Blades & Behavior™️

Blades & Behavior™️ is Dr. Alicia Naser’s hockey-specific performance series within The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sport Psychology™️.

Before expanding her work across professional sport, Dr. Naser first began her career in sport through hockey. Her early work with hockey players, coaches, and performance environments shaped the foundation of her approach to behavioral sport psychology and continues to influence the way she understands pressure, execution, confidence, emotional control, and performance consistency in high-stakes competitive settings.

This page is dedicated specifically to hockey players, coaching staff, scouts, and organizations seeking a more individualized, science-informed approach to performance development. While Dr. Naser’s broader services are available across all sports, Blades & Behavior™️ applies the same behavioral and performance principles through a hockey-focused lens.

Coaching Strategy Rooted in Behavioral Science

Hockey presents a unique performance environment. The pace is fast. Decisions happen instantly. Mistakes are visible. Physical contact, role changes, ice time, pressure from coaches, and constant evaluation can all impact how an athlete performs. Blades & Behavior™️ is designed to address those demands directly by helping players and performance staff better understand the behavioral, physiological, and psychological factors that influence execution on and off the ice.

Services may include performance coaching for hockey players, consultation for coaching staff, education for scouts, and individualized support related to confidence, focus, emotional regulation, self-talk, resilience, leadership, and performance under pressure.

Blades & Behavior™️ brings Dr. Naser’s background in behavioral science and sport performance back to where her work in sport began: hockey. It is a specialized series for those who want high-level performance support rooted in science, individualized assessment, and a deep understanding of the mental and behavioral demands of the game.

Apply for Blades & Behavior

  • “Dr. Naser is passionate about what she does and expresses that on her calls. Working with her is very easy because you’re able to connect and dive into topics more easily. Most importantly, when you need to hear it - she’s not afraid to hold back which I appreciate (Development = Excellence & Truth).”

    “Being able to dive into specific areas right away to help your overall professional development is something I’m thankful for and would push Dr. Naser for any Team, athlete and coach. Dr. Naser is no different than coaches and players - she wants to be great at what she does. The big thing for me is the care factor - a simple text goes a long way and she truly cares about the people she works with. Being able to communicate on specific areas, the time effort put in by Dr. Naser is greatly appreciated.”

    —Shane Talarico, Princeton University Mens Hockey, Coaching Staff

  • “Dr. Naser is extremely professional and has a great understanding of the challenges players, coaches and management face over the course of a season. She also offers specific advise for each individual and situation. Dr. Naser takes significant pride in the success of her clients. Always checking in pre game and post game to help you get in the best mind frame for success. She is also very cognizant and supportive of the future goals of her clients.”

    —Cody Campbell, GM & Coach, Minot Minotauros (NAHL)