Dr. Erin Ayala (she/her) is a Licensed Psychologist, Certified Mental Performance Consultant, and the founder of Skadi Sport Psychology. She specializes in working with female athletes and athletes from communities historically overlooked or excluded in sport. By combining mental health expertise with sport psychology, Dr. Ayala helps her clients navigate the messy, unedited realities of sport & life--all while embracing the gray areas with authenticity, integrity, & compassion.
Through collaboration, community, & a commitment to social action, she aims to redefine what sport psychology can be—an opportunity for positive cultural shift in sport.As a published author of 25+ research articles and book chapters, her insights have been featured in publications like the New York Times, Women’s Health, Bicycling Magazine, and Runner’s World. She is a sought-after speaker, having presented for national organizations such as USA Hockey, the Arizona Cycling Association, and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport. She is also the podcast host of the Feisty Women's Performance Podcast.
Dr. Ayala's work is informed by her own experiences as an avid endurance athlete. Over the past 15 years, she has completed several marathons, triathlons (including Ironman Lake Placid), and cycling races in multiple disciplines. She is a 5x Unbound 200 finisher and continues to train and compete at a National level.
Erin currently serves on the Minnesota State High School Sports League's Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and other boards dedicated to advancing athlete health and equity in sport. She continues to serve as an adjunct professor and dissertation committee member for doctoral students in counseling psychology.Dr. Ayala finds joy in opportunities where she can use her expertise to make a meaningful impact on the health and wellness of individuals and communities.
When Erin was debating if she should go into the field of sport psychology, a mentor told her something that she’s held onto since that day: “Sports psychology needs feminists, too.”
Her upcoming book on sports psychology for women and girls will be put in Fall 2027 with Strong Girl Publishing. Our goal? To help girls and women feel seen and empowered—and to better understand the societal constructs that women in sport contend with everyday. As Erin says, the system is flawed, you are not.
Find Erin on Instagram and at SkadiSportPsychology.com
