About Dr. Mark Miesel
Hello, I’m Mark and I am a sport and performance consultant. Specifically, I implement evidence-based strategies to help athletes (and others) improve performance and well-being. Over the past 25 years, I’ve been fortunate to have worked with a variety of athletes in many sports, from youth participants in the first stages of skill development to World and Olympic champions.
Today, I consult with adult (16+) athletes and performers who want to improve motivation and focus, reduce anxiety in competition and training, overcome and prevent injuries more efficiently, master the art of self-forgiveness and rediscover the enjoyment and personal fulfillment of participation. I embrace a holistic, person-centered and action-oriented approach to consulting. Although we may briefly explore your background and motivation, we’ll quickly transition into crafting a personalized plan of action.
Ready to take your sport or activity to the next level? I can help you overcome your own inner critic and reach your goals.
Education & Background
I hold a Ph.D. in sport psychology from the University of Stellenbosch (1999), an MA in community counseling from Adams State University (1995) and BAs in psychology and anthropology from Michigan State University (1992). At MSU, I earned four letters as a member of the Men’s Gymnastics Team.
I find teaching to be extremely rewarding and have been actively engaged in instructing graduate courses in sport and performance psychology at the University of Arizona Global Campus for the past 16 years. Prior to joining UAGC, I taught undergraduate courses in sport psychology at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
My Passions
I feel fortunate to have a wonderful girlfriend and two amazing dog friends to enjoy adventures with. I love living in Colorado and can’t spend enough time snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking and playing disc golf. I’m especially passionate about multi-day cycling and trekking expeditions and visiting new destinations along the way.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy some rewarding treks including Europe’s Tour de Mont Blanc, Nepal’s Manaslu Circuit, the W in Patagonia, Iceland’s Laugevegur, and many of New Zealand’s great walks. My cycle touring adventures have taken me through Iceland’s interior, across Morrocco, and over the San Juan’s from Durango to Moab.
Through these adventures, I’ve experienced the whole array of human emotion. I understand the anxiety of being lost on the trail, the trauma that injury brings, and the disorientation of dehydration. I know what it’s like to question my choices and seriously wonder if I’ll complete the route. I’ve also experienced the joy of discovering surreal, time-stopping new landscapes, the silent solitude of wildlife encounters and the euphoria of pushing through doubt to reach the summit.