Work with an AHPRA-registered sports psychologist at Performe's Melbourne clinic. Whether you're managing performance anxiety, recovering from injury, or training your focus for competition - our evidence-based mental skills approach is built for athletes at every level.
At Performe Sports Medicine, our sports psychology service is led by Jacqui Louder - an AHPRA-registered psychologist with deep experience supporting elite and recreational athletes across AFL, swimming, gymnastics, cycling and team sports.
Unlike general counselling, sports psychology is focused entirely on performance: how you think, feel and behave under pressure. Jacqui works one-on-one with athletes to build the mental skills that complement your physical training - so your mindset matches your fitness.
Located at Olympic Park, East Melbourne, Performe is the trusted mental performance partner for athletes across the greater Melbourne area, and the official sports medicine provider to Collingwood Football Club.
Book a Session with Jacqui
Jacqui Louder
Jacqui is an AHPRA-registered psychologist and member of the Australian Psychological Society's College of Sport & Exercise Psychology. She specialises in performance anxiety, mental skills training, and athlete wellbeing - working with both elite and sub-elite athletes.
Book a Session with JacquiYour Mental Game Is Half the Battle
Research shows that mental skills training can improve performance by 10-30%. Whether you're preparing for competition, dealing with a performance slump, or managing the psychological demands of injury - a sports psychologist can help.
Evidence-based mental skills for athletes in Melbourne and beyond
Performance Anxiety
Manage pre-competition nerves, choking under pressure, and fear of failure so you can perform at your best when it counts.
Focus & Concentration
Build attentional control, reduce distractions and develop pre-performance routines that keep you in the zone.
Confidence Building
Identify and challenge limiting beliefs, build self-efficacy and develop consistent mental toughness across your season.
Injury Rehabilitation
Address the psychological side of injury recovery - fear of re-injury, motivation slumps, and identity challenges during rehab.
Mental Toughness
Develop resilience, emotional regulation and the ability to perform consistently under fatigue, pressure or adversity.
Slumps & Form Loss
Break through performance plateaus, technical yips or prolonged form loss with targeted cognitive and behavioural strategies.
Team Dynamics
Improve team cohesion, communication, leadership confidence and collective efficacy for coaches and athletes.
Transition & Retirement
Navigate identity shifts, career transitions, selection challenges and retirement from sport with professional support.
A structured, athlete-centred approach to building your mental performance toolkit
Initial Consultation
A 60-minute intake session to understand your performance goals, current challenges, competition schedule and psychological history.
Personalised Mental Skills Plan
Using what we learn in your first session, we build a plan around your sport, your goals and your season, setting out the mental skills to work on first, such as focus, confidence, managing nerves and bouncing back from mistakes.
Ongoing Session Work
Regular sessions (weekly or fortnightly) to practise and refine your mental skills toolkit, with review against performance benchmarks.
Competition Preparation
Pre-competition psychological preparation including arousal regulation, focus cues, and pre-performance routines tailored to your sport.
Performance Review
Post-competition debrief to identify what worked, what needs adjustment, and how to carry momentum into your next event.
Integrated Team Care
When relevant, Jacqui coordinates with your physiotherapist, coach or GP at Performe to ensure a whole-athlete approach to performance.
Sports psychology Melbourne - evidence-based support across these presentations
Evidence-based, athlete-first mental performance support at Olympic Park
AHPRA-Registered Practitioner
Jacqui Louder is fully AHPRA-registered and a member of the Australian Psychological Society. Not a life coach - a qualified, regulated psychologist who specialises in sport and performance.
Integrated Sports Medicine Clinic
Psychology at Performe sits alongside physiotherapy, sports medicine doctors, exercise physiology and nutrition - meaning your mental and physical performance are treated as one.
Elite Sport Track Record
Performe is the official clinical partner to Collingwood Football Club. Our sports psychology service draws on experience with elite AFL athletes, Olympic-pathway athletes and high-performance coaches.
Olympic Park Location
Conveniently located at AAMI Park (Olympic Park, East Melbourne) - accessible from the CBD, Richmond, South Yarra and surrounding suburbs, with parking available.
Evidence-Based Methods
Sessions draw on CBT, ACT, mindfulness, imagery, goal-setting and self-talk techniques - all grounded in sport & exercise psychology research, not generic wellness approaches.
Ongoing Athlete Support
From initial consultation through competition season and beyond, Jacqui provides continuous support - adapting your mental skills plan as your season and goals evolve.
Sports Psychology Melbourne - common questions answered
Book a Session with JacquiPerforme Sports Medicine
20 Olympic Blvd, Melbourne, 3004
Jacqui Louder sees patients at the Performe clinic. Telehealth sessions may also be available - contact reception to enquire.
Phone: 03 8412 0048
Email: reception@performe.com.au
Sports psychology is a specialised field focused on the mental and emotional factors that influence athletic performance. Unlike general counselling or life coaching, a sports psychologist works specifically on performance-related challenges - concentration, confidence, anxiety under pressure, and the psychological demands of training and competition. Jacqui Louder at Performe is both AHPRA-registered and a specialist in sport and exercise psychology.
No. A sports psychologist (like Jacqui Louder) holds a university-level psychology degree and is registered with AHPRA - Australia's national regulator for health practitioners. A "performance coach" or "mental performance coach" is an unregulated title that anyone can use. AHPRA registration means Jacqui is bound by mandatory ethical and professional standards.
Sessions may be claimable under a GP Mental Health Care Plan via Medicare, or through private health insurance depending on your level of cover. We recommend contacting Performe or speaking to your GP to confirm your eligibility. Please confirm current Medicare arrangements with our reception team.
Your first session is a 60-minute intake consultation where Jacqui will explore your performance goals, current challenges, training load, competition schedule and psychological history. There's no obligation to commit to ongoing sessions - it's an opportunity to assess fit and build a shared understanding of your goals.
Absolutely not. Sports psychology is for anyone who wants to perform better in their sport or physical activity - from elite AFL players to weekend runners, youth athletes, and master's competitors. If performance matters to you, the mental side matters too.
This varies significantly depending on your goals and presenting challenges. Some athletes complete a focused 4-6 session mental skills program; others benefit from ongoing support across a full season. Jacqui will give you a clear recommendation after your initial consultation.
Performe Sports Medicine is located at AAMI Park, Olympic Park, East Melbourne. We are easily accessible from Melbourne CBD, Richmond, South Yarra and surrounds. Street parking and public transport options are available nearby. Please contact our reception to confirm specific parking arrangements.
Please contact Performe directly to discuss support for junior athletes. Age-specific considerations apply and Jacqui can advise on the most appropriate approach for younger athletes and their families.
Where to find us
Performe Sports Medicine Address
Clinic Hours
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm
Getting Here
Performe Sports Medicine is located in Melbourne's Olympic Park area. Accessible by tram and public transport. Parking available nearby.
Book a session with Jacqui Louder at Performe's Melbourne clinic - or get in touch to find out if sports psychology is right for you.