Each 50-55 minute session is $205. Clients will add their credit card, debit card, or FSA/HSA card number to an online client portal prior to our work together. Their card is then automatically charged at the end of the day for that session.

I don't accept insurance, but I work with Mentaya, a platform that helps clients get money back on out-of-network therapy sessions.

If you qualify, Mentaya will file claims and handle the insurance paperwork to make sure you get reimbursed. Clients get an average of 62% back, ranging from 30-80% once reaching the annual deductible. You can sign up using this link.

Note: Mentaya's goal is to save you time and money. It's completely optional, and I do not benefit in any way from your participation.

Much of the work overlaps, and the choice between performance psychology and mental health counseling depends on the client's needs. Some key differences are as follows:

Mental Health Therapy: Clients receive a formal mental health diagnosis and focus on reducing mental health symptoms and concerns. Clients must be located in a state that participates in the PSYPACT agreement. Partial reimbursement for therapy services is possible.

Performance Psychology: Clients do not receive a formal mental health diagnosis and focus on topics such as motivation, goal setting, injury recovery, confidence, mental toughness, and other psychological skills. Clients can be located in any state, but insurance companies will not view our work together as a necessity, so partial reimbursement for services is not possible.

Performance psychology services can be provided in all states, Canada, and other countries.

Mental health counseling can be provided in the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, & Wyoming

Please remember to cancel or reschedule an appointment 24 hours in advance. Please call or email to notify me of a cancellation or to reschedule an appointment. You will be responsible for the entire fee for an appointment if cancellation is made less than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you may lose some of that session time. I will not start sessions 20 minutes past our scheduled time.

The duration and frequency of sport psychology sessions is unique to each athlete and depends on various factors, such as schedule and life circumstances, therapist availability, unexpected life changes, the length of the sport season, the nature of the specific challenges, personal and family finances, and more.

The median number of sessions for 2024 athletes at Skadi was 8 sessions.

Some clients may only attend 1-3 sessions, and others may continue to use sport psychology indefinitely, just as they would physical therapy or other types of therapy or coaching!

Dr. Ayala works with athletes 14 and older. As of fall 2024, the ages of Skadi athletes were as follows:

• 30% in their teens

• 21% in their 20s

• 24% in their 30s

• 12% in their 40s

• 13% in their 50s

Sports: I specialize in endurance sports such as cross country, track & field, nordic skiing, swimming, cycling, rowing, and triathlon. However, I also have experience working with athletes in other sports and performance disciplines (e.g., figure skating, hockey, soccer).

Competition Levels: I work with all levels of athletes!

• 30% are in youth leagues (high school or club)

• 15% are pro, elite, Olympic, or Paralympic athletes

• 15% are collegiate athletes

• 40% are recreational or amateur athletes.

Vibes: Most of my athletes would fall into the perfectionist + anxious achiever + people pleaser personality bundle of fun. They often say they are their own worst critic and like to do #allthethings.

Most of my sessions take place via telehealth, but Skadi now has its own office space for athletes in the Twin Cities area! In person sessions are available at the new office space, which is off of Hwy 169 along the New Hope/Plymouth border.

Over half of our clients schedule sessions every 2 weeks on a recurring basis. About 25% of our clients schedule sessions on a weekly basis. The remaining 25% schedule every 3 weeks, once per month, or on an “as needed” basis.

In general, we tend to work with athletes who:

• want support with stress management, work/life/training balance, or are facing big life transitions or decisions

• have experienced a recent injury or surgery and may be struggling with fear of reinjury or the rehabilitation process

• are navigating the perimenopausal transition and how that affects their relationship with training & racing

• can train really well, but when race day comes, experience overwhelming anxiety. As a result, they’re not able to perform to their true fitness levels.

• experience complex illness, chronic illness, or psychogenic/psychosomatic concerns (e.g., fainting spells, non-epileptic seizures)

• experience overwhelming levels of self-criticism or perfectionism and are often told they just need to get out of their own way (if only it were that easy, right?!)

• are on the verge of a REALLY big season and they want to make the most of it

• may be contemplating retirement or a step back from pro/elite competition, but are understandably reluctant to take that step