The Mental Coach Behind the Elite - Exclusive Interview With Mike Wiley Jr.
- May 30, 2025
- 7 min read
Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Mike Wiley Jr., MA, LPC, is a licensed therapist and sought-after mental performance strategist with over a decade of experience in clinical counseling and sports psychology. As the former Director of Mental Skills and Performance for the NFL’s Chicago Bears, Mike has supported professional athletes, Grammy-nominated artists, corporate leaders, medical doctors, high achievers, and elite teams—helping them navigate and master high-pressure environments, enhance focus, and lead with grounded intention and purpose.
He holds a Master’s degree in Counseling with a specialization in Sport & Health Psychology from Adler University and a B.S. in Psychology from Washington State University. Mike is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Georgia, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Illinois, and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington.
Now based in Georgia, Mike is the founder and head clinical therapist at MadeMind Wellness & Performance—a mental wellness firm rooted in mindfulness, resilience, and intentional living. Through his work, Mike empowers clients to break through mental barriers, align their values with their performance goals, and unlock sustained excellence in all areas of life.
Mike Wiley Jr. has built a reputation for bridging the worlds of clinical therapy, elite performance, and grounded personal development. His work at MadeMind Wellness & Performance reflects not only his extensive training, but also a personal philosophy that wellness and ambition aren’t opposing forces—they're allies. In this conversation, Mike opens up about the motivations behind his practice, how he works with high performers, and why presence, not perfection, defines true balance.
What inspired you to start MadeMind Wellness & Performance?
MadeMind Wellness & Performance is the natural evolution of my personal journey and professional path finally aligning. At every stage of my life and career, I’ve been drawn to helping people grow—whether that meant helping them heal from past wounds, push through mental barriers, or discover untapped potential within themselves. That calling became especially clear during graduate school, where I trained as both a clinical therapist and a mental performance coach for athletes and high performers.
Over time, I found myself craving a more holistic approach—one that didn’t force people to choose between their personal wellness and professional development. Alongside my formal training, I also immersed myself in spiritual study, exploring ancient philosophies, world histories, and integrative practices that helped shape my own worldview. These experiences deeply influenced how I work with clients, combining science-backed strategies with energetic, human-centered guidance.
The idea for MadeMind emerged when I realized there was a gap in how mental health and performance services were typically offered. Too often, people have to seek out multiple professionals to meet their needs—one for therapy, another for coaching, yet another for spiritual support. I knew I could change that. MadeMind was built to be an integrated space where individuals can explore their whole selves—from emotional and mental health to career goals and peak performance—without having to compartmentalize their journey.
This practice is both a reflection of my values and a response to what I saw missing in the industry: a place where high-achieving individuals don’t have to sacrifice their mental wellness to succeed, and where healing and ambition are not treated as separate pursuits but as interconnected parts of a meaningful life.
How does your approach to therapy differ from traditional methods?
I think my approach to therapy differs more in my philosophy about all the things it can be used for than in my technical approach. In practice, I use many of the same therapeutic modalities as other therapists, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), for example.
That being said, many people think therapy is only for crisis moments—burnout, overwhelm, grief, etc. And while those are valid reasons to start, they’re not the only ones. Over the years, I’ve learned from my clients that healing doesn’t have to be the only start or end goal... growth and proactive skill development can be, too.
Early in my career, I noticed that once clients worked through their initial struggles, many chose to continue meeting with me—not because there was still “something wrong,” but because they wanted to keep building better habits, developing additional life skills, and strengthening their mindset. That realization reshaped how I work.
I began focusing on strength-based approaches—tools that emphasize not just helping people return to wellness, but reinforce it long term. That’s why I’ve integrated insights from Sports Psychology and Positive Psychology, which explore the sciences of motivation, goal setting, resilience, optimism, fulfillment, and lasting personal development.
Therapy, to me, isn’t just about helping you feel better—it’s about helping you live better.
Midway through our exchange, Mike reflected on a lesson that continues to shape his practice: the power of presence.
“When I’m with my clients, or my family, or even alone with myself, I show up. Fully. That presence—honest, grounded, intentional—is the foundation of everything I do.”
This mindset isn't just theoretical. It's lived—and it informs how Mike approaches every aspect of his work and life.
What are the biggest mental health challenges faced by high-performance individuals?
High performers deal with the same mental and emotional struggles as everyone else—challenges with anxiety, depression, self-doubt, confidence, and identity. What often sets their experience apart is the source of those challenges. The very systems that fuel their excellence may also become the ones quietly draining their emotional reserves.
High performance isn’t just a mindset; it’s a full-time commitment to a lifestyle of discipline, constant self-optimization, and an unyielding drive to achieve. While their results can be inspiring, their experiences can also be isolating. The paradox many elite performers face is that the structure and intensity supporting their professional success can gradually crowd out their personal well-being.
The challenge isn’t whether they’re capable—they’ve proven that time and time again. It’s whether they can strike a sustainable balance between showing up as the “high-achieving professional” and continuing to be human.
In my work, I help high performers recognize that true longevity in their field isn’t just about pushing harder. It’s about learning when to pause, reflect, and recharge. Success doesn’t have to come at the expense of wellness. In fact, the most fulfilled performers are the ones who know how to hold both.
How do you balance therapy, coaching, and family life?
That’s a question I think a lot of entrepreneurs and high performers struggle with. And to be honest, I don’t believe in the myth of perfect balance… at least not in the traditional sense.
I’m incredibly fortunate to have a beautiful family: a brilliant and supportive wife and identical twin daughters who are my world. I love being with them. I’m not the kind of person who sees family time as something to “get through” before getting back to work. If I could spend every moment with them, I would. But the reality is, I run a growing business, and with that comes real demands on my time, energy, and focus.
What I’ve come to realize is that balance, for me, isn’t about giving everything an equal share of time. That’s not always possible. It’s about giving everything I care about my full presence when I’m in it. That shift in mindset has changed everything.
Presence is my superpower. It allows me to move through a packed schedule without sacrificing connection, quality, or authenticity.
What role does sports psychology play in your practice?
To understand the role sports psychology plays in our work, it’s important to understand what it is. Traditionally, sports psychology has been used to help athletes enhance their performance by strengthening their mental fitness—training the mind like a strength and conditioning coach trains the body.
It focuses on developing skills like focus, motivation, emotional regulation, energy management, confidence, grit, and resilience—all essential for competing at a high level. But these skills aren’t exclusive to athletes.
As the field evolved, it became clear that professionals across industries—business, entertainment, medicine, law, tech—face the same performance pressures. The boardroom, the stage, the operating room, and the startup grind all demand mental and emotional conditioning.
That’s why sports psychology lies at the core of our coaching. Whether our clients are pursuing championships or closing major deals, we teach them how to sharpen focus, regulate emotions, and perform from a place of internal confidence—no matter the context.
“Whether you wear a jersey, a suit, or scrubs, the mental skills required for excellence are universal.”
How do you create a personalized approach for each client?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that before you can help someone, you have to truly listen.
Every client brings a unique story, shaped by their experiences, challenges, strengths, and aspirations. Many operate from a belief in something greater than themselves—whether religious, spiritual, agnostic, or atheist. There’s always a guiding belief system, conscious or not, influencing how they view the world.
By combining my clinical training with a broad understanding of philosophical and spiritual systems, I offer a holistic approach. Many clients come to us not only for relief or growth, but also for deeper meaning. A key part of the process is helping them integrate all parts of themselves—seen and unseen, accepted and disowned—so they can move toward wholeness.
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Our sessions aren’t pre-scripted; they evolve based on the client’s feedback, progress, and needs. Structure matters, but it should serve the individual—not constrain them. Everything we do is client-centered and collaborative.
What’s your ultimate vision for MadeMind Wellness?
Our vision is simple: to help as many people as we can heal, grow, and develop the mental and emotional skills necessary to create and sustain their best lives.
We don’t believe in overcomplicating the process. We know exactly why we’re here: to be a resource for those ready to break through personal and professional barriers and redefine success and fulfillment on their terms.
We believe happiness isn’t something that just happens. It takes work, intention, and resilience. For anyone willing to take the risk of chasing their best life—we’ll be here to do it with you.
Mike Wiley Jr. is redefining what it means to thrive under pressure. His work at MadeMind Wellness & Performance is a masterclass in integration: therapy and performance, presence and ambition, healing and excellence. Through deep listening, science-backed strategy, and authentic connection, Mike helps clients unlock the version of themselves they often didn’t know was possible. In a world full of noise, his message is both timely and timeless: you don’t have to choose between being well and being great.
For more info, follow Mike on:
Instagram: @Made.mind.wellness
Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-wiley-jr-lcpc-806193105/
MadeMind Wellness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mademind-wellness-performance
MadeMind's Website: mademindwellness.com
