Workshops for Climbing Gyms

Working in climbing brings its own challenges – forming a strong team cohesion, dealing with expectations of customers, developing a healthy work-life-balance and learning to set boundaries (particularly if both life and work is all about climbing), dealing with unsolicited feedback and advice on route setting, dealing with fear of failure and work stress, building self-esteem and developing confidence around work and climbing, dealing with external (and internal expectations) “having to be a good climber” if one works in this field, clear communication, and so on.

Our goal is to support climbing gyms – and their staff – in the best possible way – from dealing with difficult customers, developing a healthy work-life-balance and learning to set boundaries (particularly if both life and work is all about climbing), dealing with fear of failure, personality development, building self-esteem and developing confidence.

Mentally stronger and more resilient staff will lead to better results in their work – and ultimately will positively impact your climbing gym and their members.

Our workshops for your team

Climbing Psychology is globally recognised as a pioneer of psychology in all major disciplines of rock climbing.

This workshop aims to help your staff’s develop healthy boundaries – particularly if both life and work is all about climbing.
What you will learn:
• How to create a good/better work life balance when work (climbing) and life/hobby (climbing)
• How to better separate private life from work life and set boundaries
• Self-reflection tools to improve work-life-balance Communication within the team as a core resource
• Tools to better set boundaries and communicate own expectations
• Insights and practical examples
Good communication is the basis of any relationship. Even if you don’t say anything, you will communicate. What if you communicated more consciously – and better with your athletes?
What you will learn
• What is communication?
• Different communication models
• Exercises for a conflict-free communication
• Dealing with conflicts
• Giving constructive feedback
You have a leading role in a climbing gym? Most importantly, you have to be aligned with your own goals and values. This is what this workshop focuses on: on the development of your own personal philosophy.
What you will learn:
• Why a leadership philosophy matters
• What impacts your leadership philosophy
• What are your core objectives, beliefs and principles?
• What’s your why?
• About your self-concept, your self-esteem and self-disclosure – and why they matters when developing your coaching philosophy
• Development of your personal leadership philosophy
The core of every well functioning business and organisation is a strong team that sticks together. This workshop aims to foster the team cohesion among your staff members.
Being self-confident in your job, will not only impact your performance, it will also impact how much you enjoy your work.
What you will learn:
• How to better deal with (internal and external) expectations towards one's climbing performance as someone who is also working in this field
• How to better deal with insecurities, doubts or avoidance behaviours (going climbing less) as a consequence of (internal and external) expectations
• Psychological tools and exercises to improve confidence, better deal with expectations as well as fear of failing and embarrassing oneself
• Self-reflection tools to improve self-confidence
We are happy to develop a workshop based on your needs and interest. Feel free to contact us and let us know what you have in mind!

We are always looking forward to hearing from you and adapting our offers to your needs and wishes!

Gyms, educational programs and teams we have worked with:

What you won’t get

No fluff — just the good stuff. We only share the proven frameworks and tools that have a track record of results.

No quick fixes. (The mind is a complex infrastructure and doesn't rewire overnight). There are so many different mental aspects to learn about as a coach and becoming mentally stronger is an on-going journey – for both you as a coach and your athletes. This is the start to becoming more aware of what you can do, what impact you have and how to foster both your athletes’ performance, enjoyment and well-being in climbing.

Our courses are designed to help you better understand your team. But learning and hearing about something is something completely different to applying it. The application of what you learn is up to you. We recommend you to reflect yourself on what you have learnt afterwards, so you can better implement your lessons learnt into your every day training.

Get to know your teachers

Madeleine is the founder of Climbing Psychology. She is a certified sport psychologist, systemic coach and climbing instructor from Austria who has specialised on climbing due to her personal passion in climbing. She has been working with climbers and climbing coaches from all around the globe, regardless of their age or professional level. She is involved in the sport psychological courses of the climbing instructor education in Austria, cooperates with the local Olympic Center in Vorarlberg in educating coaches about psychological topics and, together with GB Head Coach Tom Greenall, developed a specific development program specifically for climbing coaches, Project Mind Control. She has worked with multiple coaches, trainers, gyms as well as official educational programs.

is a mental coach and sports psychologist i.e. living in beautiful climbing mekka Innsbruck, Austria. Having grown up in a mountainous region nearby, she feels an intrinsic connection to this landscape – mountains feel like home to her. She is all about outdoor sports, especially climbing, which gives her that exhilarating feeling of freedom. Carina loves pushing her own limits and finding that mental edge.

is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist (M.A.) specialized in climbing. She is currently doing her PhD, with a research focus on the psychological characteristics involved in sport climbing and bouldering (indoor/outdoor; competitional/non-competitional). Maria is also a passionate rock-climber herself, having climbed French 8b (5.13d).

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.