In today’s competitive athletic world, the margin between success and setback is often mental. At Davenport Psychology, our team of licensed clinical psychologists provides expert sports psychology services to help athletes of all levels in Sarasota and Venice achieve their full potential. Our specialists, including Drs. Alejandro Sanchez and Keri Downs, are uniquely equipped to help you build the mental strength, focus, and resilience necessary to thrive under pressure.
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Beyond Coaching: The Clinical Psychologist’s Advantage
While a coach focuses on physical technique and strategy, a licensed clinical psychologist addresses the whole athlete. Our deep training allows us to not only teach mental skills but also to identify and treat underlying clinical issues—such as performance anxiety, depression, or burnout—that can manifest as performance slumps. This comprehensive approach aligns with recommendations from the American Psychological Association (APA), ensuring we are building lasting mental wellness, not just applying a temporary fix.
Our Approach: Building Your Mental Toolkit
We offer a confidential and supportive environment where athletes can build the mental skills necessary for success. Our approach integrates powerful, evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Visualization and Imagery Training, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to help you:
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Manage Performance Anxiety: Develop strategies to stay calm, centered, and focused when it matters most—interventions that are empirically supported The Sport Psychologist Journal.
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Enhance Mental Resilience: Learn to effectively process setbacks, bounce back from errors, and maintain a competitive, confident mindset.
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Improve Focus and Concentration: Sharpen your ability to block out external and internal distractions and achieve the “flow state.”
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Set and Achieve Meaningful Goals: Create a clear, actionable roadmap for reaching your athletic ambitions.
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Navigate Team Dynamics: Improve communication and resolve conflicts with teammates, coaches, and family.
Who We Work With
We tailor our services to the unique pressures and goals of athletes at every level of competition. Research shows that both preventative mental skills training and therapeutic support can improve outcomes and well-being for athletes NCAA.
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Youth & High School Athletes: We help young athletes build a healthy foundation of confidence, manage academic and parental pressure, and develop a lifelong love for their sport.
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Collegiate & NCAA Athletes: We provide support for balancing rigorous academic and athletic demands, dealing with team selection, and navigating the new pressures of NIL (Name, Image, & Likeness) opportunities.
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Professional & Elite Athletes: We offer confidential support for managing the immense pressures of media scrutiny, contract negotiations, career longevity, and planning for life after sports.
Golf
Most athletes or folks who perform at a high level or under pressure are comfortable with a technique coach or strength coach. If your mind is not “right” you will not likely perform “right.” At Davenport Psychology we are a coach for the interaction between your thoughts, feelings and your performance. Don’t get the “yips” call Davenport Psychology today 941-702-2457 !
Poker
We have worked with a number of poker players to manage their emotional reactions to poor play. Our experience has shown, developing a progress plan to measure and track your areas of difficulty, from a psychological perspective, can help make the optimal choice more then you do now. Do you show too much? We can help you keep your “tells” to yourself and read others better.
Do you get twisted before performing? If so, we can help you develop and successfully implement, mental and physical focusing techniques to get and keep your head in the game.
Crew
Do you row? We have, and we have years of experience working with local Sarasota rowers. Scull or sweep, single or eight? We can help and we understand what is like.
The doctors at Davenport Psychology will work to understand what is in your way and get you to the next level on regatta day!
Polo
Our formula for athlete success begins by meeting you where you are today and then developing a personalized psychological training plan. This plan is driven by insights from neuroscience and clinical psychology, using gold-standard, evidence-based practices.
If your mind is not “right” you will not likely perform “right.” At Davenport Psychology, we help athletes understand and optimize the connection between thoughts, feelings, and peak performance.
Sometimes, more significant anxiety, sadness, or stress may need to be treated with individual therapy before or alongside sports psychology work—a standard supported by the APA and leading professional organizations.
Our Sports Psychologists will meet you where you are and help you take it to the next level! Call us today 941-702-2457.
Meet Our Sports Psychology Specialists
As a specialist in sports psychology, Dr. Sanchez, Psychology Fellow, is dedicated to helping athletes enhance their performance by improving mental resilience and managing competitive anxiety. He utilizes evidence-based techniques such as visualization and goal-setting to support athletes in developing the crucial mental skills necessary for success. His approach is tailored to help competitors of all levels overcome obstacles and reach their full potential, both on and off the field.
As a licensed clinical psychologist and a former Division I athlete at Dartmouth College, Dr. Keri Downs brings a unique and personal understanding to the field of sports psychology. Her extensive clinical experience is complemented by her direct experience on the court, giving her firsthand insight into the pressures and challenges faced by competitive athletes. Her specialized training in sports psychology focuses on helping athletes build mental resilience, manage performance anxiety, and navigate the complex balance of athletics and academics.
Learn More From Our Sports Psychologists
The mental game is just as important as the physical one. To help you understand the psychology of peak performance, our doctoral-level psychologists have written extensively on the topic. We have selected the following articles to provide you with deeper insights into the mindset of a successful athlete:
Elevate Your Game: Women’s Basketball Off-Season Mental Training with Davenport Psychology
Introduction The off-season is a pivotal time for women’s basketball players to focus on mental training and prepare for the
Sports Psychology for Gymnastics and Cheerleading at Davenport Psychology
At Davenport Psychology, we understand the unique mental challenges faced by athletes, particularly those in gymnastics and cheerleading. These sports
How Weightlifting can Help with Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting a significant number of adults in the
Sports and performance psychology: Worthy or just a term?
Sports and performance psychology focuses on applying psychological rules that enhance the performance of an athlete. It can take an
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is sports psychology only for athletes who have a “problem”?
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Not at all. Many high-performing athletes use sports psychology proactively to gain a competitive edge, sharpen their mental skills, and enhance their overall enjoyment of their sport.
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How is this different from just talking to my coach?
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Your coach is an expert in the technical aspects of your sport. A clinical psychologist is an expert in the workings of the human mind. We provide a confidential space and use scientifically-validated techniques to address mental and emotional patterns that a coach is not trained to handle.
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Are the sessions confidential?
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Yes, all sessions are 100% confidential and adhere to the same strict ethical and legal standards as traditional therapy.
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