Our Team of Mental Training Experts
Mastering the Collective Energy of Peak Performance
We provide mental training and injury recovery for all athletes. Though we see Olympic Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalist, and other Olympic Athletes and Olympic hopefuls, we also see athletes from all levels and all sports.
We work with athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA players, MLB and minor league players, Olympic Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalist in men’s and women’s gymnastics, Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist in swimming. Olympic teams, World Champions, top sprinters and pole vault athletes from track & field. Our staff has worked with Heisman Trophy winners, Davey O’Brien Award winners and finalists, Ray Guy finalists, NCAA All Americans in football, swimming, baseball, basketball, track & field, fencing, golf, figure skating, tennis, and gymnastics.
Heading into Olympic years we see Olympic hopefuls in artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, track & field, trampoline, fencing, judo, swimming, wrestling, luge, figure skating and equestrian.
We also see younger junior high, high school, and college athletes.
We take pride in helping them with their respective sport, while also developing strong character, emotional intelligence and mindfulness. They get better in and out of their sport.
About Our Founder Robert Andrews MA, LMFT
Robert Andrews, M.A., founder and director of The Institute of Sports Performance, has been in private practice as a sports performance consultant and licensed therapist for 22 years.
Robert has developed a performance model that focuses on mastering the mental and emotional energy for performance.
In the 2016 Rio Olympics he worked with numerous Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalist in swimming and gymnastics. Robert attended the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic games where he worked with U.S.A. and international athletes in gymnastics, trampoline, and track & field.
Locally he works with or has worked with with the Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Houston Rockets, Houston Dash and local universities like the University of Houston, Houston Baptist University and Rice University. His passion is working with athletes, teams, and sports cultures, as they strive to reach peak athletic potential, and create healthy and empowering sports cultures.
He is an expert at assisting injured athletes in overcoming the mental and emotional impact of their sports related injury. Having suffered many serious sports related injuries, Robert understands and empathizes with athletes finding their way back from serious sports related injuries.
He also works with coaches and teams.
Work with Active and Retired Military and Their Families.
Robert is also licensed in Virginia and does extensive work with active and retired Navy SEALS and Gold Star families through his work with The Navy SEAL Foundation. He helps active team members prepare for transitioning out of the military and retired team members reintegrate into life after service. He also supports family members of Navy SEALS through his work with the Foundation by conducting workshops, trainings and individual support.
Robert is married and has two kids. His wife Gisele was a standout volleyball player. His son Galen played college baseball, and his daughter Abby played high school and club volleyball. Robert maintains an active and balanced lifestyle that promotes all around mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and well being.
Michael Heck MA, LPC Billings, Montana Office
In 20 years of working in the field of psychology, sports performance, counseling, teaching, coaching, and consulting I’ve found wonderful benefits for athletes who seek my services: a stronger sense of self-awareness, parenting skills for young athletes, resolving intense sports-related anxiety and stress (possibly related to injury), increased communication skills, and increased resilience!
I am a licensed professional counselor in Texas and Montana. I am the Clinical Director at CrossWay Counseling Center in Billings, Montana. Montana you say?? Yes! My family and I live in the Big Sky State and I continue to do in-office and remote sessions with athletes all over the United States (and South Korea!). Whether it’s remote or in-office sessions, I’ve witnessed athletes of all levels experience wonderful success, reaching their performance goals, while learning how to be their authentic self!
My credentials include: MA, Clinical Psychology, MA, Family Studies, and MA, Theology. I am Certified in Trauma Resolution (PESI) and COMING SOON! EMDR Certified to help athletes resolve intense experiences related to sports performance.
I played football at Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA) and semi-professionally with the San Gabriel Valley Rhinos (San Gabriel Valley, CA). I started running marathons and coaching marathon runners at Azusa Pacific as well. I’ve loved coaching high school football at several schools: Saugus High (Los Angeles, CA), Billings West (MT), and Second Baptist (Houston, TX).
I was attempting to join the Navy Chaplain Corp when I tore my ACL and meniscus playing football. This event caused me to re-evaluate my career path and become a professional in the field of counseling and performance. I know what it’s like when it’s necessary to recover and redirect when dreams and expectations are at risk!
I am married with two boys and I love doing just about anything outdoors. I love being active and seeing the world.
Whether you’re an athlete, musician, or investment banker, I’ve enjoyed watching performance principles help driven individuals reach their goals with an increased awareness of their ability.
Emily Wood-Urbaniak M.Ed. LPC
Emily grew up in Waller, TX and has been an athlete her entire life. She played multiple sports as an adolescent and decided in high school that volleyball was her passion and began playing on a Club team at Willowbrook.
Emily played collegiate volleyball for two seasons at The University of Texas at Tyler where she earned several accolades, including 2 All-Conference awards and Defensive Player of the Year. She finished her volleyball career as a Roadrunner at UTSA and played as a defensive specialist on the 2013 C-USA Tournament Champions team. UTSA went on to compete in the NCAA tournament against Texas A&M University.
She continues to feed her love of volleyball by coaching club and has done so the last 8 years. Since moving back to Houston from Fort Worth in 2018, Emily is continuing her coaching career at Houston Force Club Volleyball.
She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at UTSA and received her M.Ed in Guidance Counseling from TCU. Emily holds an LPC and has worked in several clinical settings over the last 5 years, including working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders.
Emily has a love for helping athletes alleviate performance anxiety and reach their maximum potential, not only as athletes, but as human beings. She also specializes in athletes struggling with disordered eating and body image issues. She finds joy in not only helping athletes, but assisting parents and coaches on how to empower their athletes to be the absolute best.
Emily is married and has 2 dogs! Her husband, Jake, was an All-American soccer player and watches it on TV any chance he gets.
Cortnee White M. Ed. LPC Intern
Cortnee grew up in the West Texas area where she was a multi-sport athlete throughout her youth, including barrel racing and flag racing.
In high school, she continued on this path, excelling in softball where she was an All-State and All-West Texas catcher. She also earned honors in basketball, volleyball and track. She went on to play Division II college softball at Texas A&M University – Kingsville, where she was awarded All-Conference titles and was the runner-up for the golden glove award. Although she was recruited as a catcher, her collegiate coaches transitioned her to short-stop/center field to better utilize her speed.
After graduating with a BA in psychology from Texas A&M University – Kingsville, she continued her athletic career by competing in NPC bodybuilding competitions and joining a professional women’s football league. She played running back and was the only woman to return a kickoff for a touchdown in her rookie season. During this time, she also worked with athletes as a certified personal trainer. This period of her life helped her discover the importance of an athlete’s mental state and the effect it has on their performance. This became her passion.
In 2018, she graduated with an M.Ed in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lamar University and currently works as an LPC-Intern pursuing full licensure. She has worked with a variety of mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression, substance abuse and life transitions.
Cortnee has a passion for helping athletes enjoy their journey, both on and off the field. She is dedicated to helping each athlete reach their full potential and assists athletes struggling with performance anxiety, burnout, and end of career transitions. She utilizes her knowledge in strength training to help athletes connect their mind and body.
In Cortnee’s spare time she enjoys riding motorcycles, exploring the outdoors, spending time with family and playing with her Australian Shepherd, Aspen.
Other Services We Provide
Leaving Home-Transitioning In Sports-Career Ending-Retiring
We offer guidance for athletes and their families as they work their way through the sometimes difficult transition from high school to college, and college to professional sports. Teaching valuable life skills that assist the student/athlete as they face the social, academic, athletic, financial, and geographic changes help with the transition of leaving home and heading off to college or entering the complex world of professional sports. Athletes learn to live authentically and show up empowered. We also help family members process the changes their family is going through as their athletes prepares to leave home or enter professional sports.
Getting Ready for a professional career?
We offer ongoing support for those choosing to pursue a career in professional sport. We have found that ongoing support, dialogue, and feedback proves to be invaluable as athletes work their way through the gauntlet of becoming a professional. The development of life skills, emotional intelligence, and personal power are keys to success.
We also do extensive work with serious sports related injuries. Using advanced techniques and protocols we help the injured athlete return to play confidetn and absent of the fear of re-injury. This can prove critical to the athlete attempting to make a roster or carve out a position on a team.
Current Memberships:
