology Case Studies - Mental Performance Coaching For Racecar Drivers, Not Therapy

I wanted to provide a case study on my work with racecar drivers as a mental coach and why this is different than providing mental health therapy to athletes. I will review my mental skills training approaches that I used with a NASCAR Xfinity series driver and how I helped them achieve peak mental performance outcomes…

Sport Psychology Case Studies - Mental Training Requirements to be an Elite NASCAR Driver
Sport Psychology Case Studies - Mental Training Requirements to be an Elite NASCAR Driver

When working with NASCAR drivers competing in ARCA, Trucks, Xfinity and Cup series, I have specific mental training approaches I use that are unique to this athlete population. Read more about this NASCAR case study to learn how I utilize the top sport psychology interventions to help these athletes improve focus, increase aggression, develop high quality work ethic, and become an elite motorsport athlete…

What Modern Mental Skills Training Do Racecar Drivers Use?
What Modern Mental Skills Training Do Racecar Drivers Use?

Racecar drivers are beginning to work with sport psychologists to enhance their mental performance. However, there are many sport psychologists that still use ‘old school’ mental skills training. For this issue of the Training Report, I want to review the new, cutting edge mental skills training approaches that elite racecar drivers are using…

Why Is Brainspotting The Top Sport Psychology Tactic For Athletes, The Yips & Peak Performance?
Why Is Brainspotting The Top Sport Psychology Tactic For Athletes, The Yips & Peak Performance?

Athletes are looking for cutting edge interventions to help them alleviate the symptoms of mental blocks. I want to use this Training Report to review one such intervention called Brainspotting and how this approach enhances sport performance outcomes…

How Can Athletes Use Mental Skills Training To Be More Aggressive For Sports?
How Can Athletes Use Mental Skills Training To Be More Aggressive For Sports?

Most sport psychologists try to help athletes learn how to be calm. But there are many times during sports when athletes need to learn how to be aggressive. For this issue of the Training Report, I want to explore why, when and how athletes should train to be aggressive…

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MENTAL PERFORMANCE CONSULTING:

  • Yes, while my primary practice is centered in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Carolinas, I provide remote mental performance consulting to collegiate and professional athletes across the country via secure online sessions. However, if athletes outside of North Carolina require more clinical therapy, I will refer out.

  • There is technically no such thing as a sport psychologist. There are licensed psychologists who specialize in working with athletes, but there is no specific licensure for sport psychology. The Certified Mental Performance Consultant certification (CMPC) is the highest professional certification that can be achieved, and licensed mental health professionals that work with athletes need this certification to demonstrate true authority.

  • Brainspotting is highly effective for athletes struggling with the "yips," sudden slumps, or performance blocks linked to past injury trauma. We use a specialized approach to quickly process and release the underlying neurological barriers.

  • Everyone progresses at different rates, but improvement can often be fast. Using Biofeedback and exercise psychology training, you will learn how to enforce immediate control over your autonomic nervous system and pre-game anxiety. Consistency with these techniques yields rapid results in high-pressure situation.

  • The first step is to schedule a free, confidential discovery call directly through my website. This helps us assess your mental performance goals and determine the best specialized consultation plan for your needs.

  • Individual sessions are highly specialized and are charged at a rate of $200 per session, $400 for the assessment. I do not accept insurance, and I do not provide a superbill for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

A book cover design about Ben's new sport psychology book

ARE YOU READY TO CONQUER MENTAL BLOCKS & ACHIEVE PEAK MENTAL PERFORMANCE?

Get ready for the release of Ben Foodman’s upcoming book Breakthroughs Need Breakdowns! Check out the link below to learn more about the new authoritative book on the psychology of mental blocks in sports (AKA The Yips) and how to reach your true potential!

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INTERESTED IN SERVICES?

Use the contact form below to schedule a free consultation call to see if Ben’s services are the right fit for what you are looking for!