Lauren S. Tashman, PhD, CMPC
Background
I started riding horses competitively when I was 8 years old. I was fortunate to get coached by a Grand Prix level rider right from the start immediately getting me set on a path towards becoming a professional rider with the ultimate goal of eventually competing in the Olympics. For 13 years, I traveled all over the country competing in elite national competitions. It was a great way to grow up! The summer before my freshman year of college, I had been doing well and was starting to compete at a higher level (higher an wider jumps, more complex courses) on a fool proof horse that would go through the jump if he couldn't go over it. My coach at that time said it was time to get a horse I could win on. For the next few months, on a new horse, I didn't make it around a single course of jumps. My confidence and motivation deteriorated each time I landed on the ground. Finally, at the last horse show of the summer, I was thrown face first into a jump. After that, I took a break from riding to recover and figure out if I wanted to continue pursuing my life's dream. At this point, my family had our own farm and we had several horses, so it was a big decision to consider. I decided to keep riding, got a new horse and a new coach, and rode for 3 more years. But I was never the same fearless rider I had always been. I know what it's like to compete and to feel like sometimes your mind is your best advantage while at other times your biggest obstacle. I naturally used imagery and would try to calm myself down in various ways before a big event, but I can only imagine what my riding career might have been like if I had someone who could teach me about mindset and the mental game!
What Do I Bring To The Table?
I have been working with individuals and teams/organizations in sport, exercise, and other performance settings for over 15 years. The last few years, I've been fortunate to work in high performance. I have a multi-faceted background and understanding of the psychology of performance that I combine with my experiences working at the highest level of sport to give clients information they can use to align performance with potential.
Education and Qualifications:
Certified Mental Performance Consultant© (CMPC) administered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)
2010 PhD in Educational Psychology, Major Sport Psychology, Florida State University (FSU)
2006 Certificate in Program Evaluation, FSU
2006 Certificate in Measurement & Statistics, FSU
2005 MS in Educational Psychology, Major Sport Psychology, FSU
2002 BA Psychology, The College of New Jersey
Thesis: The effects of perfectionism and perceived stress on burnout in coaches
Dissertation: Be a performance enhancement consultant: Enhancing the training of student sport psychology consultants using expert models
Diverse background: Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology; Educational Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Expert Performance; Psychology
Mental Performance Coaching and Related Experience:
♦ Master Coach Valor Performance (2019-present)
♦Director of Mental Performance G2 Academy (2019-present)
♦ Mental Performance Coach Golf & Body NYC (2018-present)
♦ Mental Performance Coach Softball Canada Senior Women's National Team (2014 - present)
♦ Coordinator of Sport Psychology Services - Barry University (2013 - 2017)
♦ Worked with sports teams, athletes, and coaches at the NCAA Division I and II, NAIA, community college, high school, youth sport, professional, national/Olympic, and competitive recreational levels of many different sports (ex: softball, tennis, rowing, gymnastics, swimming, diving, basketball, volleyball, equestrian, baseball, golf, soccer, hockey, and football)
♦ Taught exercisers and exercise professionals about mental skills for improving motivation, goal achievement, and adherence
♦ Worked with non-sport performance clients and contexts, such as music, dance, business, and law.
♦ Researched expert performance in SWAT police officers and critical care nurses under the direction of K. Anders Ericsson, Paul Ward, and David Eccles
Other Experience:
♦ Thrive Global Contributor
♦ Adjunct Professor and Internship Supervisor, Sport Psychology - John F. Kennedy University (2018-present)
♦ Associate Professor in MS Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology (MS SEPP) and BS Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology (BS SEPP) - Barry University (2011-2017)
♦ Coordinator of the MS in Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology (2016-2017)
♦ Co-edited a book titled "Becoming a Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Professional: A Global Perspective" (Routledge, 2014)
♦ Co-edited a book titled "Global Practices and Training in Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: A Case Study Approach" (Routledge, 2016)
♦ Designed an online, case-based learning community for SEPP students and professionals (Performance Enhancement Training Tool; PETT)
♦ Visiting Assistant Professor in Sport & Exercise Psychology - Barry University (2010-2011)
♦ Taught and designed curriculum for undergraduate and graduate programs and courses (for example: Introduction to Sport Psychology; Psychology of Injury; Applied SEPP; Motor Learning and Control; Performance Enhancement Psychology; Foundations of Sport and Exercise Science; SEPP Service Delivery; SEPP Professional Practice: Professional Ethics in SEPP)
♦ Chaired and served as committee member on various quantitative and qualitative thesis research projects
Education and Qualifications:
Certified Mental Performance Consultant© (CMPC) administered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)
2010 PhD in Educational Psychology, Major Sport Psychology, Florida State University (FSU)
2006 Certificate in Program Evaluation, FSU
2006 Certificate in Measurement & Statistics, FSU
2005 MS in Educational Psychology, Major Sport Psychology, FSU
2002 BA Psychology, The College of New Jersey
Thesis: The effects of perfectionism and perceived stress on burnout in coaches
Dissertation: Be a performance enhancement consultant: Enhancing the training of student sport psychology consultants using expert models
Diverse background: Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology; Educational Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Expert Performance; Psychology
Mental Performance Coaching and Related Experience:
♦ Master Coach Valor Performance (2019-present)
♦Director of Mental Performance G2 Academy (2019-present)
♦ Mental Performance Coach Golf & Body NYC (2018-present)
♦ Mental Performance Coach Softball Canada Senior Women's National Team (2014 - present)
♦ Coordinator of Sport Psychology Services - Barry University (2013 - 2017)
♦ Worked with sports teams, athletes, and coaches at the NCAA Division I and II, NAIA, community college, high school, youth sport, professional, national/Olympic, and competitive recreational levels of many different sports (ex: softball, tennis, rowing, gymnastics, swimming, diving, basketball, volleyball, equestrian, baseball, golf, soccer, hockey, and football)
♦ Taught exercisers and exercise professionals about mental skills for improving motivation, goal achievement, and adherence
♦ Worked with non-sport performance clients and contexts, such as music, dance, business, and law.
♦ Researched expert performance in SWAT police officers and critical care nurses under the direction of K. Anders Ericsson, Paul Ward, and David Eccles
Other Experience:
♦ Thrive Global Contributor
♦ Adjunct Professor and Internship Supervisor, Sport Psychology - John F. Kennedy University (2018-present)
♦ Associate Professor in MS Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology (MS SEPP) and BS Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology (BS SEPP) - Barry University (2011-2017)
♦ Coordinator of the MS in Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology (2016-2017)
♦ Co-edited a book titled "Becoming a Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology Professional: A Global Perspective" (Routledge, 2014)
♦ Co-edited a book titled "Global Practices and Training in Applied Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology: A Case Study Approach" (Routledge, 2016)
♦ Designed an online, case-based learning community for SEPP students and professionals (Performance Enhancement Training Tool; PETT)
♦ Visiting Assistant Professor in Sport & Exercise Psychology - Barry University (2010-2011)
♦ Taught and designed curriculum for undergraduate and graduate programs and courses (for example: Introduction to Sport Psychology; Psychology of Injury; Applied SEPP; Motor Learning and Control; Performance Enhancement Psychology; Foundations of Sport and Exercise Science; SEPP Service Delivery; SEPP Professional Practice: Professional Ethics in SEPP)
♦ Chaired and served as committee member on various quantitative and qualitative thesis research projects
What Can You Expect From Me?
1. I have an insatiable curiosity for understanding the mind and the role it plays in behavior and performance. So you can expect me to always be trying to learn more and become better at what I do so that I can best help my clients.
2. I am extremely passionate about this work. Helping people to perform more consistently at their potential and expand their potential is extremely rewarding.
3. I believe that the mind is very powerful. Our thoughts affect our actions, so if they aren't in the right place at the right time, then we aren't going to be able to get the best out of ourselves. So, I am going to work with you and challenge you to dig deeper into knowing yourself and implementing the things we work on so that you can put yourself in the best position to be successful. I will always be honest with you and though everything we do may not always feel comfortable, it will always be intentionally designed to help you grow and perform more optimally.
4. I know, because I have worked with so many different types of performances, that mental performance coaching can be used by anyone in any type of performance domain. So, whether you're an athlete who needs help performing better in clutch situations, a youth athlete who can learn not only how to perform better but more importantly learn skills and strategies that will help in all areas of life, a coach wanting help with creating an environment to get the best out of athletes in practice and competition, an exerciser who wants to stick with that new exercise program, a team/organization who needs to identify and implement a clear culture, a doctor/nurse who wants to learn ways to de-stress and harness focus for a long shift, a business CEO who wants to learn how to better lead employees and create more engagement in the workplace, a dancer who wants help with managing performance anxiety, or someone in any other performance context, you can expect that I will do what I need to in order to understand the role of psychology in your context so I can best help.
5. I'm not going to work with you on or have you implement anything I don't believe in or haven't used myself. Before I even knew what sport psychology was I was using imagery and other mental strategies, but I didn't know how to use them effectively. I'm not perfect and I won't expect you to be either, but I do practice what I preach; for example, I do mindfulness meditation every day, try to be more aware and in control of my inner voice, and practice gratitude daily.
6. Having said that, I know individual differences matter and I will make sure to help you find what works best for you. I don't believe in using a one-size-fits-all approach.
2. I am extremely passionate about this work. Helping people to perform more consistently at their potential and expand their potential is extremely rewarding.
3. I believe that the mind is very powerful. Our thoughts affect our actions, so if they aren't in the right place at the right time, then we aren't going to be able to get the best out of ourselves. So, I am going to work with you and challenge you to dig deeper into knowing yourself and implementing the things we work on so that you can put yourself in the best position to be successful. I will always be honest with you and though everything we do may not always feel comfortable, it will always be intentionally designed to help you grow and perform more optimally.
4. I know, because I have worked with so many different types of performances, that mental performance coaching can be used by anyone in any type of performance domain. So, whether you're an athlete who needs help performing better in clutch situations, a youth athlete who can learn not only how to perform better but more importantly learn skills and strategies that will help in all areas of life, a coach wanting help with creating an environment to get the best out of athletes in practice and competition, an exerciser who wants to stick with that new exercise program, a team/organization who needs to identify and implement a clear culture, a doctor/nurse who wants to learn ways to de-stress and harness focus for a long shift, a business CEO who wants to learn how to better lead employees and create more engagement in the workplace, a dancer who wants help with managing performance anxiety, or someone in any other performance context, you can expect that I will do what I need to in order to understand the role of psychology in your context so I can best help.
5. I'm not going to work with you on or have you implement anything I don't believe in or haven't used myself. Before I even knew what sport psychology was I was using imagery and other mental strategies, but I didn't know how to use them effectively. I'm not perfect and I won't expect you to be either, but I do practice what I preach; for example, I do mindfulness meditation every day, try to be more aware and in control of my inner voice, and practice gratitude daily.
6. Having said that, I know individual differences matter and I will make sure to help you find what works best for you. I don't believe in using a one-size-fits-all approach.
What Do I Specialize In?
While I work with individuals and teams/organizations for a variety of aims, some of my areas of expertise and focus include:
♦ Team/organization culture - assisting with the development, implementation, maintenance, and continued growth of a dynamic that will facilitate more consistent optimal performance
♦ Performing under pressure -helping individuals and teams perform to potential and build resilience despite adversity/challenges/obstacles
♦ Female performers and leaders - a large part of my career has focused on assisting females and female teams perform to their full potential
♦ Leadership - learning what effective leadership really consists of and how to develop one's leadership capabilities and/or the leadership in a team/organization
♦ Psychology of injury - helping performers to navigate the psychological impact of dealing with and returning from an injury
♦ Transitions - assisting performers with navigating the inevitable career transitions inherent in performance
♦ Team/organization culture - assisting with the development, implementation, maintenance, and continued growth of a dynamic that will facilitate more consistent optimal performance
♦ Performing under pressure -helping individuals and teams perform to potential and build resilience despite adversity/challenges/obstacles
♦ Female performers and leaders - a large part of my career has focused on assisting females and female teams perform to their full potential
♦ Leadership - learning what effective leadership really consists of and how to develop one's leadership capabilities and/or the leadership in a team/organization
♦ Psychology of injury - helping performers to navigate the psychological impact of dealing with and returning from an injury
♦ Transitions - assisting performers with navigating the inevitable career transitions inherent in performance