In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with elite gymnast Lisa Lazar Richer to talk about neurodivergence, mental blocks, visual processing, ADHD, and the importance of understanding how each athlete experiences gymnastics differently. Lisa shares her journey as an elite gymnast and opens up about struggles she had with inconsistent steps, beam dismounts, vaults, and bar mounts that she could not explain at the time.
Years later, while learning about her son’s visual processing disorder, Lisa had a major light bulb moment. A vision therapist recognized patterns in her own gymnastics experience and explained that vision therapy may have helped her. Lisa shares how those challenges contributed to injuries and missed opportunities, including missing national team years and Olympic trials.
We also talk about why assuming an athlete is simply not trying can miss what is really happening. Lisa explains how ADHD actually worked in her favor in the structured environment of the gym, while her visual processing differences created challenges she did not understand at the time.
Lisa and I also discuss psychological safety, communication, and why coaching and support cannot be one size fits all. We talk about how parents and coaches can work together, listen to the athlete, and focus on finding solutions instead of pointing fingers.
In this episode you will hear:
- Why mental blocks are not always about motivation
- How visual processing can affect gymnastics skills
- Why athletes may need different types of support
- How ADHD can interact with gymnastics training
- Why coaches and parents should avoid assuming an athlete is not trying
- How communication and collaboration can help athletes feel supported
This conversation is a powerful reminder that sometimes the reason an athlete is struggling is not what we think it is. Understanding the athlete in front of you can change everything.
