EMDR for Sports Performance

EMDR for Colorado Athletes

Known for their exceptional performances in a variety of sports such as skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and ultrarunning, elite Colorado athletes often face intense physical and mental challenges in their training and competitions. One such challenge that many athletes struggle with is overcoming mental blocks and performance anxiety, which are frequently referred to as the “yips,” “hiccups,” or “slumps.” These psychological barriers can result in anxiety, errors, and a decrease in overall performance. In fact, 35% of elite athletes report having suffered from a mental health crisis including burnout, depression, or anxiety in comparison to only 26% of the general population.

At EMDR Center of Denver, we have completed advanced, specific EMDR training for our ongoing work with elite and professional athletes from throughout Golden, Boulder, Vail, Leadville, and Colorado Springs to give our clients an edge above the competition. 

Though traditionally used to treat trauma and PTSD, EMDR is increasingly being applied to sports performance enhancement by helping athletes reframe and deactivate negative mental blocks and emotions, thereby improving focus and overall execution.

This blog post explores how EMDR can specifically benefit Colorado athletes, focusing on EMDR’s impact in reducing sports performance anxiety through EMDR’s deactivation of the amygdala and how this reduces mental sports performance barriers such as those described by Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, as the “twisties“ — a mental block limiting a sense of spatial awareness during complex aerial maneuvers. By exploring the neuroscience behind EMDR, this blog will demonstrate how EMDR treatment can help athletes gain a competitive edge and overcome the mental challenges that hinder peak performance.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is a therapeutic approach that uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, to help athletes process distressing memories or experiences. Through a series of sessions, EMDR helps athletes reprocess the emotional and cognitive blocks associated with past traumatic experiences or mental barriers that may be affecting their current performance.

In the context of sports performance, EMDR works by targeting the neural pathways that generate emotional responses tied to performance anxiety, stress, and fear. These responses often stem from past injuries, failures, or negative life or performance experiences. EMDR can reduce the intensity of these emotions and help athletes gain better control over their thoughts and reactions, enabling them to perform at their highest level.

The Role of the Amygdala in Sports Performance

The amygdala, a small almond-shaped cluster of nuclei located in the brain, plays a significant role in processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety. It is responsible for activating the body’s fight-or-flight response when faced with perceived danger or stress. When athletes experience fear or anxiety — whether it’s about an upcoming competition, the fears of re-injury, or performance expectations — the amygdala often triggers an overactive emotional response.

For elite athletes performing in high-stakes competitions–whether tradclimbing in Eldorado Canyon, training for the Leadville 100 or Hardrock 100, or snowboarding season training at Woodward Copper, such neural activation can manifest in physical tension, hesitation, and a lack of focus. An overactive amygdala can disrupt an athlete’s ability to think clearly, make quick decisions, and perform technical skills with precision.

The good news is that EMDR can help reduce the overactivity of the amygdala by reprocessing the memories and emotions tied to recent injuries, mental blocks, or seemingly unrelated life events that are now limiting performance and a sense of focus. When an athlete processes past stress or traumatic events through EMDR, the emotional intensity connected to these memories is reduced. This deactivation of the amygdala helps athletes regain control over their emotions and responses, allowing them to focus on the task at hand rather than being distracted by anxiety or fear.

Mental Blocks and the “Twisties”: A Case Study of Simone Biles

Simone Biles, one of the most celebrated gymnasts in history, brought attention to a phenomenon called the “twisties,” a mental block leading to sudden disorientation mid-air, often leading to a loss of control during flips or rotations. For Biles, this was a mental block that affected her ability to perform at her usual elite level, and she took a step back from competition to address her mental health.

This situation provides an insightful lens through which to understand how EMDR can benefit athletes facing similar mental blocks. Just as Biles struggled with the twisties, many elite Colorado athletes face their own mental blocks — whether it’s fear of getting re-injured while tradclimbing, anxiety about a gnarly run while snowboarding, or mental fatigue during an ultramarathon. The twisties are, in essence, a manifestation of the amygdala hijacking the brain’s normal functioning during moments of extreme pressure.

By utilizing EMDR, athletes can deprogram the fear response tied to specific maneuvers, mental blocks, or moments of anxiety. EMDR can reduce the overwhelming fear associated with specific challenges, allowing elite athletes to gain a mental competitive edge over their competition.

EMDR for Sports Performance in Colorado

The beauty of EMDR lies in its adaptability for athletes across various sports. EMDR can be tailored to address the unique psychological demands of any sport.

1. Rock Climbers

Colorado is home to some of the most iconic climbing destinations in the world, whether free climbing The Flatirons or trad-climbing Shelf Road or Lumpy Ridge. The mental fortitude required to scale difficult routes often involves overcoming a fear of a gnarly fall, re-injury, and mental fatigue. By using EMDR, climbers can reduce anxiety related to these challenges, improving focus and reducing hesitation during climbs. This can be especially crucial when faced with risky moves where precision is paramount.

2. Snowboarders and Skiers

Elite snowboarders and skiers deal with the pressures of executing high-speed, high-risk maneuvers in an unforgiving environment. These athletes can benefit from EMDR if they’ve experienced prior injuries or wipeouts that now create a mental barrier that limits performance. EMDR can help athletes let go of past distressing experiences and gain confidence in their abilities, allowing them to take on difficult competitions without fear of repeating past mistakes.

3. Ultrarunners

The grueling nature of ultramarathons in Colorado’s challenging terrain, including races like the Leadville 100, demands not only exceptional physical endurance but also mental toughness. EMDR can be particularly beneficial for ultrarunners who face mental exhaustion, negative self-talk, and anxiety during long stretches of races or mental blocks with current or recent injuries. By reducing the intensity of mental blocks and fear of failure, EMDR enables runners to maintain focus and finish with greater success.

EMDR for Sports Performance at the EMDR Center of Denver

We, at EMDR Center of Denver, are specifically trained in EMDR for sports performance, offering specialized support to help athletes overcome mental barriers and build the mental toughness needed to excel in their sport. Whether you’re in Denver, Boulder, or Colorado Springs, our experts can guide you through the process of integrating EMDR into your training routine.

Mental barriers such as prior injuries or accidents while competing or distressing seemingly unrelated life events can hinder peak performance. EMDR is a powerful tool for reducing these mental blocks. EMDR at the EMDR Center of Denver, where our therapists specialize in sports performance, offers athletes the opportunity to break through mental barriers and elevate their game.

Not sure if we’re a good fit? Reach out to schedule a free 15 minute consult with us today.