Dr. Diane Tarricone PhD, LPC

Helping athletes manage pressure, build confidence, and perform at their best.

Dr. Diane Tarricone is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Ph.D. in Sports Psychology who specializes in working with athletes experiencing performance anxiety, pressure, self-doubt, and the mental challenges that can come with competitive sports.

Being an athlete isn't just physical. The mental side of sports can have a tremendous impact on confidence, focus, motivation, and performance. Whether you're struggling before a big game, overthinking mistakes, experiencing intense nerves, or feeling like you can't perform the way you know you can, therapy can help.

Diane works with athletes to understand the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that may be getting in the way of their performance—and develop practical strategies to manage them.

Areas of Focus

• Sports Performance Anxiety

• Pre-Game & Competition Anxiety

• Performance Pressure

• Fear of Failure

• Overthinking & Negative Self-Talk

• Loss of Confidence

• Mental Blocks

• Difficulty Bouncing Back From Mistakes

• Managing Expectations & Pressure

• Focus & Mental Preparation

• Stress & Anxiety Related to Athletics

• Building Mental Resilience

• Confidence & Self-Belief

• Returning to Competition After Injury or Setbacks

A Performance-Focused Approach

Diane utilizes Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to help athletes focus on where they want to go rather than becoming stuck in what has gone wrong.

Sessions are individualized to the athlete and may focus on developing tools for managing anxiety, challenging unhelpful thinking patterns, improving confidence, strengthening mental resilience, and learning how to stay focused and present during competition.

The goal isn't to eliminate nerves or pressure completely. It's learning how to manage those feelings so they don't control your performance.

For Athletes at Every Level

Performance anxiety isn't limited to elite or collegiate athletes. Diane works with athletes across levels and sports who want to strengthen the mental side of their game.

Whether you're a high school athlete preparing for a championship, a collegiate athlete navigating increased expectations, or simply someone who wants to feel more confident and comfortable competing, mental skills and therapeutic support can make a difference.

When Your Mind Gets in the Way of Your Game

You may be physically prepared—but still find yourself thinking:

"What if I mess up?"
"Everyone is watching me."
"I have to be perfect."
"I can't make another mistake."
"I know I can do this in practice. Why can't I do it in a game?"

These thoughts are common among athletes, and they can create a cycle of anxiety that affects confidence and performance.

Therapy can help you break that cycle.

Diane provides a supportive, practical, and athlete-centered environment where you can work through performance anxiety, develop confidence, and build the mental skills necessary to compete with greater focus and resilience.

Ready to Work on the Mental Side of Your Game?

Your performance isn't just about what your body can do. It's also about what your mind is telling you.