CHICO, Calif. – The Chico State Athletics Department welcomed Peak Performance coach and certified Breathwork Facilitator Jessie Theulen on Friday, Oct. 9th to lead student-athletes through an interactive workshop focused on building self-trust, confidence and emotional resilience.
The workshop aimed to help student-athletes recognize and work through internal challenges, such as overthinking, fear of failure and perfectionism. Issues that can interfere with their performance and ability to show up for themselves and their teammates.
With a background in clinical mental health counseling, Theulen has delivered various lectures, workshops and training sessions across collegiate and professional settings. Her approach emphasizes personal ownership, accountability and self-leadership; encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their internal state to build confidence and achieve sustainable performance.
Growing up in a competitive sports family and being an athlete herself, Theulen understands the demands placed on athletes and their teams. Her experiences exposed her to both the visible expectations of success and the invisible pressures that shape an athlete's performance.
The Chico State softball team was the first team to participate in the workshop. They explored how to recognize internal obstacles, manage self-doubt and develop a stronger mindset when facing challenges on and off the field.
"I've been struggling with the block of not striking out, I always allowed it to swallow me up and made me feel like I wasn't worthy of anything," said a participating athlete. "After today's workshop I understand that my block isn't trying to hurt me but it's trying to get me to succeed and become the most confident version of myself."
Through guided reflection, interactive exercises and team discussions, the workshop reassured student-athletes to better understand the thoughts and emotions that influence their game-day efforts. A guided breathwork component also allowed participants to put these concepts into practice beyond conversation.
"I loved the breathing exercises," said another athlete. "Learning how to accept my doubts and how my doubts can actually be trying to help."
By recognizing what may be happening beneath the surface, the team gained practical tools for working through those internal patterns and approaching them with greater self-awareness, confidence and emotional resilience.
"This was empowering and makes your mindset stronger and more powerful," said an athlete. "Especially with things that eat you up or make you feel like you can't do something, this workshop opens your eyes to see the truth behind the madness."
While the workshop focused on student-athletes, Theulen's approach can be tailored to the needs of sports teams, coaches, leadership teams and athletic department staff. Her sessions address a variety of topics, including identity beyond performance, navigating transitions, burnout prevention and rebuilding confidence after injury.
The experience left a positive impression on the softball team, with some expressing interest in seeing similar workshops being offered to everyone.
"This was very knowledgeable and I would love to see more of this and make it mandatory," said another athlete.
The workshop highlighted the importance of addressing the mental and emotional challenges that come with collegiate athletics, allowing student-athletes to develop skills that extend beyond their sport.
By creating space for conversations surrounding confidence, self-trust and mental resilience, Chico State Athletics continues to explore ways to support student-athletes both in competition and in their personal development.
