NICOLE DETLING, PHD, CMPC

Dr. Nicole Detling received her BA in psychology and sports science from Ohio Wesleyan University, her MS in sport psychology from Ithaca College, and her PhD in sport psychology at the University of Utah. She also completed a sport psychology internship in the Sports Medicine Center at the Mayo Clinic. Nicole has been consulting with athletes and performers since 1998. Athletes, teams, and coaches of all ages, ability levels, and sports have sought Nicole’s services. She has also worked with performing artists. Nicole regularly travels the world giving talks and trainings on mental toughness to athletes, coaches, businesses, and at professional conferences.  She is currently the owner of HeadStrong Consulting, LLC, a sport psychology company focusing on performance enhancement through mental skills training. Nicole co-authored a book with her doctoral mentor, Dr. Keith Henschen, entitled “Don’t Leave Your Mind Behind”, which was published in February, 2018 and available on this website or on Amazon. She has also co-authored book chapters as well as professional journal publications. She is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).  She has appeared on The Colbert Report, NBC, The Olympic Channel, and several local news stations and has been heard on NPR, podcasts, and local radio stations.  She has also been featured in several newspaper and magazine articles, both print and online. With HeadStrong Consulting colleagues, she is one of the hosts of the podcast: Becoming HeadStrong.

Nicole is currently the mental performance coach with USA Archery (para). She was the Director of Mental Performance as well as the mental performance coach with the national team athletes and coaches of USA Nordic (Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping; both men and women) from 2016-2022. She also worked with the Utah Warriors (Major League Rugby), Boise State Softball team, and University of Pittsburgh Women’s Soccer team. Nicole also works with Ballet West (Professional Ballet Company) and several individual athletes from the youth through the elite levels.  In addition to working with several Olympic and Paralympic medalists and world champions, she has worked with professional athletes in the PGA, MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL as well as professional rock climbers, road cyclists, mountain bikers, and water skiers.  From 2017-2020, she was the Mental Performance Coach with Real Salt Lake (MLS Soccer Team), Utah Royals (NWSL Soccer Team), and Real Monarchs (Real Salt Lake 2nd Team). Also, Nicole was contracted with the University of Utah Athletics Department to provide sport psychology services to all U of U athletes from 2013-2019. In addition, she served at the Coordinator of Sport Psychology Services as well as a provider (Mental Performance Coach) with US Speed Skating from 2008-2013. Nicole also had the pleasure of working the US Ski and Snowboard Association (Freestyle Aerials, Freeskiing, and Snowboarding) from 2002-2019.

Her Olympic experience includes being a fully-credentialed member of Team USA with the US Short Track team in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games with the US Freestyle Aerials Ski Team.

Her business consulting experience includes corporations from many industries. She has considerable experience keynoting for major corporate events as well as conducting training sessions that range from a couple of hours to year long intensive mental toughness training. Some of her clients have included the Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) with the Federal Government, XO Communications, Rio Tinto, Comcast Business, Biomat West USA, Bullfrog Spas, Conservice, UDR, Fairway Management, Transportation Safety Institute (TSI), National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Currently, she is one of the mental performance coaches on staff with ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity company.

Dr. Detling is certified in the Athlete Assessments version of the DISC behavioral profile and has used it successfully to build team cohesion, enhance effective communication, and problem-solve with athletic teams as well as businesses. She is also certified in the Influence Style Indicator (ISI), the EQi 2.0, and the EQi 360.

In July 2018, Nicole was honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Barnesville Area Education Foundation.

In her free time, Nicole is working on her second book with her signature tagline as the title as well as a book on resiliency.  She enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, cycling, and running.  Nicole resides in the Salt Lake City area with her husband, Steve, and two sons, Logan and Elias.


Notable Accomplishments:

  • 42 Olympic / Paralympic MEDALISTS

  • 19 World Champions

  • 3 SuperBowl Champions (individuals)

  • 3 National Champions (2 with University of Utah Ski Team, 1 with player on USA Hockey team)

  • 4 Pac-12 Champions (3 with University of Utah Gymnastics, 1 with University of Utah Baseball)

  • 2 Pac-12 South Champions (both with University of Utah Football)

  • 15 State Champions (teams and individuals)