About Catherine

Catherine Broadhead (Cat) is a certified Sport and Health Psychology Consultant by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and a nationally certified counselor (NCC) by the National Board of Certified Counselors. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Sport and Health Psychology from The Adler School of Psychology in Chicago. Throughout her life, Cat has been an academic and involved in sports. Cat has always been interested in leadership and intrigued by how emotions influence learning and performance. Cat majored in psychology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where she is an active volunteer. She earned her Master of Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the top rated education program in the country. She has taught elementary school in public, private, and charter schools, and started a gifted and talented program in a charter school. During Business School at Cornell University’s Johnson School, Cat worked for Cornell Outdoor Education’s Teambuilding Program. In the classroom and on the ropes course, Cat realized how perfectionism and anxiety influence performance. Now Cat specializes in counseling adults and children in sports and high stress situations.

Sleep Well for Wellness

When students and athletes consult with me, I always ask about their sleep because  sleep is a big part of our lives and is instrumental to our performing well. We all know what it’s like when we haven’t slept well … Continue reading

Improving Focus

Many athletes ask about focus and getting in “the zone.”  Getting in the zone means being in the moment, and being in the moment means that you are not thinking about what’s happened in the past, and you are not … Continue reading

Coping with Frustration

It is the things that we cannot control in life that can be the most frustrating.  You may feel frustrated with a teammate on the sport field, someone with whom you work, or a loved one.  When there is not a … Continue reading

Productive Positive Thinking

How do you make positive thinking work for you? Gabriele Oettingen, of New York University and the University of Hamburg has been researching positive thinking and motivation.  In her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, she states that … Continue reading

Prevention of Stress in Children’s Sports

Excessive stress, injury, being burnt out, along with other negative aspects of youth sport can be avoided. Here are some simple ways to avoid putting too much stress on athletes and creating problems. The thrill should be competition, not winning. … Continue reading

Children in Sports – Benefits

There are many benefits of a young child’s involvement in sport.  Through sports, children learn physical skills, gain an appreciation of physical fitness, and grow emotionally and socially. Learning Physical Skills Young athletes learn both fundamental motor skills and sport-specific … Continue reading

Introducing Children to Sports

Many parents come to me with questions about their children’s involvement in sports.  When should children start sports?  What sports should they do?  When should sports get competitive?  Expert Frank Eksten of the Franciscan Sports Medicine Institute in Indiana answers these … Continue reading

Get Your Skis Shined Up!

The ski season is almost over, and many of us are celebrating the good times we had on the slopes. The end of the season is a great time to rejoice in the good times that you had, reflect, and … Continue reading

Power of the Pre-Game Speech

A pre-game speech can influence athletes’ performances and motivate them.  A well-produced pre-game speech motivates athletes because it directs their thoughts appropriately, often from distraction to focus, from anxiousness to excitement. So what makes a pre-game speech a good one? … Continue reading

Getting out of a Slump

In a slump?  Has your team been losing or has your performance been down?  Try these two strategies to boost your motivation and improve your performance. Use positive self-talk “You can do this!” Use “You” or your name instead of … Continue reading

Mindfulness in Golf

This week Summit Performance Consulting LLC is celebrating the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort & Spa Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida now until Wednesday, March 1, 2015.  144 players will compete for a purse of $6.1 M, with … Continue reading