Show Notes
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I answer a parent's question about helping her young gymnast after a friend was injured while tumbling at home. After working hard to rebuild her confidence with backward skills, the experience left her daughter at risk of another dip in confidence. I explain why seeing an injury can make an athlete's brain perceive a skill as dangerous, even if they were making great progress before. The first step is to give your gymnast space to process what ha...
More from PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I talk about the awareness phase of mental block recovery and why building confidence is only one part of the process. Before gymnasts can fully trust themselves again, they need to understand what their brain and body are telling them and learn what helps them feel safe enough to try. I explain why progress during mental block recovery is rarely a straight line. Your gymnast might confidently attempt a skill one day and need extra mats, a spot, o...
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I talk about how parents can support their gymnasts through mental blocks, slow progress, and moments when skills seem to disappear. When your child is struggling, it can be hard to stay patient, especially when you see their frustration and worry about their confidence, future, or love for the sport. I explain why parental frustration often comes from fear and how recognizing those feelings can help you respond differently. We explore growth mind...
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, Coach Rebecca answers a question from a parent whose seven year old gymnast has been stuck on her round off back handspring for nearly a year. Although she can do the skill with a small amount of support, she freezes when that support is removed. Rebecca explains why this may not be a matter of unwillingness, but an actual mental block where the brain detects a threat and stops the body from moving forward. She shares why changing the language fro...
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I talk about what happens when a gymnast has lost trust in their coach and how parents, athletes, and coaches can work together to rebuild that relationship. We explore why trust does not happen automatically and how small, positive experiences can slowly fill up what I call the “trust bin.” I also talk about why neurodivergent gymnasts can sometimes be misunderstood in the gym. Sensory overload, executive function challenges, rejection sensitivit...
In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Bill Taylor, founder of Sports Conflict Lab and a former collegiate head coach, to talk about conflict in sports, communication, and why learning how to handle difficult conversations is an important part of becoming a confident athlete. Bill explains why conflict is inevitable in every relationship and why avoiding it usually makes things worse. We talk about the power imbalance between athletes and coaches, and why young athletes...