Mental Training Lab

Pete Kadushin, PhD
  • 5.0 (18)
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Master your mental game with the Mental Training Lab, hosted by Pete Kadushin. With 15 years of coaching experience and a PhD in performance psychology, Pete digs deep each episode to provide practical tools and expert insights so you can perform your best when it matters most. Enhance your focus, harness stress, and overcome challenges whether you’re an athlete, leader, or high-performer. Subscribe to learn how to elevate your game in work, play, and life.

  1. From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion: How Mindfulness Changes Performance with Dr. Holly Rogers

    12/16/2025

    From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion: How Mindfulness Changes Performance with Dr. Holly Rogers

    In this episode of Mental Training Lab, I sit down with psychiatrist, meditation teacher, and author of The Mindful Twenty-Something,  Dr. Holly Rogers. We’re breaking down how mindfulness and meditation can transform our relationship to the present moment, performance, and our lives as a whole.  Holly has spent decades working with college students, emerging adults, and high performers, helping them use Vipassana (mindfulness) meditation not as a relaxation tool, but as a mental training and nervous system regulation practice. We dig into what mindfulness actually is (and isn’t), why it’s not about “clearing your mind” and more about expanding your stretch zone so you don’t tip into overwhelm when it matters most. We also get personal. I share how these practices have helped me transform my relationship with self-criticism, including a moment where I found myself unexpectedly in tears on the cushion, able to meet a younger version of me, and his “wrestler mindset” with compassion instead of judgment. Holly brings in 30 years of clinical experience to bust the myth that being kinder to yourself will make you soft or lazy and explains why she’s never once seen that happen. If you’re an athlete, coach, or high performer who’s curious about mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, performance, and resilience, this conversation offers practical tools, science-backed insight, and very human stories to help you start (or restart) your own practice in a doable, sustainable way. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    1h 2m
  2. From Fear to Freedom: Skiing and the Art of Acceptance

    12/02/2025

    From Fear to Freedom: Skiing and the Art of Acceptance

    In today's solocast, we hit the slopes and explore the transformative power of acceptance through my own experience of learning to ski.  We touch on how embracing the possibility of injury actually unlocked my ability to be present to the joy of skiing, and 10x'd my skill level after a decade away from the sport. We also look at some of the reliable barriers to acceptance and outline a couple of practices to help create more acceptance in your life. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    23 min
  3. Safety, Stress, and Performance: Megan Bartlett on Rethinking How We Coach Under Pressure

    11/18/2025

    Safety, Stress, and Performance: Megan Bartlett on Rethinking How We Coach Under Pressure

    How does stress impact the experience of sport? In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sat down with Megan Bartlett, founder of the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, educator, and faculty member of NM Sport, to explore the fascinating intersection of stress science, sport performance, and human development. Megan’s work brings together neuroscience and coaching practice through what she calls biological respect. It’s the recognition that our stress responses aren’t independent choices, and instead we need to collaborate with our physiology! Together, we talk about how coaches can design environments that support athletes’ nervous systems, build resilience, and foster true psychological safety. Megan shares practical, science-based strategies that anyone can use to help athletes regulate, recover, and thrive under pressure. Topics include how relationships buffer stress, how humor and structure aid regulation, and why well-being and performance aren’t opposites, rather, they’re inseparable. If you’ve ever wondered how to help your athletes (or yourself) perform better and feel better, this conversation will change how you think about training, recovery, and what it really means to create high performance environments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    1h 8m
  4. What's the Worst that Could Happen?

    11/04/2025

    What's the Worst that Could Happen?

    Today's solocast explores the role that negative visualization can play in generating gratitude, wonder, and a connection to the present moment. I share a vivid story from my early days as a mental performance coach, and outline practices that can support you in appreciating your current capacity in a way that will support your growth and best performance. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    19 min
  5. Practicing What We Preach: Dr. Ryan Hamilton on High Performance, Self-Awareness, and Pushing Limits

    10/21/2025

    Practicing What We Preach: Dr. Ryan Hamilton on High Performance, Self-Awareness, and Pushing Limits

    In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Hamilton, someone who truly lives the work he teaches. Ryan is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick, a certified mental performance consultant, and the mental performance coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Canadian National Team. Ryan embodies what it means to truly practice what we preach in the world of high performance. He deep dives on a couple of stories from his time working with elite athletes, and shares what it really looks like to walk the talk when it comes to growth, resilience, and relevance. Ryan also shares lessons from his own most recent endurance quest: a 24-hour ultra-marathon challenge that pushed him to the limits of both his body and mind. We get into what that experience taught him about self-awareness and why stretching beyond our comfort zones ultimately makes us better coaches, leaders, and humans. So if you are a coach, consultant, athlete, or anyone who works in a high-performance environment, take a listen. This conversation will challenge you to reflect on your own growth, your blind spots, and your capacity to lead by example. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    1h 19m
  6. Don't Step Over "The Suck"

    10/07/2025

    Don't Step Over "The Suck"

    Today's solocast explores the difference between positivity and optimism, and how positivity can often get in the way of both presence and progress.  I also cover how to practice The Stockdale Paradox in real time, and the importance of practicing this shift in mindset in order to create lasting change.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    12 min
  7. The Hero’s Journey: Jilyne Jarvis on Transformation, Dancing with Fear, and Empowering the Next Generation

    09/23/2025

    The Hero’s Journey: Jilyne Jarvis on Transformation, Dancing with Fear, and Empowering the Next Generation

    In this episode of the Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Jilyne Jarvis, co-founder and executive director of ZGiRLS, a confidence-building program transforming the lives of middle school girls. Jilyne was a professional ski racer who built a nonprofit that tackles one of the most pressing challenges facing young women (and human beings everywhere) today: self-doubt. We talk about the baby steps and big leaps it takes to bring an idea to life, how to navigate setbacks without losing momentum, and why support systems are essential for personal and organizational growth. Jilyne shares openly about her struggles with self-doubt, how she’s learned to balance big dreams with practical action, and why compassion and patience with yourself are critical in the transformation process. Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, or leader, this conversation is packed with actionable insights about building confidence, embracing change, and creating impact. If you’ve ever wrestled with self-doubt or wondered how to move from vision to reality, Jilyne’s story may just inspire you to take the next step, no matter how small. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    50 min
  8. Not Good Enough, Need to Be Better: A Broken Model of Motivation

    09/09/2025

    Not Good Enough, Need to Be Better: A Broken Model of Motivation

    In this episode, I explore a common motivation pattern that presents itself as people walk the path of mastery. I'll outline the negative motivation model, why we get hooked on being driven by fear, and how it holds us back. Then, I roll out the alternative approach and offer up some practices that will allow you to cultivate more sustainable motivation over time.  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Learn more about The Mental Training Lab Connect with Pete on Instagram | LinkedIn | Website Subscribe to the podcast on Apple | Spotify This show is produced and edited by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.

    19 min
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Trailers

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Master your mental game with the Mental Training Lab, hosted by Pete Kadushin. With 15 years of coaching experience and a PhD in performance psychology, Pete digs deep each episode to provide practical tools and expert insights so you can perform your best when it matters most. Enhance your focus, harness stress, and overcome challenges whether you’re an athlete, leader, or high-performer. Subscribe to learn how to elevate your game in work, play, and life.

Information

  • Creator
    Pete Kadushin, PhD
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Mental Training Lab
  • Show Website
    Mental Training Lab

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