Psychotherapist | Mental Performance Coach | Co-founder of Mental Training Room | Podcast Host | Former DI Athlete
Meet the face behind the hoop
About Haley Herdman + Mental Training Room
As an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Mental Performance Coach, and co-founder of Mental Training Room, I specialize in helping athletes strengthen their quality of performance and overall well-being. My journey began on the basketball court as a Division I athlete at Loyola Marymount University. Driven by my passion for mental health in sports, I pursued a B.A. in Psychology and later earned an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California.
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Today, I integrate my personal experiences as an athlete into my clinical/coaching work to assist athletes in developing mental skills, managing high-pressure situations, and fostering healthier relationships with themselves and others. My approach bridges the gap between performance and wellness, emphasizing that mental health is integral to athletic success.​
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Outside of my work with athletes, I am passionate about advancing social justice. My commitments include advocating for body autonomy, equity in sports, LGBTQIA+ rights, and the empowerment of historically marginalized communities. I view mental wellness as inseparable from social awareness, and I intentionally integrate this lens into every part of my practice.
Mission & Services
While athletes dedicate countless hours to physical training, true excellence also demands mental flexibility.
Through my work at Mental Training Room, my mission is to help athletes develop the mental skills that support both performance and well-being. By strengthening focus, confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation, athletes learn to stay composed under pressure, recover from setbacks, and navigate the demands of sport and life with intention.
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At the heart of my work with athletes, I have a commitment to creating a safe, inclusive space that honors the diverse cultural identities of every client. I aim to provide culturally responsive care that recognizes and integrates each individual’s unique values, beliefs, and lived experiences. My services are rooted in inclusivity, ensuring that every client feels seen, heard, and genuinely understood.
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Individual Sessions
Being an athlete comes with pressure, expectations, and constant evaluation. Individual Sessions combine therapeutic insight with practical coaching tools to help athletes build confidence, manage stress, and show up as their best self in sport and in life.
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Parent Consultations
Conducted without the student-athlete present, this service is designed to help parents effectively support their student-athlete’s mindset, confidence, and overall well-being. Parents will learn evidence-based tools to reinforce resilience, emotional regulation, and a growth mindset at home without increasing pressure.
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Team Sessions
Team Sessions focus on how teams think, communicate, and perform when it matters most. Athletes learn practical mental tools to stay composed, support one another, and execute under pressure. Together, we can turn moments of stress into opportunities for growth and performance.
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Athletic Department Consultations
I help school administrations implement best practices in student-athlete mental health, mental performance, and overall well-being. Through these consultations, I partner with athletic directors, coaches, and leadership teams to develop evidence-based systems that prioritize athlete mental health and performance psychology.
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Workshops
Mental Training Room workshops equip athletes with practical mental skills to perform under pressure, build confidence, and regulate emotions. Through evidence-based strategies and interactive exercises, athletes will learn how to strengthen their minds intentionally, consistently, and with purpose.
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Family Sessions
These sessions are designed to strengthen healthy family dynamics, create a structured space for open communication, boundary-setting, and alignment around shared goals to support the student-athlete’s mental performance. I use an approach rooted in sport psychology and family systems theory to address performance pressure, role expectations, and communication patterns.