ABOUT ME
Mental training has been my specialty for 14 years
I started working with elite athletes at a time when mental preparation was still seen as a luxury in Swiss sports. Today, it is recognized as a performance factor in its own right. I’ve witnessed this shift firsthand on the field, in competition, and at the Olympic Games.
I helped five Swiss athletes qualify for the Olympics. One of them made it to the podium at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
A Carrer Built Across Four Industries
Before becoming a coach, I worked at Rolex Watches, ICRC, Sony Music, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. These four organizations share a single common requirement: the pursuit of excellence, the ability to perform under pressure, the management of demanding talent, and the delivery of results in high-stakes environments.
That’s when I realized that human performance follows the same principles whether you’re a precision timekeeper, a humanitarian special envoy, an international artist, or an Olympic athlete.
I then explored this understanding further through academic study and applied it for 14 years in the fields of elite sports and organizations.
What I Do and How I Do It
I hold two university degrees in positive psychology and mental preparation, as well as a certification in professional coaching.
My approach is based on protocols derived from research in sports psychology and neuroscience, tailored to the specific circumstances of each athlete or executive I work with.
For the past 14 years, I have worked with elite male and female athletes in Olympic and professional sports including football players competing in the Super League, Challenge League, Promotions League, and Women’s Swiss Super League as well as with senior executives and national sports federations.
Since 2025, I have served as the co-lead mental coach at the National Athletics Performance Center in Aigle, responsible for providing support to national team athletes and their coaches.
Over 3,000 hours of one-on-one coaching and more than 800 hours of on-site observation, training sessions, competitions, and video recordings.
I see athletes perform under real pressure, not just talk about it.
Geneva, and Beyond
Born in Geneva and a Swiss citizen, I am fluent in English thanks to four years spent in the United States and Italian, thanks to my roots. French is my native language.
When I’m not in a session, I love to recharge my batteries in nature and in open water.
And I claim to have a non-certified but serious expertise in risotto and parmigiana.
Why should you trust me?
Not because I say so. Because the results speak for themselves. I am committed to rigorous ongoing training to hone my skills and stay up to date on scientific developments.
University Diploma in positive psychology · University Diploma in mental preparation · Professional coaching certification · 14 years of experience · Over 3,000 hours of individual coaching · Over 800 hours of fieldwork · 5 Olympic selections · 1 medal at Milan Cortina 2026 · Super League · Challenge League · Women Swiss Super League · ASF · Swimsports · CNP Athletics Aigle 2025 · Rolex Watches S.A. · ICRC · Sony Music · Montreux Jazz Festival · Olympic Museum in Lausanne
Portrait by Eric Trezza
Let’s talk about your training needs
“Quit planning your dreams and start living it.”
Alan Cohen – Autor
EXPERIENCE
Elite Sports & the Olympic Games
I have worked with five Swiss athletes as they qualified for the Olympics in swimming, track and field, and sailing for London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, including a member of the Swiss U18 team whom I supported all the way to her medal at Milan-Cortina 2026.
My experience in Swiss soccer from U15 development to professional contracts, the Women’s Swiss Super League, the Super League, and the Swiss Football Association is covered in a dedicated section.
From 2013 to 2023, I designed and delivered the “Psyché” training program for SwissAquatics coaches at the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport in Magglingen—ten years of institutional involvement at the heart of talent development in Swiss swimming.
Since 2018, I have led the “AquaPerfect” seminars for Swimsports coaching staff in Geneva, Zurich, and Lugano.
In 2025, I was appointed co-lead Mental Coach at the National Athletics Performance Center in Aigle. I am responsible for providing support to national team athletes and their coaches.
From 2012 to 2014, I provided mental coaching to young athletes at the Centre Sport Études (CSEL) in Lausanne in football, dance, ice hockey, athletics, volleyball and tennis.
In 2013, I reviewed the activities and designed the relaxation exercise for the permanent exhibition “The Olympic Spirit” at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, an installation that is still on display today.
Organizations’ references
Before launching my independent practice, I spent 20 years in the private and humanitarian sectors : Rolex S.A., Sony Music AG, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the ICRC and the IFRC. It is there that my understanding of performance under pressure in demanding environments was forged.
UBS Switzerland, a three-cycle partnership. Since 2016, I have been working with UBS Geneva on management performance optimisation, from regional heads and segment managers to team leaders and client advisors. This collaboration has been renewed across three consecutive cycles 2016–2019, 2021–2024, and ongoing since 2025, reflecting a long-term commitment rather than a one-off engagement. In 2021, I also facilitated the All Bar None co-development group as part of UBS Switzerland’s Diversity & Inclusion initiative.
State of Vaud, leadership development. From 2023 to 2025, I supported a leadership team of 5 managers within the State of Vaud on the development of positive psychological resources and workplace satisfaction, a programme grounded in my university research conducted within organisations, focusing on psychological capital and sustainable performance.
Conferences & Research
In 2024, I was invited by the University of Lille (France) to speak at the Conference for the Diploma in Mental Preparation for Athletes: “Mental training for young elite athletes: what are the specific considerations?”
In 2018, I presented an oral communication at the International Congress of the French Society of Sport Psychology at the University of Lausanne: “Intervention aimed at strengthening the specific self-confidence of 19 young elite athletes aged 11 to 14.”
I have had the honor of speaking twice at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, sharing my thoughts on the impact of the Olympic Games on athletes (Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016) and the art of managing emotions in elite sports.
I regularly speak for corporate and institutional organizations—Mirabeau, Forum du Sport, Bacardi, Swiss Luxury Hotels, Swiss Association of Relocation Agents (SARA) on managing and performing under pressure.
You’ll find more information about me in the FAQS section
Fully equiped room, with big screen for videos analysis.
Thank you panel of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Key Qualifications
| 2023 | Positive Psychology diploma, University of Lausanne (Switzerland). |
| Associate member of the Swiss Positive Psychology Association (SWIPPA). | |
| 2012 | Mental training and Athlete’s Psychology diploma, with mention, University of Lille (France). |
| 2011 | Certified Professional coach, BrieF’R Institute, Geneva. |
| 2009 | Certified Jeunesse+Sport (J+S) Swimming instructor. |
Additional Trainings
| 2025 | Psychology of refereeing, webinar by Benoît Louvet. French Society of Sport Psychology (SFPS), Paris. |
| 2020 | Emotional Competences in the Professional Field, by Donald Glowinski, University of Geneva. |
| 2016 | Nutrition & Sport Performance, by Pascal Prévost. Center for Sport & Health. University of Lausanne. |
| 2016 | Tennis Psychology. Swiss Tennis Center. Biel. |
| 2015 | The Art of a Sustainable Success, by Robert Dilts, Paris. |
| 2013 | Young People and Risky behaviours: the role of adults, REPER Association, Freiburg. |
| 2013 | Action Types & Typologies, by Bertrand Théraulaz. Swiss Federal School of Sport, Magglingen. |
Interviews and Media Contributions
FAQs
How long does a typical coaching program last?
Each program is tailored to the individual. Most clients see significant progress after 10 hours of coaching.
For young athletes, students and apprentices - customized programs are offered based on their goals and schedules.
Can coaching sessions be conducted remotely?
Yes. I work in person in Geneva and online with clients based internationally. The format is tailored to your needs—the results are just as effective.
IS MENTAL COACHING ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING?
No. Mental coaching is first and foremost a performance tool—not a remedy. It is designed for athletes, leaders, and artists who want to raise their game, hone their mental resources, and perform consistently under pressure.
The goal isn’t only to solve problems. It’s to go further.
How do I know if your coaching is right for me?
I offer an initial 20-minute phone consultation, with no obligation. This is your chance to ask questions, share your goals, and see if my approach is a good fit for you. I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
Which sport disciplines do you have experience in?
- Professional sports: football, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, rugby, equestrian (jumping and eventing) marathon, trail, ultra-trail, free-diving, golf.
- Motor sports: karting, Formula E, Formula 1, LMP3 (endurance), motorcycle.
- Olympic disciplines: athletics, triathlon, sailing, swimming, diving, gymnastics, trampoline, archery, table tennis, tennis, judo, shooting, boxing, cycling, alpine skiing, biathlon, fencing, figure skating, rowing, badminton, handball, canoe kayak.
- Other: military special forces and police.
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS?
WHAT ARE YOUR ETHICAL COMMITMENTS?
My practice is guided by four sets of guidelines:
- The ICF Code of Ethics, which sets the professional and ethical guidelines for coaching.
- The SFPS Charter about interventions in sport psychology.
- The Swiss Olympic Charter, promoting integrity and fair play in sports.
- The Charter of Children’s Rights in Sport, ensuring the protection and rights of young athletes.These principles guide my work, ensuring a foundation of trust, respect, and responsibility in every engagement.
Are the sessions confidential?
Yes, without exception. No information—including your identity—will be disclosed without your explicit consent. Privacy is a right, not an option.
WHAT MAKES YOUR APPROACH DIFFERENT?
14 years of experience working at the highest level—with Olympic athletes, Swiss champions, senior executives, and national federations.
Appointed in 2025 as co-lead Mental Coach at the National Athletics Performance Center in Aigle.
Protocols grounded in sports psychology and neuroscience research, tailored to each individual. An outside, independent perspective, developed alongside elite athletes, accomplished professionals, and artists.
No motivational speeches. Just results.
Why did you change your first name from “Valérie” to “Arode”?
Arode is my favorite middle name. By choosing it, I pay tribute to my Sicilian maternal grandfather, a member of the Resistance who was deported in 1943, escaped, was recaptured, and was finally freed in 1945.
His courage in the face of adversity shaped my understanding of mental strength.
It is this legacy that I carry with me in my work.
“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.”
Angela Duckworth – Psychologist and author