My journey into sport psychology has been anything but conventional. It’s been shaped by a lifetime of sport, personal struggles with performance anxiety, and a relentless curiosity about how the mind influences our ability to perform.

 

Falling in Love with Sport

 

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to movement. Whether it was running, skating, or kicking a ball, I couldn’t get enough. Being from Europe, my dad introduced me to soccer, and I instantly fell in love. I played with the boys at recess, dribbling and juggling my way through childhood. I begged my parents to let me join a team, and my first game was everything I’d hoped for—I felt confident, creative, and completely in my element.

 

But in my second game, something shifted. I didn’t play as well, but I still left the field feeling happy. That joy was short-lived. My dad’s harsh criticism crushed me, and from that moment on, I began playing under pressure instead of for the love of the game. What followed was an eight-year battle with performance anxiety. Some days, I played to my full potential. Other days, I hid on the field, too nervous to let my skills shine. My coaches never knew what version of me would show up. Eventually, the pressure became too much, and I quit just before university.

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Rediscovering Joy in Movement

 

Though I left soccer behind, I stayed active. I poured myself into lifestyle sports like skateboarding, rollerblading, snowboarding, and surfing whenever I could. These sports gave me something team sports hadn’t: freedom. There were no coaches, no external judgment—just me, improving at my own pace and finding joy in the process.

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During this time, I started a kinesiology degree, knowing I wanted a career in sport but unsure of what that would look like. In my third year, everything changed when I took an Intro to Sport Psychology course. For the first time, I understood what had held me back as an athlete, and I knew I wanted to help others overcome those same struggles. I started applying what I was learning to myself and even returned to playing soccer. This time, it was different. I learned how to manage my mind and found consistency in my performance. It was no longer about pressure or perfection—it was about letting my skills flow naturally.

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From Athlete to Sport Psychologist

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After earning my Master’s in sport psychology, where I studied how perfectionism in athletes relates to parenting styles, I began working with youth organizations, teaching life skills through sport. I also gained life-changing experiences abroad, including volunteering with “Soccer Without Borders” in Guatemala and studying mindfulness techniques in Australia. It was in Australia that I refined my approach: helping athletes let go of the mental clutter that holds them back instead of adding more pressure or strategies.

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Back in Canada, I found a new sport that reignited my competitive spirit—roller derby. As “Ripper,” I competed for eight years, learning how to manage the intense mental demands of the sport. Roller derby wasn’t just a physical challenge—it was a community that gave me lifelong friends and strengthened my mental resilience.

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Bridging Passion and Purpose

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In 2016, I landed one of the first full-time applied sport psychology jobs in Canada at the University of Alberta. Leading mental training for 500+ varsity athletes was an incredible experience, though not without its challenges. To manage the stress of my new role, I got a puppy, Miika. She quickly became my world, and I dove headfirst into dog training. When I ran out of tricks to teach her, I tried dog agility—and it was love at first run.

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Since 2018, agility has been my biggest passion and outlet. Competing with Miika (and later my rescue terrier, Melo) has taught me even more about the mind-body connection, trust, and joy in performance. I noticed how many agility handlers struggle with stress and anxiety before runs, much like traditional athletes, and I knew I could help.

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Today, I’m bringing together my two passions—dog agility and sport psychology—to help athletes and handlers overcome performance anxiety, trust their training, and rediscover the joy of competition. As a Mental Wellness Consultant for University of Alberta varsity athletes, Mental Performance Consultant for the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings, and Mental Performance Consultant with Elite Athlete Services, I work with competitors at all levels—from student-athletes to professional athletes to weekend warriors to agility handlers. No matter the sport, my mission remains the same: to help you clear the mental clutter, embrace the challenge, and unlock your peak performance.

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Consulting Approach​

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I work from a strengths-based orientation and my therapeutic approach centers on the mindfulness-acceptance-commitment (MAC). This approach emphasizes the power of being present in the moment, embracing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and committing to actions that resonate with your core values. By integrating mindfulness practices, I help you develop a deeper awareness of your experiences. My goal is to help you to navigate challenges with resilience and clarity, allowing you to shine both on and off the field.