What if mental approach coaching and sports psychology weren’t centred on achieving peak performance, but instead focused on nurturing holistic self-worth? And what if, as a by-product, performance on the bike actually improved? That’s a win-win, right?

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At Yama Folk, our goal is to help individuals untangle their identity from what they do, so their sport consistently remains a positive part of life, without defining it entirely. Because we are all more than our achievements. Too often, athletes wrap their identity tightly around the sport they excel in. So when results inevitably fall short (as they do in sport), it hits their self-esteem hard. It doesn’t need to, and it shouldn’t.

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Our courses are grounded in years of professional experience across education, sociology, psychology, and elite sport. Purpose-built for mountain biking, the program was developed in collaboration with pro athletes Georgia Astle and Dan Booker, whose lived experience has been thoughtfully integrated into our approach. This is more than just a course, it offers a grounded, human first perspective on what it means to thrive in sport and beyond. To complement Astle and Booker's insights into high performance sport, the curriculum and content delivery were shaped with guidance from school teacher Thomas Goto and psychologist Daniel McAlpine.

Meaningful learning often stems from intrinsic motivation, true understanding happens when the brain actively chooses to retain information. While we know that fostering positive learning environments supports this mindset, traditional schooling tends to rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. This may be convenient, but it's rarely effective. At Yama Folk, we take a different path. Instead of offering a standardised learning model, we help students identify their unique needs and build custom systems that empower them to feel fulfilled and make the most of their learning experiences.

Alongside our industry experience and formal education, our courses are informed by the work of leading experts including Dr Billy Garvey, Brené Brown, Lael Stone, Johann Hari, Ben Crowe, Hugh van Cuylenburg, Daniel Ellenberg, and others in the field.