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Mental Training Room is a podcast hosted by former Division I athletes, Haley Herdman and Naomi Yim. Haley is a current Mental Health Therapist who works with athletes on their mental game and Naomi is a real estate investor with a passion for spreading awareness around mental health in sports. Designed as a community and safe space for athletes, our goal is to foster honest conversations about the mental health challenges that athletes face within their sport while also advocating for more mental skills coaching imbedded into overall training programs, in hopes to close the gap from mental unprepared to MENTALLY ELITE!
Through insightful discussions with a diverse range of guests—including mental health professionals, current and former athletes, coaches, and much more—we aim to provide comfort, relatability, and practical takeaways for our listeners. In our episodes, we talk mindset, performance pressure, recovery, identity, and other authentic stories. While this podcast is not a substitute for professional help, we hope each episode reminds you that you’re not alone in this journey.
If you are in crisis, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
48 Episodes
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In this Spring Session, we sit down with Jalyn Mosley—former University of Iowa soccer player and host of The Jist Podcast—to talk about one of the hardest realities in sport: injury. Jalyn shares her personal journey through the physical and emotional challenges of repeated injuries that ultimately led to her medical retirement from college soccer. We explore what it means to have your identity tied to being an athlete, how to cope when that identity is shaken, and the resilience it takes to...
In this powerful episode, we sit down with former Rockette and Broadway dancer Sae La Chin to dive deep into the mental health challenges behind the spotlight. Sae La shares her inspiring story of growing up as an athlete with immigrant parents, overcoming the intense pressure of the professional dance industry, and navigating her personal journey with OCD. We discuss mental health in athletes and performers, resilience in high-pressure careers, and the search for identity and peace while str...
In this episode, Haley Herdman is joined by Tal Sahar to discuss Tal's mindfulness journey and how it played a pivotal role in navigating the pressures of her Division I basketball career and her professional athletic journey. Tal shares valuable insights into how mindfulness practices helped her manage stress, enhance focus, and improve mental resilience on and off the court. The conversation explores how athletes can incorporate mindfulness into their routines to better handle challenges an...
We're back and kicking off Spring Sessions of Mental Training Room by sharing some of our life updates with you all! In today's session you'll learn about our full-time jobs, how we are trying to navigate adulthood, and what we are doing to manage the lingering effects of being DI athletes (cough cough ADHD!!!!!!). We hope you enjoy listening as we work to close the gap from mentally unprepared to mentally elite! Be sure to follow us on Instagram @mtr.pod to see more from our hosts and ...
Taylor Hall is a basketball player at Biola University. She has over 10,000 followers on Instagram and has used her platform to advocate for mental health while also giving people an inside scoop of what it’s like to be a student athlete. Recently, Taylor published her story through a platform called Hope for Athletes. On this episode, we gaveTaylor the space to talk about her experience and give more people the opportunity to hear her story. Listen to find out more about Taylor's struggles a...
Dani Iwami (@daniiwami) is a former collegiate basketball player who suffered three season ending injuries throughout her career at Hawaii Pacific University and Western Washington University. As she navigated her way through the injury/recovery process, she found a new love for art. Dani is now a successful ceramicist (@danikawaiistudios) who gained a large following through Tik Tok. In this episode, Dani, Haley, and Naomi talk about the struggles they individually faced in college with coac...
This week's guest is mindset coach, Cindy Mosley. Cindy owns "Empowering Athlete's Mindset" where she coaches and specializes in guiding female athletes to harness confidence in their sport and life. Throughout this episode, we talk about unlocking athlete's potential through mental work and the importance of empathy when coaching/raising athletes. Such an important episode so make sure to give it a listen! If you're interested in receiving individual or team mindset coaching from Cindy, ple...
In the 2020 NCAA Championship bubble, Ali Kershner, the Sports Performance Coach for the Stanford Women’s Basketball team, exposed the inequities present within the men's and women's tournament. Although this is nothing new to female athletes, this is the first time the higher ups have listened. In this episode we talk about the effects of inequities on our mental health, what Ali has been up to as of late with her company "Art of Coaching", and the importance of seeking professional he...
For this episode we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sports Psychologist, Dr. William Parharm. Dr. P shared some amazing insight regarding all things confidence. This is a MUST listen for EVERYONE! The things Dr. P touched on are truly life changing... Follow us on Instagram / Tik Tok @mhtrpod & Like/subscribe to our YouTube channel! Support the show Follow us on Instagram @mtr.pod For Mental Performance Coaching visit haleyherdman.com
In this episode we sat down with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Jennifer Smith. Jennifer talked about the transition from high school to college, pressures that student-athletes face, and how to manage high stress environments. Jennifer is the CEO of Smith Psychotherapy Group, a group private practice located in Newport Beach, CA. They offer in person and virtual therapy sessions and are always accepting new clients! If you are interested in seeking therapy please visit their website...
In this episode, Collin Bishop, freshman safety at Trinity University, shares his battle with mental health and what he learned from that struggle that allows him to inspire others through their own journey. And be sure to read his article to learn more about Collin! https://thotrinityu.wixsite.com/the-hidden-opponent/post/collin-bishop-the-war-within Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mhtrpod/ Like/subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/U...
Although ex-professional basketball player, Gabby Green, earned all the accolades any athlete could dream of, there is a lot that these awards do not show us. On this episode, Green opens up about the mental struggles she experienced throughout her collegiate career and how she was able to turn to others for support which helped her preserve through the tough times. Follow us on instagram @mhtrpod @itssmeegabby @haleyherd @naomiyim_ Like & subscribe to our YouTube channel (Mental Health ...
Devon Brookshire, a professional basketball player and mindset coach to young athletes, shared her tips and tricks on how she lives a mindful lifestyle as an athlete. She also opened up about her own struggles with mental health and how she was able to manage with the stressors that come along with playing her sport at such a high level. This episode is a MUST LISTEN for every athlete, parent, coach, and anyone looking for ways to improve their mental game. If you are interested in receiving...
Our first episode is finally here!! We wanted to start off with sharing a little bit more about ourselves, Haley Herdman and Naomi Yim, and why we wanted to start this journey. We have a passion for student athlete's mental health and our goal is to create a platform to amplify stories surrounding this issue. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@mhtrpod)! Hope you enjoy... Support the show Follow us on Instagram @mtr.pod For Mental Performance Coaching visit haleyherdman.com
Resilience is one of the most important—and misunderstood—mental skills in sports. In this episode, we break down what resilience actually is, why it matters for athletic performance, and how athletes can strengthen resilience in real, practical ways. Athletes face constant pressure, setbacks, injuries, mistakes, and expectations. Resilience isn’t about being “mentally tough” or ignoring emotions—it’s about how quickly and effectively you respond to adversity and continue to show up aligned w...
Mental imagery is one of the most powerful—and most misunderstood—mental performance tools in sport. In this episode of Mental Training Room, we break down what imagery is, how it works in the brain, and how athletes can use visualization to improve confidence, focus, and performance under pressure. You’ll learn the sport psychology science behind imagery, including how mental rehearsal activates the same neural pathways as physical practice. We discuss why imagery isn’t just “positive thinki...
What happens when your sport becomes your entire identity—and what happens when it’s taken away? In this episode, we break down athlete identity, why over-identifying with sport can increase anxiety, burnout, and emotional distress, and how de-fining identity can actually improve both mental health and performance. We explore how identity foreclosure shows up in youth, collegiate, and professional athletes, why injuries, transitions, and setbacks can feel so destabilizing, and how developing ...
In this episode, Haley and Naomi discuss the insights gained from a mental performance coaching session with Paige Bueckers, focusing on the importance of perspective, emotional intelligence, and the role of mental training in athletic success. They explore how reframing challenges can lead to growth, the impact of ego on performance, and the significance of serving the moment rather than seeking external validation. The discussion emphasizes the need for athletes to cultivate a strong i...
In this week’s episode, we introduce our very first Mental Take—a segment where we break down the mental side of sport, life, and everything in between. We kick things off by reflecting on why we created this segment: to give athletes and former athletes a space to feel seen, validated, and mentally equipped for the challenges that don’t always show up on box scores. From there, we shift into a raw and honest conversation about body image—both as athletes and now in life after college sports....
In this heartfelt episode, Haley and Naomi open up about the deep sense of loss and nostalgia they feel when reflecting on her college experience. The hosts share how the transition from the structured, social world of college into the responsibilities of full-time work brought unexpected emotions, including grief for the moments they missed and wishes they had appreciated more. As Haley and Naomi explore the challenges of life transitions, they talk honestly about the pressure young adults f...
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