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The Mind Mountain Podcast
Jake Johnstone from The Mind Mountain delves deep into the inner psyche, tools, and tactics of Mountain Bikers from all walks of life to uncover what it takes to push personal boundaries in the sport we love - through a mental performance lens. Whether it’s pro racers, ambassadors, or coaches, this podcast breaks down stigmas and normalizes conversations around mindset, emotions, and the mental side of riding. The goal? To help you ride stronger, more confidently, and have more fun on the trails, more often.
*Formerly known as the Grit With Wisdom Podcast
The Mind Mountain Podcast
Cait Leavitt on Concussion Recovery, Nervous System Regulation & Sustainable Performance in MTB
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In this episode, Jake sits down with Cait Leavitt, a registered clinical counsellor, certified mental performance consultant, mountain biker, and founder of Mind With Matter, for a deep conversation on the connection between mental health, performance, injury recovery, and self-awareness in mountain biking.
Cait shares how a serious accident and years of persistent concussion symptoms reshaped her understanding of identity, resilience, and what sustainable high performance really looks like. Together, Jake and Cait explore the difference between the old-school “mind over matter” mentality versus a more integrated “mind with matter” approach that works with the nervous system instead of against it.
They dive into practical tools for regulating fear and stress on the bike, the importance of intentionality and self-talk, how to build confidence through awareness and smart progression, and why acceptance is often the missing piece in both performance and recovery. Cait also unpacks her REWIRE framework for concussion recovery, discusses identity loss after injury, and explains why community and nervous system regulation play such a crucial role in healing and long-term progression.
You can learn more about Cait and her work at: Mind With Matter
Check out Cait's six-step skills for concussion recovery here.
00:00 Welcome and Ride Recap
02:02 Kate’s MTB Origin Story
05:14 Finding the Right Bike & Community
07:45 Defining High Performance
11:28 Intentional Riding & Progression
15:04 Racing, Identity & Injuries
18:09 From Sport Marketing to Counselling
22:04 Why “Mind With Matter” Matters
27:13 Acceptance vs Toxic Positivity
31:45 Nervous System Regulation Explained
36:02 Reset Rituals & Breathwork
41:28 Awareness, Self Talk & Reflection
47:10 Performance Anxiety & Flow State
54:33 Decision Making on the Trail
59:26 Fear, Intuition & Smart Progression
01:07:04 Identity Beyond Performance
01:14:42 Building Healthy Community
01:22:03 Concussion Recovery & REWIRE Framework
01:32:16 Acceptance, Healing & Recovery
01:38:04 Mental Health vs Mental Performance
01:42:21 Final Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
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THE MIND MOUNTAIN
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DISCLAIMER: The opinions, thoughts, and views in the content created by The Mind Mountain, the Grit With Wisdom Podcast, and Jake Johnstone, including the guests they interview, are solely their own and do not reflect the official policy or position of any other organization, person, or company mentioned or featured in the podcast. ...