Case Studies
See the transformative power of strategic visualization for data-driven results.
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James Hernandez
World competitor 2024
2X JR GRAND PRIX SILVER MEDALIST 2023
PEWTER MEDALIST JUNIOR WORLDS 2023
3 X BRITISH JUNIOR ICE DANCE NATIONAL CHAMPION
Goal: At the start of the 2022-23 season, James was looking to level up his mindset for his last junior season. As an ice dancer, the demands of his sport go beyond physical prowess and require a delicate balance of mental and emotional resilience.
Strategy: Focus on making James more adaptable as a whole person, not just an athlete or performer with insight & collaboration from James' coaches Nick & Penny.
Tactics: Due to the nature of being in a team sport, I emphasized recognizing his automatic responses in various situations and equipping him with a variety of visualization tactics to cope with those situations in the short- and long-term. By helping him get to a profound understanding of his own predispositions, it enabled James to anticipate and manage reactions strategically & effectively.
When personal tragedy struck only 3 weeks before Junior Worlds 2023, we worked closely to work through his emotions while he was grieving to let go of distractions and guilt to still be able to train and compete thousands of miles away from his family.
Outcome: 9 point Personal Best at Junior Worlds.
Not only did James and his partner get 4th place at Junior Worlds, they were the first British team to receive a medal since 1977 at Junior Worlds for their 3rd place finish in Rhythm Dance. During the season they also received 2 junior grand prix silver medals and placed 4th in the junior grand prix final.
Coaches:
Nick Buckland & Penny Coomes, 3x Winter Olympians for Team GB 2010, 2014, 2018
Before: Junior Worlds 2021-22: 10th place Score: 138.16
After: Junior Worlds 2022-23: 4th place Score: 169.07
...One of the worst things that could happen, happened at probably one of the worst times. But I learned tools through her and only her to be able to actually continue with my life and not let everything amalgamate into a mess. We skated the best ever we ever have and we finished fourth at Junior Worlds. And I don't even know if I'd gotten to the competition if it wasn't for the sessions with Christi in those times.
James Hernandez
Jessica Nicosia, PhD
ADULT SENIOR FIGURE SKATER
SR. USER STUDIES RESEARCHER @ APPLE
Goal: Jessica, a researcher and neuroscientist, found herself captivated by the scientific foundations of visualization and sought me out after struggling with popping and circling her jumps during practice and in competition. She was looking to be able to up her jump consistency.
Issue: Her performance anxiety was getting in the way of her body's muscle memory.
Strategy: Focus Jessica's attention to the entry steps of the jumping passes set by her Coach Rudy Galindo, instead of focusing on the jumps themselves.
Tactics: Tailored to her specific needs, we mapped out the visualizations, thought patterns and cadence for each jump or combo jump in her program.
Outcome: The results were remarkable—transforming from inconsistently completing 57% of jumps to consistently rotating 85% of jumps in run-throughs over the course of 4 weeks.
This marked improvement not only elevated performance but also instilled a deep sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction after each session.
Coach: Rudy Galindo, US National Champion 1996
Before: 57% success rate for jumps
After: 85% success rate for jumps
...Christi is a rose among thorns in the skating world and our sessions together provided me with invaluable life lessons and a newfound sense of self-awareness and confidence.
Jessica Nicosia
Julia
Bronze Level Figure Skater
Goal: To successfully execute her double jumps consistently, again.
Issue: Seemingly out of nowhere, Julia had lost the ability to execute her double jumps that she previously had solidified — leading to frustration and a persistent cycle of failed attempts. Dealing with Developmental Coordination Disorder, these setbacks not only affected her technical performance but also induced heightened anxiety surrounding jumping elements.
Strategy: Recognizing the need for a comprehensive approach, I implemented a multifaceted intervention strategy in collaboration with her head coach Kelsey to create muscle memory on jump positions without overworking the body.
Tactics: With mindset reframing, reinforced practice strategies and visualization exercises, I was able to instill prioritizing jump exercises over jump attempts. By incorporating Coach Kelsey’s cues and exercises for each double jump and combining them with visualization, I reinforced proper body positioning and muscle memory, resulting in a significant positive impact.
Outcome: Within 6 weeks, Julia was consistently able to land all of the double jumps she had lost — double salchow, double toe loop, double loop and double flip. At her first competition a week later, not only did she land all of her jumps in her program, she landed on the podium. She continues to consistently land her doubles, and is now working on her double lutz.
Coach:
Kelsey Ward
Before: Lost Double Salchow, toe loop, loop and flip.
After: Landed all of her double jumps and awarded 3rd place at her first and second USFS competitions of the season.
I can't say enough good things about our experience working with Christi. My athlete lost all her doubles...which led to significant anxiety about jumping. Christi reframed her mindset, reinforced practice strategies, gave her visualization exercises for her jumps and for competitions...and she landed all her jumps and as an added bonus, finished on the podium.
Rosemary Wensley
JAMES HERNANDEZ
World Competitor 2024
2X JR GRAND PRIX SILVER MEDALIST 2023
PEWTER MEDALIST JUNIOR WORLDS 2023
3 X BRITISH JR ICE DANCE NATIONAL CHAMPION
I don't even know if I'd gotten to the competition if it wasn't for the sessions with Christi
What’s valuable about what Christi does, is recognizing that we are not robots. We are people. People naturally just go up and down. You wake up in a pretty much a different mood every day. Your body tends to follow your mind and our sport is massively mental. She gives you different tactics like visualization, mood charts and nonverbal communication tools for different situations that has strengthened my partnership in ice dance. These tools have been helpful to create deeper understanding and communication between my partner and me, allowing us to navigate the challenges of competition as a united front.
One of the worst things that can happen, happened at probably one of the worst times. But I learned tools through her and only her to be able to actually continue with my life and not let everything amalgamate into a mess. We skated the best ever we ever have and we finished fourth at Junior Worlds. And I don't even know if I'd gotten to the competition if it wasn't for the sessions with Christi in those times.
Photo credit: @fsphoto_syo
Nick Buckland & Penny Coomes
World Ice Dance Coaches
3x Winter Olympians Team GB
We can’t thank her enough for the strategies she has implemented...and the positive effect it’s had.
Christi’s care and attention towards her clients is unmatched! She really goes above and beyond, and because of this our students have benefited greatly. Adding Christi as part of our team was such an easy integration.
She works with athletes, parents and coaches closely together when it’s needed and ultimately works out what everyone needs to get the best result.
We can’t thank her enough for the strategies she has implemented to our students and the positive effect it’s had on our day to day training!
Tyler THames
'23 & '24 US Figure Skating Adult Silver
Men's National Champion
'22,'23 & '24 US Figure Skating
Midwestern Sectional Silver Men’s Champion
Christi has been one of the most amazing experiences I've had in my life
Working with Christi Powell has been one of the most amazing experiences I've had in my life and has also transformed my life for the better. She has become someone that not only I trust but my coaching staff for figure skating has openly stated “continue working with her...it’s working”. Christi has a very profound way of unlocking and guiding certain triggers that may appear, allowing you to work them out in a much healthier way to not only grow in your sport but in your daily life. She has become a valued member of my team in skating but also someone I cherish in my life. If you’re looking for someone you can trust as a safe space in a world of mental fog and someone to be a lighthouse to guide you through it, you’ve found your person. She provides numerous tools to handle and adapt to high stress practices and competitions. I look forward to each session and may more journeys in the future with Christi.
Jessica Nicosia, Phd
Senior ADULT Skater
Invaluable life lessons and a newfound sense of self-awareness and confidence
I began working with Christi after seeing some of her work with the Road to Gold program. As a researcher and neuroscientist myself, I began reading up on the science behind visualization and was compelled by the evidence to add it to my skating regimen. Christi was quick to get a read on me as an individual and was able to adapt our sessions and her techniques to my specific needs. I went from popping, on average, 4/7 jumps in my program to being able to do consistent run-throughs rotating, on average, 6/7 jumps and leave the ice feeling a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction. I rely on her visualization recordings to get me relaxed and focused before I skate and can hear her saying “emotions aren’t logical” and “adapt to the chaos confidently” every time I feel my performance anxiety start to creep back up. Christi is a rose among thorns in the skating world and our sessions together provided me with invaluable life lessons and a newfound sense of self-awareness and confidence.
Rosemary Wensley
Parent of pre-bronze skater
She landed all of her jumps...and finished on the podium
I can't say enough good things about our experience working with Christi. My athlete lost all her doubles, and then kept trying and trying which made things worse, and then led to significant anxiety about jumping. Christi reframed her mindset, reinforced practice strategies, gave her visualization exercises for her jumps and for competitions. This is her first USFS competition of the season, and she landed all her jumps and as an added bonus, finished on the podium.
Emily Hotchkiss
Parent of junior skater
Skills that will help her throughout her entire life
Since Carly began working with Christi, Carly has made huge positive improvements in her mindset and competitions. Carly hated to compete because she’s a perfectionist and would focus on the negative if she didn’t land a jump or mess up on any components of her program. She would have anxiety and cry right before competing and didn’t want to get on the ice…nothing anything said could alleviate her anxiety. Since working with Christi, she has learned visualization techniques and is much less stressed on competition days. In just 1 year, she placed 27th in her excel season and was actually laughing with her coach right before starting her program. As a mother, I’m so relieved to have a coach that can alleviate my daughter’s angst and learn skills that will help her throughout her entire life. I would recommend Christi to any athlete, not just athletes, but to anyone needing a shift in their negative thinking to positive.
AMY FANKHAUSER
FOUNDER + NATIONAL COORDINATOR
ROAD TO GOLD TRAINING CAMPS
It's a game changer
Christi brings a fresh perspective to visualization techniques that empower athletes and enables them to see their goals and what is blocking them from a completely different view. She opens your eyes to thinking about your goals in a different way. As a coach and skating director, I loved watching the athletes discuss everyday concerns . The connection between the athletes and Christi and one another were amazing.
Notable Clientele
Gracie Gold
James Hernandez & Phebe Bekker
Olympic Team Event Bronze Medalist
2X US National Champion
World Competitors 2024
2X JGP Silver Medalists 2023
Huw Nightingale
2023 Mixed Team World Champion
2022 Olympic Snowboard Cross Athlete
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Packages are for individuals and teams. They're fully customizable to work with an athlete's timeline or season competition schedule. Some prefer a monthly or season retainer, others prefer 6, 8 and 12 week packages
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6, 8 or 12 week packages for individual athletes in any sport discipline, including team sports. They include weekly sessions, visualization design, meditations and personalized strategies with data tracking.
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6, 8 or 12 week packages for two athletes working together in synchronized or complementary roles to achieve a common goal such as ice dance, pair skating or doubles tennis. Includes weekly sessions, visualization design, meditations and personalized strategies with data tracking.
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For teams seeking tailored services for the whole group and individuals, Christi will design a holistic system through visualization, meditation and strategy to enhance wellbeing and performance from the inside out throughout the season.
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VISUALIZATION,
MODERNIZED
Specialized Visualization Design
My Visualization Methods & Benefits:
- Holistic Approach: Addresses life inside and outside of sport, treating the wellbeing of the whole person.
- Innovative Techniques: Combining tactical, process, and non-sensical visualizations to regulate emotions, create consistency, and develop skills.
- Customizable: Fully adaptable to evolve with the athlete's growth.
- Collaborative: Works with coaches and athletes to break down sport elements, plays, or movements for visualizations
- Efficient: Dissect elements with visualization to create muscle memory without overworking the body.
- Unified: Get your brain and body to work together as one.
