Do you get nervous when you have to present or perform in front of people?

Do you feel that your performance does not reflect your true ability and talent?

Do you feel “stuck” and unproductive?

Are you worried about your career direction?

Do you want consistent excellent performance?

We can help:

At the Mor Centre for Performance Psychology we help performers:

Develop optimal performance skills
Manage performance challenges
Reach their highest level of performance excellence
Flourish and thrive in their pursuit of excellence

The Centre offers its services to athletes, dancers, musicians, actors, creative artists, executives, medical and legal professionals, teachers and business owners who wish to experience mastery and higher purpose in their lives

About Us

The Centre for Performance Psychology helps individuals reach their maximum potential when engaging in the art of performance. This is done by teaching our clients how to develop the psychological and performance skills necessary for consistent excellent performance. Contrary to the common belief that expert performance is primarily a function of innate abilities or talents we believe that specific focused and effortful training improves performance quality. The Centre for Performance Psychology offers its services to athletes, performing artists, entrepreneurs, medical and legal professionals, teachers, business owners and many more all of whom desire to experience mastery and higher purpose in all that they set out to do and to flourish in the process.

Testimonials >

What is Performance Psychology?

Performance psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the factors that facilitate optimal performance of individuals, teams, and groups. Research in the field has been devoted to understanding the motivation and the desire for excellence and the ways by which this excellence can be achieved. Originally rooted in Sport Psychology, the field of Performance Psychology has expanded to include any profession which demands exceptional performance such as: business, teaching, medical and legal professions and the arts.

Performance psychologists are interested in “the identification, development, and execution of the mental and emotional knowledge, skills, and abilities required for excellence in performance”. They seek to understand and prevent the various obstacles to optimal performance. Their practice is limited to these specific issues rather than to non-performance related difficulties.

For an excellent review of the field of Performance Psychology please go to the article published by the American Psychological Association titled: Defining the Practice of Sports and Performance Psychology – http://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/about/resources/defining.pdf.

Mor Performance founder Shulamit Mor performing for High Notes Gala for Mental Health (High Notes Avante)

Services

Performance Enhancement

Our clients focus on developing and honing skills for enhancing or restoring performance excellence. We use an individually-tailored approach to address wide range of professional issues such as: career path and goals; meeting challenges of the profession; enhancing creative and artistic expression; overcoming personal and professional barriers to training and performance; and developing the intra- and interpersonal skills necessary for professional success. These sessions are provided by experienced registered psychologists with a background in performance who are fully aware of the dynamics necessary in helping individuals reach their full potential.

Professional Coaching

We provide individual or group coaching to professionals seeking a specialized focus on particular projects or endeavours in the arts, athletics, business, teaching and health or legal professions.

We also provide career coaching to individuals who have decided to retire from performance and are seeking new vocational challenges consistent with their interests and abilities. As part of the process we also offer psycho-vocational assessments.

Individual Psychotherapy

For those who seek individual psychotherapy, the Centre offers the services of registeredprofessionals who specializeand have a specific interest and knowledge in working with performers. Some of the issues dealt with include: depression, anxiety, trauma, creative blocks, self esteem, and relationship difficulties.

EMDRtreatment for performance enhancement is also offered at the Centre.

Group Psychotherapy

We believe that group therapy offers invaluable rewards to performers who seek to share and learn from the experience of like minded colleagues. Sessions are limited to eight participants who are able to commit to weekly one and a half hours of therapy. Groups are closed and members are screened for compatibility and shared interests.

Workshops

We run workshops to professionals from all career stages seeking to develop or enhance their knowledge and understanding of their various areas of interest. Relevant information drawn from the psychological literature and research, as well as insights from successful professionals are presented as an integral part of these workshops. Examples of workshops offered include:
Overcoming Performance Anxiety
How to handle professional rejection
Maximizing Optimal or Peak Performance

Presentations

As a Centre based on professional, theoretical and empirical roots; feature presentations by our experts and consultants will be offered to the community. Please follow our site for upcoming presentations.

Our Experts

Dr. Shulamit Mor, Psychologist, Musician, Researcher

Dr. Mor is a concert pianist who started her professional performance career at age 10. She performed internationally and she continues to offer benefit concerts for non-profit organizations. After making a career transition to psychology Dr. Mor’s research and clinical work focused on issues related to the performing arts. In addition to her work with performers, she has conducted workshops on topics such as: performance anxiety, maximizing optimal performance, the pursuit of excellence, creative blocks, and the pedagogy of teaching music. Dr. Mor presented internationally on topics related to music and the arts. Her specific interests lie in topics such as mental rehearsal, performance anxiety, optimal performance and career transition. In addition to her private practice Dr. Mor teaches and supervises clinical graduate students at York University.

Jodi Basch Registered Psychotherapist (RP)

Ph.D. (Education)., M.Ed. (Counselling)

Jodi Basch is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Jodi has a special interest in working with college and university students, health care workers, first responders, and individuals who have suffered a workplace injury or are experiencing workplace difficulties.

Jodi has experience facilitating group psychotherapy sessions in various areas, including grief, mindfulness, trauma, positive psychology, anxiety and depression, self-esteem, among others. Jodi is a holistic therapist who is dedicated to working with individuals in managing the difficult nature of performing and managing the emotional challenges that arise as a result. Jodi has experience working with individuals who have experienced performance anxiety in a variety of contexts, including writing tests, delivering presentations or performances, engaging in sporting events (games, tournaments, etc.), and acting.

Jodi also has experience working with individuals who have experienced traumatic situations, anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship challenges, grief, chronic pain and illness, as well as other mental health challenges. She practices from a client-centred and trauma-informed lens and draws from Narrative Psychotherapy, Brainspotting interventions, and Cognitive Processing Therapy to help individuals process their life experiences in a safe and controlled environment.

Lynda Mainwaring, M.H.K., Ph.D., C. Psych.
Performance, Health and Rehabilitation Psychology

Lynda Mainwaring is an Associate Professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She is a Registered Psychologist in Ontario with graduate training in human kinetics, performance and rehabilitation psychology. She is a member of the Ontario Psychological Association, and the Research Committee for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She is the Research Director for the Concussion Programme at the University of Toronto.

In addition to focusing on emotional sequelae of mild traumatic brain injury in sport, her research and professional interests include the psychological impact of physical injuries in sport, dance and work; perfectionism, and performance enhancement in sport and dance. She also has expertise in qualitative methodology. Dr. Mainwaring has presented and published over 200 works to international audiences, and is a co-founder of the Canadian Centre of Performance Psychology.

Contact Us

Tel: (416) 505-0881
Fax: (905) 773-1477

Address:
180 Bloor St. West, Suite 806
Toronto, ON.
Canada M5S 2V6

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