Meet Dr. Alyssa Zajdel
Hi, I am Dr. Alyssa Zaijdel, a Licensed Counseling Psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant. I grew up figure skating, both individually and on synchronized skating teams. In college, I was on my school’s intercollegiate figure skating team. I still skate as an adult, and also enjoy running and weight lifting.
Experience
I’ve worked with student athletes at two D1 universities and youth and adult athletes in a variety of sports. In addition to individual sessions, I’ve led workshops on a variety of mental skills (e.g., increasing motivation, improving confidence, managing performance anxiety) and recovering from injury support groups.
I’ve been mentored by some of the leading sport psychologists in the US and am a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.It wasn’t until the end of my PhD training that I learned about sport psychology. However, it was intriguing because up until that point, I enjoyed working with people on issues such as anxiety, perfectionism, gender, body image, and self-compassion. Combined with my history of being a figure skater and intrigue with the mental side of that sport, I realized sport psychology was a great intersection of my professional interests! I love working with high achieving performers because it is inspiring to witness the drive and passion they have for their activity. I enjoy being part of the process of widening their views of what can be possible, while also helping them be kinder to themselves.
I prioritize collaboration with athletes and their families. One of my leading philosophies in counseling is that athletes are the experts on themselves and their sports, while I am the expert in mental skills and change. Together, we work for the athlete to reach their goals. During sessions, we typically have casual conversations to better understand performance concerns and practice strategies such as breathing, identifying emotions, and setting goals.