Meet the Team
Performance challenges are rarely only about performance.
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Under pressure, people often encounter patterns shaped by perfectionism, fear, burnout, or self-criticism. Our work is about helping people better understand those patterns so they can respond with greater clarity, confidence, and self-trust.
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We work with athletes, professionals, parents, and teams navigating pressure, leadership, burnout, injury, and identity-related challenges.
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Our goal is not simply to help people achieve more. It's to help them perform in healthier, more sustainable ways while feeling more grounded, connected, and aligned with themselves.
Dr. Shane Saenz
Dr. Shane Saenz is a licensed psychologist and the Director of Sport Psychology and Scholar-Athlete Mental Health Programs at UC San Diego.
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His work focuses on supporting athletes, high performers, leaders, and teams navigating the emotional and psychological demands that often come with high-stakes environments.
Dr. Saenz combines clinical psychology, sport psychology, and performance-focused skills to help people strengthen confidence, emotional resilience, communication, leadership, and sustainable performance.
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He is especially interested in the deeper emotional patterns that can emerge under pressure, including perfectionism, self-criticism, burnout, fear of failure, identity-related struggles, and emotional disconnection.
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His work is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help people better understand themselves while creating meaningful and lasting change.
In the Media
Co-Founder, Host, Producer
Guest
#72 - Sports Psychology in The Weight of Gold with Dr. Shane Saenz
Dr. Luiza Martins
Dr. Luiza Martins is a licensed psychologist in California who provides therapy in both English and Portuguese.
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Her work focuses on supporting young adults and athletes as they navigate the psychological challenges that can impact both performance and overall well-being.
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Dr. Martins helps clients overcome psychological barriers, build confidence, strengthen emotion regulation, and create meaningful change. She provides a safe and supportive space to explore concerns including performance challenges, communication difficulties, burnout, body image concerns, and identity-related struggles.
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Her approach draws from evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), integrating these approaches to meet each client's unique goals and needs. Her work is also guided by multicultural and trauma-informed perspectives, recognizing how culture, systems, and past experiences shape present-day challenges.
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Dr. Martins earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston, where she received comprehensive training in psychotherapy, multicultural counseling, and clinical research. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of San Diego Counseling Center, providing individual and group therapy to a diverse college student population. She then completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Diego Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where she received specialized training in sport psychology and evidence-based treatments for eating disorders.
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Throughout her career, Dr. Martins has worked with student-athletes from four NCAA Division I universities, helping them optimize their performance while also supporting their overall well-being.
Media, Speaking, and Professional Education
In addition to counseling services, we provide speaking engagements, workshops, and educational presentations for athletic programs and professional organizations > focused on topics including:
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performance under pressure
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athlete mental health
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confidence and resilience
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burnout and recovery
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emotionally intelligent leadership
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communication and team culture
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) in sport psychology
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Complete the contact form below and let us know what brings you here and whether you have a preference for who you'd like to work with, or if you'd like us to recommend a good fit.
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If you have questions before getting started, you can also find answers on our FAQ page >.