Neuroscience Innovator Shawnee Harkins Joins Legendary Rick Macci as Co-Author of Think Like a Champion
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 7
Frisco, Texas – March 28, 2026 – Shawnee Harkins, founder of The Harkins Method™: Neural Network of Change and visionary behind The Harkins Project, VRx™, has been selected as a co-author in the highly anticipated 2026 release of Think Like a Champion, led by legendary tennis coach Rick Macci.
Macci, renowned for coaching elite athletes including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, and Jennifer Capriati, curated this book to highlight leaders who embody championship thinking across life, performance, and business.
In announcing her inclusion, Macci shared on LinkedIn:
“Introducing my newest co-author, Shawnee Harkins, joining my book, Think Like a Champion. After overcoming multiple traumatic brain injuries, Shawnee didn’t just recover… she rebuilt. Now she’s turning that journey into a powerful perspective on mindset, resilience, and the true meaning of strength. Looking forward to sharing your story! This is what a champion looks like. Real stories. Real transformation. Real impact.”
Harkins’ chapter, titled “Think and Heal Like a Champion,” explores the neuroscience behind resilience, identity transformation, and elite mindset development. Drawing from her lived experience and professional expertise, Harkins bridges neuroplasticity, performance psychology, and human potential to demonstrate how championship thinking reshapes biology and destiny.
“I didn’t study neuroplasticity first, I lived it,” said Harkins. “After multiple traumatic brain injuries, I had to rebuild my brain, my body, and my identity from the inside out. What I learned is this, the story you attach to adversity determines whether it becomes trauma or transformation. Diagnosis is information, not destiny. One new thought becomes one new neural pathway. Healing begins the moment we change the sentence in our mind.”
Through her chapter, Harkins introduces readers to The Harkins Method™, a neuroscience-backed, drug-free system designed to accelerate neuroplasticity by training the mind, rewiring the brain, and restoring the body. Her work emphasizes that healing and performance share the same neurological principles.
“Today, I train the mind to rewire the brain so the body can restore function,” Harkins continued. “When movement is limited, we train the brain, but we always begin with the mind. You must see yourself whole before your body follows.”
As founder of The Harkins Project, VRx™, Harkins is pioneering scalable neuro-rehabilitation through immersive AI-, AR-, and VR-driven therapies, delivering brain health prevention and neurological recovery at scale for individuals impacted by traumatic brain injury, concussion, stroke, and PTSD.
Her inclusion in Think Like a Champion reflects a powerful alignment between elite athletic performance and neurological transformation. Inspired by Macci’s legacy of training world champions, Harkins expands championship thinking beyond the court into recovery, leadership, and life mastery.
“Championship thinking is not confined to sport,” said Harkins. “It transforms recovery, elevates performance, builds businesses, and reshapes lives. When the brain changes, life changes, and if the brain can change, your future can change. I am honored to stand alongside Rick Macci and share what it truly means to think and heal like a champion.”
Think Like a Champion is scheduled for release in 2026 and will feature insights from visionary leaders who exemplify excellence, resilience, and transformational leadership.
About Shawnee Harkins
Shawnee Harkins is a neuroscience innovator, neuro fitness trainer, and founder of The Harkins Method™ and The Harkins Project, VRx™, an AI, AR, and VR medical extended reality platform delivering neuroplasticity-driven therapies at scale. A multiple traumatic brain injury survivor, Harkins has dedicated her career to advancing brain health prevention and neuro rehabilitation through an integrated mind-brain-body framework that empowers individuals to rebuild identity, restore function, and unlock their highest potential.
About think like a champion
Led by legendary coach Rick Macci, Think Like a Champion brings together elite performers, thought leaders, and innovators who embody a championship mindset in athletics, business, and life performance. The book is slated for release in 2026.
Media contact
Shawnee Harkins
Founder & CEO
The Harkins Method™ | The Harkins Project, VRx™
Phone: 310-951-6664
