I'm Sean Sawyer and I have been a Psychotherapist since 2003. Few active mental health practitioners are active traders, and because of this, I gained some unique insights and understanding of trading psychology by applying my extensive training and experience in 3rd wave behaviorism and adaptive information processing. Since traders like numbers, I have well over 25,ooo hours of clinical practice and have cleared the 10.ooo hours of trade time "in the seat," as they say.
I have helped people with a variety of issues throughout my career. Psychological trauma became my specialty many years ago. Performance psychology became a part of my practice in 2010 when I helped folks in the corporate world with performance before expanding my work to athletes and stage performers. I've never been a "typical" therapist. I swear too much, am too skeptical, and don't keep a pair of pom-poms in my office to cheer people while telling them to think positively. The reason why is it’s a bunch of bullshit. It doesn't help people long-term. Positive thinking doesn't eliminate your issues, and it sure as shit doesn't help you trade better. A positive mindset is an oversimplified amateur view that ignores the unique individual, basically putting plywood over a pothole, a temporary and half-assed fix. We would all "positive self-talk" ourselves into wealth if it worked. I use only evidence-based practices, meaning we know they work.
While Coaching and Psychotherapy are not the same things, I see the same issues impacting traders’ performance intraday as I have moved into Trade Psych Coaching. None of these issues have to ruin your ability to be a successful Trader or the quality of your life. Content individuals have a far higher probability of becoming successful traders. The difference between you and the 90% who fail will be looking hard at yourself and doing this work.
I have helped people with a variety of issues throughout my career. Psychological trauma became my specialty many years ago. Performance psychology became a part of my practice in 2010 when I helped folks in the corporate world with performance before expanding my work to athletes and stage performers. I've never been a "typical" therapist. I swear too much, am too skeptical, and don't keep a pair of pom-poms in my office to cheer people while telling them to think positively. The reason why is it’s a bunch of bullshit. It doesn't help people long-term. Positive thinking doesn't eliminate your issues, and it sure as shit doesn't help you trade better. A positive mindset is an oversimplified amateur view that ignores the unique individual, basically putting plywood over a pothole, a temporary and half-assed fix. We would all "positive self-talk" ourselves into wealth if it worked. I use only evidence-based practices, meaning we know they work.
While Coaching and Psychotherapy are not the same things, I see the same issues impacting traders’ performance intraday as I have moved into Trade Psych Coaching. None of these issues have to ruin your ability to be a successful Trader or the quality of your life. Content individuals have a far higher probability of becoming successful traders. The difference between you and the 90% who fail will be looking hard at yourself and doing this work.