Who I Am:

Joshua Hayes, M.A.
Mental Performance Consultant

• M.A. Sport & Performance Psychology – National University

• B.A. Psychology – UNLV

• NASM Certified Behavior Change Specialist

• CMPC Candidate (AASP)

My Journey:

Growing up, I played a variety of sports including basketball, soccer, track & field, golf, and mixed martial arts while also having a passion for performing arts. In 2009, while trying to figure out my academic path, my father suggested I combine my love of sports with my fascination for human behavior. That simple idea introduced me to the field of Sport Psychology. Nearly two decades later, I remain just as passionate about understanding how people perform, adapt, and thrive under pressure.

Experience Under Pressure:

While pursuing my Master's Degree, I worked as an EMT on a Critical Care Transport unit and served as a Field Training Officer. Those experiences reinforced something I continue to see today: performance isn't defined by what we do when things are easy—it's revealed in moments of pressure, uncertainty, and adversity. That perspective continues to shape how I work with athletes, performers, coaches, and teams. Mental performance isn't just about achieving better results; it's about developing the habits, mindset, and adaptability to perform consistently when it matters most.

My “Why”

Outside of my professional work, I am a husband and father of three boys. Parenthood has taught me many of the same lessons I help clients develop: patience, emotional regulation, mindfulness, adaptability, and resilience under stress. Alongside my personal experiences in sports, emergency medicine, and parenthood, I have had the privilege of working with athletes across numerous sports, including gymnastics, football, baseball, softball, swimming, water polo, volleyball, soccer, basketball, and mixed martial arts. Working with both youth and adult athletes has given me valuable experience helping performers develop the mental skills needed to thrive in training and competition.

My Approach:

I approach Mental Performance Consulting through an adaptive, holistic lens where my goal is to not just develop the performer, but the entire individual. I believe mental skills can be developed just like physical skills. Confidence, focus, resilience, emotional regulation, and consistency are not traits you're born with—they are skills that can be trained and strengthened through intentional practice. I seek to get to know each client as a person first and a performer second, then collaborate on ways our work together can benefit the performer, while recognizing that each client is the expert on their own experiences and that my role is to approach those experiences with curiosity, respect, and collaboration.

Depending on each client's goals and needs, our work may incorporate Mental Skills Training, mindfulness practices, leadership and team development, performance assessments, and other evidence-informed approaches. My diverse experiences in athletics, emergency medicine, and parenthood have reinforced a simple belief: people are capable of more than they often realize, and the right mental skills can help unlock that potential. Whether you are an athlete preparing for competition, a coach seeking to support your team, or a performer striving to operate at your best under pressure, my goal is to help you develop the mental skills needed to perform consistently and confidently when it matters most.