To support the holistic development of the athletes in our region, CEVA has partnered with Anna Hennings, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) who specializes in mental performance coaching for indoor volleyball and beach volleyball players.
What Is Mental Performance Coaching?
Mental performance coaching helps athletes and teams develop the mental skills that make the difference between good and great performance. It’s about learning to work with your thoughts and emotions instead of fighting them, staying present and focused point by point, and creating the mental habits that help you show up consistently, even when the pressure’s on. The process uses strategies backed by decades of sport psychology research, but delivered in a way that makes sense for what you’re going through as an athlete or team.
Trusted by athletes, teams, and groups from:
- Adidas
- Bushnell University
- Clackamas Community College
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Nike
- Pepperdine University
- Sport Oregon
- University of Oregon
- University of Portland
- Voice in Sport
- …and others
Why Work With Anna?
A former indoor volleyball player with her M.A. in Sport Psychology, Anna Hennings is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) who knows the volleyball world inside and out. She works with high school and collegiate programs regularly and trains individual athletes who play at every level, including many playing at (or committed to) top universities. Anna brings both the credentials and the real-world understanding of what it’s like to compete in this sport.
Based in Portland, OR, Anna works virtually with athletes all over the country.
How Does Mental Training Help Athletes Perform Better?
You know that moment when you make a mistake and feel yourself start to spiral? Mental performance coaching teaches you how to hit the reset button instead of staying stuck in that frustrating loop. You learn to shake off bad plays, quiet the inner critic, and get back to playing the volleyball you’re capable of. These skills help you step into big moments with confidence, stay connected with your teammates when things get tense, and ride the emotional rollercoaster of competitive volleyball without going off the rails. If burnout is creeping in, mental training can help you break free from the perfectionism trap and remember why you fell in love with the game in the first place.
When you train your mind alongside your body, you develop the inner strength to show up as your best self, both on the court and off.
Types Of Mental Performance Coaching:
One-on-one coaching is where the real magic happens. These private sessions are completely tailored to your goals and challenges, whether that’s getting out of your head during matches, navigating the recruiting process, or working through a slump. You’ll learn mental skills you can use immediately, plus you get ongoing support as you practice and apply them in real life.
Small-group coaching works great for beach partners, a coaching staff, or any small group that wants to get stronger together. It’s about building connection, shifting perspective, and developing resilience as a unit.
Workshops bring mental training to your whole team or program. These can look like classroom-style presentations, interactive team-building sessions, engaging group discussions, or a mix of learning and doing that fits what your group needs.
Mental performance coaching “office hours” give clubs and programs a way to offer their athletes regular access to one-on-one mental training. Reach out to Anna if you want to know more about how this works.
Anna works both in-person and virtually with athletes and teams.
