MENTALITY
SOLUTIONS
helping athletes
improve outcomes through
performance psychology
WELCOME TO
MENTALITY SOLUTIONS
Built for Athletes. Designed for Performers. Grounded in Real Confidence.
You’ve got the talent.
You’ve put in the reps.
But when the lights are on and the pressure hits… something still feels off.
That’s where I come in.
I’m Vera Jo Bustos (aka Coach VJ), former college All-American, pro athlete, keynote speaker, and mental performance coach. I help athletes, student-leaders, and high performers close the gap between their potential and their results—not by changing who they are, but by giving them the tools to unlock what’s already inside.
The Mental Game Isn’t Magic. It’s Trainable.
Confidence, focus, and composure aren’t things you’re born with.
They’re skills—and just like any skill, they can be trained, practiced, and strengthened.
At Mentality Solutions, I teach practical, powerful mindset strategies used by elite athletes and performers—but made simple enough to use in the heat of the moment.
Through keynote speaking, team workshops, and 1:1 coaching, I help performers:
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Reframe nerves into performance fuel
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Turn doubt into mental curiosity
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Convert pressure into purpose
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Build confidence that doesn’t depend on outcomes
What Makes My Approach Different?
I don’t do fluff. I don’t do hype.
What I do is give athletes tools they can actually use when the game is on the line.
Signature Systems
🧠 The Confidence Blueprint
Our signature framework that helps athletes train the mind, fuel emotional control, build identity beyond results, and compete with clarity.
🔁 Mistake Response Routine
Teaches athletes how to recover from mistakes fast using awareness cues, reset phrases, and identity anchors.
🔥 The Pressure Playbook
Turns nerves and fear into performance fuel with emotional reframes, pressure forecasting, and in-the-moment preparation.
💰 The Confidence Bank
A visual metaphor athletes love: every mental rep is a deposit. On game day, you withdraw what you’ve earned.
🃏 Confidence Poker
A game-based reflection and decision-making tool that helps athletes track their mental reps and choose thoughts like cards—picking high-confidence actions under pressure.
💬 Direct Speak
Rewires fear-based "Don’t Speak" language into clear, focus-based commands that guide attention and sharpen performance.
☣️ Power Over Poison
A mindset detox strategy that helps athletes identify the "poison phrases" that sabotage their confidence—and replace them with empowering alternatives. It builds language awareness, resilience, and self-leadership under pressure.
⭐ The Golden Rule
A performance principle rooted in self-talk: Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to your favorite athlete. It reframes negative inner dialogue into confidence-aligned language and fosters emotional safety during competition.
📍 Anchoring
A body-mind integration tool that uses physical cues (like breath, posture, or movement) to lock in a confident state before key moments. Anchoring helps athletes create instant access to their peak mindset, no matter the circumstances.
🔄 Performance Reframes
Transforms common negative performance emotions—like pressure, stress, doubt, nerves, and fear—into high-performance signals. Athletes learn how to reinterpret emotional states as signs of readiness, clarity, and competitive edge.
I make the mental game visible, doable, and real. Because athletes don’t need more clichés—they need coaching they can feel and apply.
Let's Build A Mental Game That Wins.
Whether you're a coach, AD, or athlete looking to elevate the mental side of your game, let’s talk. I’d love to help your team play with confidence, lead with purpose, and perform with clarity when it matters most.
You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to your level of mental training.
Let’s raise that level—together.
MENTAL HEALTH VS MENTAL PERFORMANCE
At Mentality Solutions, we focus on Mental Performance—not Mental Health.
Think of it like this:
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Mental health is the training room—it helps you recover, stabilize, and heal. It addresses emotional struggles, clinical concerns, and personal well-being.
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Mental performance is the weight room—it helps you build strength, consistency, and competitive readiness. It trains your mind to perform under pressure, bounce back from mistakes, and lead with confidence.
Both are essential. Both matter. But they serve different roles.
Our work isn’t therapy—it’s training.
We help athletes build the mental habits, tools, and systems they need to unlock peak performance.
If you're looking to build confidence, sharpen focus, reset quickly, and compete with competitive fire—you're in the right place.
TRUSTED BY ATHLETES & COACHES FROM
2025 EVENTS
Jan 2 - Homedale, Idaho
Jan 9 - Thornwood, New York
Jan 16-17 - Pocatello, Idaho
Jan 21 - Mountain Home, Idaho
Jan 24 - Spokane, Washington
Jan 27 - Kuna, Idaho
Jan 29 - Broken Bow, Nebraska
Feb 3 - Boise, Idaho
Feb 5 - Mountain Home, Idaho
Feb 6-9 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Feb 14 - Mountain Home, Idaho
March 3 - Mountain Home, Idaho
Mar 5-6 - Pocatello, Idaho
Mar 14-16 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
April 1 - Boise, Idaho
April 6 - Middleton, Wisconsin
April 7-10 - Chicago, Illinois
April 17-18 - Pocatello, Idaho
April 21 - Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 3-4 - Crane, Oregon
June 17 - Flagstaff, Arizona
June 25-27 - Santa Fe, New Mexico
July 5 - Orlando, Florida
August 20 - Santa Fe, New Mexico
August 29 - Thousand Oaks, California
September 25 - Las Vegas, New Mexico
October 15 - Pottsville, Pennsylvania
October 17 - Santa Fe, New Mexico
November 10-13 - Chicago, Illinois
November 26 - Rio Rancho, New Mexico
TRAIN THE MIND. THE BODY WILL FOLLOW.
Learning Outcomes
Confidence
Learn the 3 sources of confidence holding you back and the 3 sources of confidence needed to propel you forward.
Mindset
Develop an understanding of how to become a master of your thoughts and define specific ways to gain control of your emotions.
Action
Ignite the courage within to pursue your dreams and turn your confidence into action.
Mental Performance Training
The Confidence Blueprint
Are you ready to elevate your game and discover what truly drives your best performance? The Confidence Playbook is a transformative program designed for athletes at all levels—whether you're competing in high school, college, or the professional stage.
In just three powerful 60-minute sessions, you'll gain practical, hands-on tools and techniques that will immediately enhance your performance. You'll also dive deep into the core sources of confidence that drive your success, helping you understand what truly fuels your best game. This isn't just another theory-heavy workshop. It's a hands-on, deep-dive experience packed with practical strategies you can start using immediately to see results.
What's Inside the Playbook?
✔️ Master the 3 "Gears" that separate elite athletes from the rest.
✔️ Unlock 3 powerful outer sources of confidence that will boost your performance.
✔️ Tap into the 3 inner sources of confidence that will boost your performance.
✔️ Escape the mental traps of your "Dead Zone" and take control of your mental game.
✔️ Crack the Confidence Equation for sustainable peak performance.
✔️ Master the Golden Rule of Performance Psychology that separates good from great.
✔️ Turn any Disadvantage into an Advantage with mental toughness strategies.
✔️ Break down the Achiever’s Mindset and use it to fuel your success.
✔️ Overcome the fear of failure and transform it into your biggest asset.
What's more? You'll identify and close the performance gaps in all areas that matter most. This isn't just about building confidence—it's about unlocking the full potential of the athlete you're destined to become.
Curious? Let's build your confidence like never before. Your next level starts here.
The Pressure Playbook
When the heat is on, will you rise to the occasion? The Pressure Playbook is your game-changing guide to mastering performance under pressure, and it’s designed for athletes who want to own the moment when it matters most. Building on the foundation of The Confidence Playbook, these three power-packed 60-minute sessions take your mental game to the next level.
This isn’t just about preparation—it’s about execution. The Pressure Playbook is a hands-on, tactical blueprint filled with tools you can apply in the heat of the moment, ensuring you shine when everything is on the line. With these tools, you’ll rise to the occasion, no matter the challenge.
What’s in the Playbook?
✔️ Harness the Power of Perception to see pressure as your ally, not your enemy.
✔️ How to shift from Challenge to Threat States and take control of your mind.
✔️ Separate your Emotion from the Event and stay focused under stress.
✔️ Transform Nerves into Excitement and maintain a Focused Mind under stress.
✔️ Return your Body to Baseline to stay composed in chaotic moments.
✔️ Build your custom Mental Toughness Routine (MTR) to perform consistently.
✔️ Master your Mistake Response and turn setbacks into comebacks.
✔️ Create a Resilience Response that keeps you strong no matter the challenge.
✔️ Approach adversity with the powerful mindset of Standard Over Feeling.
What’s more? You’ll learn how to thrive under pressure, turning high-stakes moments into opportunities for success. This isn’t just about managing stress—it’s about unlocking the true power within you to perform at your peak when it matters most.
Ready to thrive in the moments that matter most? Step into the pressure and let it bring out your best.
