Mental Training Lab

Pete Kadushin, PhD
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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. Stop Hiding Behind the Process

    1D AGO

    Stop Hiding Behind the Process

    In this week's solocast, I’m unpacking something I’ve been seeing a lot lately: the idea of caring less about the outcome and just focusing on the process. That mindset may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but the more I hear it, the more I think it’s missing something important. Because the truth is, you do care. You care about the result, and when that starts to feel uncomfortable, pressure, anxiety, fear of what it might mean if you don’t get it, we try to solve that by pretending it doesn’t matter. What that actually creates is a version of you that’s never fully in, never fully committed, and ends up stuck in that half in, half out space.  So let's tackle what’s really underneath that, why it’s happening, and what it takes to move through it. Because if you don’t care about the outcome, the process doesn’t really work. At some point, you have to be willing to name what you want and accept the risk that comes with it. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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.

    20 min
  2. From Formula 1 to the Boardroom: Building Trust and High-Performance Teams with Peter Hodgkinson

    APR 14

    From Formula 1 to the Boardroom: Building Trust and High-Performance Teams with Peter Hodgkinson

    What does it really take to build trust and psychological safety in teams under pressure? In this episode of The Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Peter Hodgkinson, high-performance consultant and the former Head of Build at Mercedes F1. Peter has spent decades in elite motorsport, including Formula 1, Le Mans, and the America’s Cup. He shares how environments with razor-thin margins and constant pressure shaped his philosophy on intent-based leadership, consistency, and human performance. Peter's experience connects directly to what many people are navigating every day: burnout from grinding in “second gear,” leading teams through high-stakes moments, and trying to align values with actual behavior, not just words on a wall. You’ll learn practical frameworks like Peter’s three-part model of trust (reliability, capability, relationship) and the importance of psychological safety in performance. Plus, get insight into how organizations like Mercedes made culture real by tying behavior, instead of just outcomes, to performance reviews and incentives. If you’re a leader, coach, or performer looking to build stronger teams, reduce burnout, and lead more effectively under pressure, this conversation offers both clear models and immediately actionable insights you can start applying today. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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 5m
  3. Unlocking Flow: Breath, Challenge, and Embracing Nerves

    MAR 31

    Unlocking Flow: Breath, Challenge, and Embracing Nerves

    In today's solo-cast, I’m digging into something I see all the time with athletes and high performers, the way we misunderstand nerves, pressure, and what it actually takes to access flow. We’ve been taught that the goal is to calm down, relax, and eliminate anxiety before we perform. But in reality, that approach can pull us further away from our best. I break down why being a little “too activated” is often exactly where you want to be, how to rethink your relationship with nerves, and what it really looks like to find that sweet spot between challenge and skill. I also share a practical tool, the trigger breath, that you can start training right away to create just enough space in your system to let performance happen instead of forcing it. This is about shifting out of control mode and into a place where you can trust your preparation, work with your physiology, and access a higher level of performance more consistently. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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.

    22 min
  4. Crossover Episode | Live Coaching + Feedback on The Transformational Leader with Adam Quiney and Chris McAdoo

    MAR 18 ·  BONUS

    Crossover Episode | Live Coaching + Feedback on The Transformational Leader with Adam Quiney and Chris McAdoo

    On this episode of The Mental Training Lab we are sharing an episode of The Transformational Leader featuring a conversation with Pete Kadushin. "On this week's mid-week episode of The Transformational Leader, Adam Quiney welcomes friend of the show Pete Kadushin for a live coaching conversation that pulls back the curtain on what transformational leadership work actually looks like in practice. Pete brings a client, Chris McAdoo, into the session and invites Adam to observe and offer real-time feedback as the coaching unfolds. What follows is a candid, unscripted exploration of leadership, coaching, and the subtle dynamics that emerge in live developmental work. Adam steps in throughout the conversation with interruptions, reflections, and questions—supporting Pete while also highlighting the deeper patterns at play beneath the surface of the coaching moment. The episode offers listeners a rare look into the craft of leadership coaching: how coaches listen, where they intervene, and how transformational insights can arise in the middle of a conversation. Adam's intention is to demystify the process—revealing not just the visible techniques of coaching, but the underlying "being" and awareness that make meaningful breakthroughs possible. If you've ever wondered what transformational coaching actually looks like in real time—or how leaders support one another in developing their craft—this episode offers a thoughtful and illuminating window into that work." Check out The Transformational Leader podcast Website | Apple | Spotify  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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 28m
  5. Beyond the Grind: Redefining Mental Toughness with Dr. Hillary Cauthen

    MAR 17

    Beyond the Grind: Redefining Mental Toughness with Dr. Hillary Cauthen

    For decades, athletes and high performers have been taught to grind harder, push through pain, and silence weakness at all costs. I’m your host Pete Kadushin, and in this episode of The Mental Training Lab, I sit down with clinical sport psychologist and author Dr. Hillary Cauthen to talk about one of the most romanticized ideas in sport and performance: mental toughness. Hillary explains why that traditional narrative gives her the “ick” and why many performers are quietly paying the price through burnout, injury, harsh self-talk, and unsustainable pressure. We discuss a more holistic model of mental strength that still honors resilience and perseverance but adds essential capacities like self-awareness, vulnerability, emotional regulation, and values-based motivation. Hillary steps up to the plate to coach me on my own “wrestler mindset” and the fear-based motivation that many high achievers rely on. You’ll learn about identity, performance culture, and how expanding our tool set can help us sustain excellence without losing our competitive edge. If you’re an athlete, coach, or leader who grew up in grind culture, this conversation offers a powerful reframe and a glimpse of what real cultural change can look like in action. Learn more about Hillary’s book Hello Trauma: Our Invisible Teammate on her website: www.hillarycauthen.com. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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.

    54 min
  6. The Illusion of Progress

    MAR 3

    The Illusion of Progress

    In this solo episode, I’m exploring something I see all the time in the performance world: the illusion of progress. From the outside, it can look like we’re doing everything right. We’re building mental skills, trying new strategies, putting in the reps, and staying disciplined. And yet, despite all that effort, we often find ourselves circling back to the same patterns and frustrations. In this conversation, I unpack why that happens. We look at the deeper structure underneath behavior — how our beliefs quietly shape our actions, and how those actions reinforce the very reality we’re trying to change. When we only focus on adding new tools without examining that underlying layer, we can end up getting better at running the same loop. As always, I’ll leave you with a few practical questions you can use to reflect on your own patterns and begin creating real movement, not just the appearance of it. If you’ve been working hard but feel like you’re not actually getting anywhere, this episode will give you a different lens to look through. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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
  7. Hypnosis for High Performance: How Intentional Focus Can Transform Pain, Sleep, and Stress with Dr. David Spiegel

    FEB 17

    Hypnosis for High Performance: How Intentional Focus Can Transform Pain, Sleep, and Stress with Dr. David Spiegel

    What do a hypnotized high-school wrestler, Olympic athletes, and modern neuroscience all have in common? In this episode of The Mental Training Lab, I sit down with Dr. David Spiegel, one of the world’s leading experts in clinical hypnosis, to clear up the myths, misunderstandings, and stage-show baggage surrounding hypnosis. Next, we explore how it’s actually being used to reduce pain, manage stress, improve sleep, and enhance high-level performance. We unpack how hypnosis works in the brain (including its effects on attention, dissociation, and the default mode network), and why hypnosis is best understood as an intentional, goal-directed mental skill, not mind control. David shares remarkable clinical and performance stories, from eliminating chronic migraines to helping athletes access high quality focus under pressure. We also explore how hypnosis complements meditation, where the two differ, and why hypnosis can sometimes create rapid change where other practices haven’t. If you’re interested in performance, well-being, or the science of attention and intentionality, this conversation may completely change how you think about hypnosis. Learn more about Reveri, David’s self-hypnosis app, and get 20% off yearly or lifetime memberships with code MENTAL20: reverihealth.app.link/mental - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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 4m
  8. Train Your Mind Like an Olympian | Mental Skills for Peak Performance from the Skimo Gold Podcast

    FEB 11

    Train Your Mind Like an Olympian | Mental Skills for Peak Performance from the Skimo Gold Podcast

    It’s officially the Olympics season, and I was stoked to join endurance athlete Travis Macy and Olympic ski mountaineer Cam Smith to talk about the mental skills behind peak performance. This episode is shared here on the Mental Training Lab feed as part of a crossover with Skimo Gold, and I’m excited to bring this conversation to you.  We get into what it truly means to train your mind like an Olympian. And that means for any moment where pressure, uncertainty, or expectations are high. Not just on race day. You’ll learn: How elite athletes stay present when the stakes are highWhat effective visualization actually looks like (and where it often goes wrong)How to avoid spiraling into outcomes and future thinkingWays to build confidence without tying it to resultsHow to coach yourself with a healthier, more supportive inner voiceWhile the examples come from endurance sport and ski mountaineering, the mental skills we discuss apply far beyond athletics. These are tools for leaders, parents, coaches, and anyone trying to show up more grounded and intentional under pressure. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  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 22m
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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
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mental Training Lab
  • Show Website
    Mental Training Lab

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