Suzanne Pottratz, PhD, CMPC

Suzanne Pottratz is an Assistant Professor of Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology in the Department of Sport & Exercise Sciences. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY, a Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Brunel University in London, UK, and completed her PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Springfield College in Springfield, MA. Prior to coming to Barry, she served as the Program Director of Sport Psychology at East Central University in Ada, OK. Suzanne’s research interests are primarily in the field of exercise psychology, specifically exercise adherence and exploring techniques to make exercise a more enjoyable activity for sedentary individuals. Her research questions employ the Hedonic principle, which states that the more you enjoy something, the more likely you are to repeat it again in the future. Suzanne’s recent work concerns the psychological and psychophysiological effects of audio and visual stimuli in sport and exercise. Other research interests include how sport participation mediates the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and the use of mindfulness in youth athletes. Suzanne is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and has worked with a variety of collegiate, elite, and youth sports teams/athletes. Her goal as a consultant is to help athletes perform at their highest capabilities through enhancing self-awareness and teaching them the tools they need to overcome psychological barriers while managing their emotions. She takes a holistic approach to mental skills training by training athletes on how to develop a high performance mindset that will help them reach their goals and find success on and off the playing field.