ABOUT CLIMBING PSYCHOLOGY
Where climbing meets evidence-based psychology.
Climbing Psychology™ is globally recognised as a pioneer of psychology in all major disciplines of rock climbing.
Our mission is to normalise and destigmatise psychology in climbing around the world. Psychology is the science of how we behave, how we experience situations, and how we interact and communicate with other people. It’s at the core of what makes us human.
In climbing, we have unique ‘problems’ in front of us which we would like to solve – or climb. Every problem looks different and requires an individual and creative beta – just like in psychology. It’s not about telling you what to do, but helping find the psychological “beta” that works best for you.
The biggest wall we have to climb is the one we build in our mind.
We truly believe that a climber’s mindset and mental strength is as important as their physical strength, and have spent years tailoring unique programs and training methods for climbers.
Our goal is to support climbers in the best possible way – from dealing with fear of failure, fear of falling, the psychological impact of injuries, competition pressure, personality development, building self-esteem and developing confidence.
We prefer a creative, modern approach to sport psychology and aim to practically apply learnt strategies directly on the climbing wall.
WHY THIS MATTERS
We want psychology in climbing to feel accessible, credible, and normal.
For many climbers, psychological struggle has been treated as a private weakness or something to simply push through. We believe that needs to change.
Talking about fear, confidence, pressure, comparison, injury, identity, and emotional load should not sit at the margins of the sport. It should be part of how we understand performance, development, and care.
That is the work Climbing Psychology exists to do: to bring more clarity, skill, compassion, and applied psychological thinking into climbing culture.
Trusted by the global climbing community.
Psychologists who understand both people and climbing.
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![Madeleine Crane Sport Psychologist Climbing Psychology]()
Madeleine Crane
FOUNDER, CEO & SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST
Madeleine is a passionate climber who has been climbing for more than 20 years herself, competing nationally and internationally for almost 15 years. She is a certified sport psychologist and systemic coach, lives in the West of Austria (close to the Swiss border) and is specialised on climbing. She has been working with climbers and climbing coaches from all around the globe, regardless of their age or professional level. Madeleine also has a cooperation with the local Olympic Center in Vorarlberg. When she is not working, you will very likely find her at one of the local crags, in the gym or at home, baking something. -
![Carina Jungblut Sport Psychologist Climbing Psychology]()
Carina Jungblut
SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST & CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST I.E.
Carina is a certified sports psychologist and clinical psychologist based in the stunning climbing mecca of Innsbruck, Austria. Specializing in developmental psychology, her focus lies on working with youth climbers. Having grown up in a nearby mountainous region, Carina feels deeply connected to the landscape—mountains truly feel like home to her. Passionate about outdoor sports, especially climbing, she cherishes the exhilarating sense of freedom it brings. Carina thrives on pushing her limits and exploring her mental edge. -
![Kaisa Soininen Sport Psychologist Climbing Psychology]()
Kaisa Soininen
SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST
Kaisa is a Sports and Exercise Psychologist based in Helsinki, Finland. She has worked with recreational and competitive climbers and specialised in dealing with perfectionism, a high drive for performance among recreational climbers, career transitioning, stress management and commitment via deepening self-knowledge. She found her passion for climbing in her forties and wants to continue climbing for decades ahead.
Board of Advisors
To ensure the highest level of support, we collaborate internally with several nationally and internationally renowned sports psychologists.
Madeleine is a founding member of the International Association of Psychologists in Climbing (IAPSYC), and every team member is proudly part of this organization.
Internship Opportunity
Do you study (sport) psychology (preferably at the Master's level) and want to gain insights into applied psychology in climbing?
Do you love climbing and want to deepen your understanding of the psychology behind our favorite sport?
We regularly offer internships to psychology students as part of their university studies. For more details, please read the info paper. If you are interested, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Testimonials.
★★★★★
I had been struggling with what I thought was a fear of falling, so I originally made an appointment to just "get some tips and tricks to send harder". But in our first appointment Madeleine & I quickly discovered it wasn't just fear of falling. And as she likes to say climbing is a mirror for the other problems in our life, and this couldn't have been more true. Through our work together we discovered and addressed things that were holding me back, not only in climbing but also the rest of my life.
Marco
★★★★★
My athletes and I have complete faith in Climbing Psychology.
Madeleine, herself a former competitive climber and still incredibly strong, simply knows what she's talking about and what motivates climbers. She's a true specialist when it comes to fear of falling, emotions, and activity level regulation!
Steffi
★★★★★
As the former president of the Lithuanian Federation of Sport Climbing, I cannot recommend the team of Madeleine and Carina highly enough. These brilliant professionals have provided our athletes with invaluable tools to handle competition anxiety, build confidence, and maintain a healthy mindset. They are highly professional, empathetic, and truly understand the high-pressure environment of competitive sports. Thank you for your outstanding work and dedication to our team!
Milda
Ready to work on the mental side of your climbing?
Request a free 30-minute intro call to discuss your goals, your current challenges, and the kind of support that might help most. There is no pressure and no obligation, just a chance to see whether working together feels like the right fit.