Mental Freedom for Sportspeople

Freeing Your Mind –The Route to Enhanced Performance in Sport

It’s not easy being a sports coach or manager. After all, you’re responsible for training and developing your athletes, and when things go wrong, you’re first in line for the blame, too. It’s hardly surprising that sometimes you struggle to remain focused, energetic and motivated.

Imagine if you could free your mind from overthinking or self-limiting beliefs, allowing yourself to be present. How much time would you get back, and how would you use it? It is easy to get drawn into the notion that results somehow say something about us as human beings, but this is not truth!

It is a game-changer when coaches and officials experience psychological freedom to explore what’s possible in their chosen sport without judgement of themselves and others. 

How transformative coaching can help you…

With over 30 years’ experience in elite sports performance, engaging in transformative conversations with coaches and managers at club, regional, national and professional levels, I can help you to:

  • Understand the content of your thinking in a new way so that you’re no longer afraid of your moods.
  • Uncover what causes self-image and identity issues that keep you stuck.
  • Live, coach and play freely rather than struggle and strive to make it to the next level.
  • Harness your love for the sport and capacity for great coaching amidst uncertainty and change.
  • Enhance your relationships on and off the pitch, and know when to change course!
  • Identify your triggers and insecurities quickly; resolve conflict with ease and grace.
  • Coach your players to be their coach, wise and resilient, and avoid inflicting your beliefs on others.

As a result, you will be able to:

  • Handle team selections and feedback with greater clarity and confidence, knowing that players are secure in themselves.

  • Ensure athletes access 100% of their skill capacity when it counts, inconsistency and underperforming is a rare occurrence.

  • Help athletes’ to maximize time, through high-quality thinking, accelerate the process of their learning and adaptation.

  • Stop ruminating over loses, or poor performances, no need to train so-called mental toughness, as you all reconnect with the power of innate resilience.

  • Remain focussed and clear-minded when your team break the agreed rules and code of conduct, nurture empathy so that athletes re-group quickly.

  • Go beyond a ‘no blame’ elite training environment, know where to look for clarity of mind, when heads are full of being the victim of circumstances.

  • Understand the true nature of the performance zone state, so that you experience natural flow more and more of the time!

  • Optimize your daily function and avoid reliance on substances for relief.

  • Supports athletes to remain clear-minded when injured and approach rehabilitation highly engaged from a place of security.

You may be an elite or professional athlete, coach, performance director, manager, or CEO; if you are serious about growing and transforming your performance and results, get in touch, and we’ll arrange a time to speak.

What People Say About Working With Denise

Lesley MacDonald

Denise has a tremendous understanding of how to achieve elite performance in sport. Her contagious enthusiasm is motivating and inspires you to the next level

Lesley MacDonald
Scotland National Netball Athlete (107 caps)

Hannah Salem

I used to struggle to remain calm and confident in stressful situations, what others think of me, what would happen if I did something wrong? We are all capable of achieving, no part of our abilities is lacking! This programme has truly changed me for the best and is perfect during my final year of University.

Hannah Salem
Third Year Student - The University of Kent - Sports Therapy

Stuart Lancaster

I appreciate the support Denise gave me when I was transitioning into my new role at Leinster and helping me understand how to ‘free my mind!

Stuart Lancaster
Senior Coach Leinster Rugby – Former England Rugby Coach

Harriet Bonner-Leney

I enjoyed this course very much as it improved my shooting technique and accuracy dramatically. I learned that you do not have to be controlled by your negative thoughts because they are not you.

Harriet Bonner-Leney
Age 12

Richard Pybus

Denise has been instrumental in my evolving understanding of the Three Principles and how they specifically apply in high-performance sport. Her insightful and intuitive way of working has challenged and deepened my fundamental understanding of all human performance. I’ll always be appreciative of her significant role in my development as a performance director and coach.

Richard Pybus
Founder & CEO Optimal Performance - Former Director of Cricket - West Indies Cricket Board

Amelia Davies

Denise’s new approach is great for teamwork, we don’t get upset with each other anywhere near as much, and get over disappointments quickly.

Amelia Davies
Third Year Student - The University of Kent, Sports and Exercise for Health

Grayson Hart

I enjoyed speaking with Denise about the mind and performance. The conversations were very insightful and always had me challenging and questioning the status quo regarding mental performance. The critical pointer Denise gave was that our natural state is freedom of mind, clarity and potential. We don’t need to overexert the mind to find these states. Searching for them often leads us further into tension. I found this very relatable to direct experiences in life and sport.

Grayson Hart
Scotland International Rugby Player - London Scottish FC

Matthew Roberts

I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Denise over a cup of coffee when we met in America. It would be easy to accuse me of exaggeration or sensationalising by making the following statement, but I can only offer you the truth as I see it. The truth is that those few minutes changed my life. I had spent the last 15 years pursuing peak performance, competing internationally in the High jump and achieving a lifetime best of 2.26m. Through my love of this sport, I became a seeker, wanting to uncover the truth of the mind and how to reach that flow state. I’m not saying that I’m now enlightened, but I know that a beautiful, peaceful, loving state is only one thought away, for that, you have my complete and utter gratitude.”

 

Matthew Roberts
England International High Jumper who came back from breaking his neck!

Mark Harris

I reached out to Denise when my world seemed to be falling apart. I had recently received a diagnosis of two different types of cancer; my son was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and had little time to live. I did not know how to process all of this, and my mental state spiralled! Within ten minutes of quiet time with Denise, I felt everything lifting from my shoulders and a feeling of calm settling in its place. Working with Denise has given me a deeper understanding and knowledge of the mind, it keeps me on a healthy path not only in general day-to-day life but as a life skill in my work environment and sport. Forever grateful to you, Denise.

 

Mark Harris
Senior Business Analyst and Golfer!

Floyd Woodrow MBE

Denise is impressive in her abilities by any standard. Her ability to teach and develop those around her, mark her out as someone with exceptional leadership and coaching skills. I constantly seek advice and counsel from her and trust her implicitly.

Floyd Woodrow MBE
Chairman and CEO of Chrysalis Worldwide

Adam Ashe

Denise has the skills and experience to wake people up to deeper knowledge about themselves. In the sporting arena, this knowledge happens to be crucially important.

Adam Ashe
Professional Rugby Player – Glasgow Warriors

Jack Pransky

Denise Holland is one of my best “students.” She is one of the few students I have asked to teach with me, and I was and remain very impressed with her presence, her knowledge, her wisdom, her feeling and her responsiveness. I would say anyone who works with Denise is in excellent hands.

Jack Pransky
Author - Someone Should Have Told Us (Simple Truths for Living Well)

Nadia McMillian

I am so grateful to have worked with Denise, I used to float in and out of different moods and believed it was other things and situations causing them. Honestly, this understanding has changed my life.

Nadia McMillian
Third Year Student - The University of Kent, Sport and Exercise Science.

Vicky Norman

Meeting Denise was perfect timing, written in the stars, foretold, whatever. My world was falling apart, my marriage had ended, my child was in serious trouble, and I was upping sticks and moving up North to run the biggest, most complex project of my career.
Four months later, my project is an astonishing success, my marriage is back on track, and best of all, my baby is coming back to me. I am different at work, at home, inside my head, and others can see it. The dark days aren’t dark any more because they don’t last, and the light days are far more frequent. Denise’s workj isn’t just amazing in the world of sport but any area of life.

Vicky Norman
Implementation Manager

Charles Mayhew

After a close family member benefitted hugely, I decided to work with Denise. It transformed my perspective and how I now live my life, clear-minded and knowing what’s truly important to me, which is so relaxing and enriching. I used to live in a place of “It’ll be better when”, so I was never present. “When I’ve sold the business..!” “When I’ve retired..!” When I’ve bought this house or car etc…..!” This program has given me my life back!

Charles Mayhew
Dad, Husband, Entrepreneur, and Sports Coach

Charlie Harris

Before I took part in Denise’s Health and Well Being programme, I stressed in many situations; it would prevent me from taking part in different things. I now look at the situations holistically and not let thoughts prevent me from putting myself forward.

Charlie Harris
2nd-year student – The University of Greenwich – Forensic science with Criminology Student