Vera Jo Bustos, MA, is a mental performance coach specializing in helping students, educators, and coaches improve their performance through the mental game.
She received her BA in Exercise Science, BA in Sports Psychology, and MA in Human Performance from Adams State University.
She has worked with professional athletes, coaches, veterans, surgeons, businesses, and business professionals. A highly sought-after speaker, she travels the country inspiring, motivating, and teaching the mental game to athletes, high-performers, teams, and coaches—of all ages, ability levels, and sports—at conferences, conventions, workshops, school assemblies, and 1-on-1 trainings.
Vera Jo worked as an assistant basketball coach at Western Colorado University and spent five years on the coaching staff at The University of New Mexico. Since 2012, she has implemented her knowledge of performance psychology by training the athletes at WCU and UNM on the mental game.
Previously, Bustos had a celebrated basketball career at Adams State University (2007-11). A 3x College All-American, 2x All-Region First Team, 4x All-RMAC First Team, Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year selection, Bustos helped lead ASU to two consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history. Her storied career led to a Hall of Fame induction in 2019—making ASU history once again—as one of the youngest inductees in school history at 30.
SPEAKING TOPICS:
One Defining Moment: Developing Confidence Through Connection
Can you imagine having a defining moment that was so powerful that it changed how you lived?
Whether we realize it or not, these defining moments shape the students we lead. Sometimes, daily.
Learn some of the best strategies and techniques from the performance psychology domain in leading a more confident, independent, and resilient generation.
Their confidence is often uncovered through your connection.
When it comes to your connection, which end of the spectrum do you want to fall on?
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Learn the six sources of confidence.
- Learn how to develop confidence in your students.
- Learn what you may be doing to hinder your students’ confidence.
- Learn how to develop psychological safety in your classroom.
- Understand the relationship between confidence and resilience.
- Find inspiration to touch every student’s heart with the power of One Defining Moment.
According to the Center for Disease Control/National Institute on Occupational Safety & Health, the workplace is the number one cause of adult stress. The American Institute of Stress reports that 120,000 people die every year as a direct result of work-related stress.
As a society, we are used to hearing horror stories and statistics about stress in our everyday lives. In this thought-provoking talk, Coach VJ explores the concept of stress from a refreshing perspective. Instead of viewing stress as purely negative, it can have positive effects if we learn to embrace it differently. With the right mindset shift, stress can actually enhance performance, foster resilience, and promote personal growth.
Coach VJ will leave you feeling empowered to harness the hidden potential of stress for your own personal development and well-being.
Learning Outcomes:
- Escape your “Dead Zone” – You know the dead zone as your comfort zone. Depart empowered and equipped with transformative tools to take bold action.
Change your relationship with stress – Learn the same techniques & strategies taught to college and professional athletes to bring out your best performance in high-pressure, high-stress moments.
- Narrow your focus – Learn how to use the physiological responses to stress to enter your natural flow state.
- Mindset shift – Harness the energy stress gives instead of wasting it trying to “manage it.”
- Adopt a mindset of resilience – Learn to respond thoughtfully in stressful moments instead of mindlessly reacting.
- Ignite your soul – Reflect and refocus on what sets your soul on fire.
Coaching the mental game is for coaches of all sports that will help them effectively understand the athlete’s mental makeup and develop appropriate coaching strategies to improve their cognitive approach to performance.
This keynote presentation will give you specific tips, techniques, and strategies to take your team to the next level through the mental game.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Re-define adversity.
- Identify and understand the six sources of confidence.
- Perform under pressure – make it count when it counts the most.
- Develop a high-performance approach and consistent routines.
Through this dynamic and energetic presentation, Vera Jo shares key ways to increase your confidence and create a better understanding of how to break the barriers of your confidence killers:
- Negative Thoughts
- Assumptions & Doubts
- Imposter Syndrome
- Limiting Beliefs
- Self-Perceived Weaknesses
The confidence blueprint covers the core of social-emotional learning skills through a thought-provoking and insightful approach to heighten self-awareness, increase confidence and self-esteem, and develop successful habits and routines.
In this powerful presentation, students will walk away with a mindset of confidence and a blueprint of what it takes to bring out the best version of themselves.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- The three sources of confidence holding you back.
- The three sources of confidence needed to propel you forward.
- Develop an understanding of how to become a master of your thoughts.
- Define specific ways to gain control of your emotions.
- Igniting the courage within to pursue your dreams.
- How to turn your confidence into action.
Customized Mental Performance Workshop
For Students, Educators, or Staff
Every organization is different.
So why should every presentation be the same?
Vera Jo will design an interactive workshop based on your organization’s Performance Gaps (the gap between where you are and where you want to be).
In these interactive workshops, Vera Jo teaches practical strategies, tips, and techniques directly from her platform as a mental performance coach.
TOPICS OF FOCUS INCLUDE:
Confidence
Gain the confidence, belief, and motivation needed to act in pursuit of your dreams.
Leadership
How to improve your leadership performance, communication, impact, and influence.
Performing Under Pressure
Create your own mental armor to change your perception of pressure so you can perform your best when it matters most.
