Hi, I am Paula Naeff
Mental Performance Coach
Strong mind.
Moving body.
Joyful journey.
I help athletes, performing artists, entrepreneurs and leaders believe in themselves, increase performance and deliver results when it counts.
Simple tools for high achievers.
With Movement Based Mental Training, we train your mind through your body.
Grow stronger.
Become better.
Play longer.
At YOUR game.
Movement Based Mental Training
Mind, body and movement in one.
I created Movement Based Mental Training (MBMT) from a lifetime of classical ballet training, which I started at age four. I am a certified Pilates trainer and mental performance coach, with certificates in Sports Psychology for Athlete Development and Sports Nutrition.
Movement is at the heart of my work.
I combine it with methods from contemporary psychology and neuroscience to build the mental skills you need on the field, on stage and in business.
What you gain:
More self awareness
More body awareness
Core strength and stability
Calm focus under pressure
Movement with less wasted energy
Confidence you can see
And joy in every session
For athletes in every sport, dancers and performers, entrepreneurs and leaders.
One-on-One Coaching
Your goals.
Your pace.
Your game.
In our 1:1 sessions we focus on you: your mindset, your confidence and your performance.
Online or in person.
Start with a free 20-minute intro call.
Speaking & Workshops
Keynotes and workshops for teams, clubs, events and organizations.
Topics include confidence, focus, resilience, burnout prevention and Ballet Lessons for Leaders, among others.
Practical tools, new perspectives and plenty of laughter.
Team & Athlete Programs
Mental strength for teams, sports clubs and dance companies.
We build confidence, focus and a strong team culture, with support for coaches, teachers and parents too.
Confidence is visible.
Confidence shows up in results.
Everything sprinkled with joy.
About Paula
Born in Finland.
Mom of two teenagers.
Dancing since age four.
In Switzerland for 25 years.
I studied in the USA and Hong Kong, then spent many years at Black Diamond Equipment in Salt Lake City and Switzerland, in sales, finance, logistics and credit management. Yes, I have sold ice axes and climbed mountains. I have performed a solo clown project and danced on stages in Finland, the USA, Hong Kong and Switzerland.
There was a dark side too. I burned out, and I lived with deep depression for seven years while being a sta-at-home mom. Looking back, I realized that much of it had roots in my rigorous ballet training. Finding my way back showed me how much the mind and body can carry, and how much they can heal. Along the way, joy became my daily practice.
So I started where my own story began: helping young dancers grow strong in their minds. From there, my work grew to athletes in every sport and other high performers.
Helping others find their strength and their joy is my purpose. Since 2022, I have coached multiple athletes, dancers, teams and leaders, from youth elite teams and professional dancers to NFL and NBA players.
My favorite tool?
JOY
But Don’t Just Take It From Me! See My Client Reviews Below...
I decided to participate in Paula's 7 Week Transformation Movement group coaching program because I felt that I needed to change something. So far, I accepted changes and tried to cope with them, but I never managed to change something on my own volition. I realized that I needed to do something if I wanted to evolve and improve. And this happened! The small steps that I learned in this program are fully implemented in my life and they help! Sometimes I still feel overwhelmed and I have decided to continue with the personal coaching program to have her support in this journey. Thank you Paula!
Elisa, March 2023
Personally, I was able to use a lot of the things we talked about in the last sessions.
I felt surprisingly confident, which I was glad about and I was able to forgive and leave the pass behind. I could feel the use of what we’ve spoken about in my mindset and the way I played.
I played much better than I expected to. I also used the wall as a visualisation which helped a lot.
Johanna, Febuary 2026
Learning how to reflect about myself more stuck with me and applying reflections and thoughts during the challenge to real life. Open mind, perspectives, reflecting. The TIM This Is Me Mentoring program has been so valuable and is what makes our Pre Professional Program different and better than all others.
The daily activity was very helpful to think deeper and allow time for yourself to reflect sometimes finding time during the day to do the challenge can be hard but when you do find that time it is worth it and relaxes you and your mind in a way.
Anna, January 2022