The Art of the Bravesmith
The Craft of Coaching
Explore a world where coaching is an art form
Join us on this journey to enhance your coaching abilities
Books & Trainings
Delve into Bravesmithing, where psychology meets practical coaching
Each book and training is designed to inspire and evoke positive development of athletes and coaches
THE ART OF THE BRAVESMITH
One Who Helps Others Flourish
by Dr Russell Kennedy
What if the secret to coaching isn't about protecting athletes from failure—but teaching them to grow stronger because of it?
Drawing from decades of experience as both a clinical psychologist and elite gymnastics coach, Dr. Russell Kennedy introduces a revolutionary approach to athletic development that transforms how we think about coaching, resilience, and human potential.
In The Art of the Bravesmith, Kennedy reveals why traditional coaching methods—from the bubble-wrap approach that shields athletes from all stress to the drill-sergeant style that breaks them down-are failing our young athletes. Instead, he presents a scientifically-grounded yet deeply practical framework that treats coaching as an ancient craft: the art of forging anti-fragile human beings who don't just bounce back from adversity but actually grow stronger because of it.
Kennedy weaves together research, philosophy, and real-world coaching wisdom into an approach that honors both athletic excellence and human dignity.
Whether you're a seasoned coach seeking to refine your craft, a parent supporting a young athlete, or someone fascinated by human performance and development, The Art of the Bravesmith offers a transformative vision: creating training environments where athletes don't just survive the heat of competition-they use it to forge themselves into something stronger, more resilient, and more authentically themselves.
"Every coach claims to build character. Kennedy shows you exactly how to do it-one purposeful hammer strike at a time." - Said some really cool and trustworthy person
THE ART OF THE BRAVESMITH: ATHLETE’S WORKBOOK
Forging Courage, Confidence, and Grit in Modern Sports
By Dr. Russell Kennedy, Psy.D., M.A.
Forge, Don’t Freeze. Grow, Don’t Guard.
What if the secret to overcoming fear, pressure, and performance anxiety isn’t about avoiding failure—but using it as fuel to grow stronger?
In The Art of the Bravesmith, Dr. Russell Kennedy blends decades of experience as both a clinical psychologist and NCAA Division I gymnast to help athletes turn stress, fear, and mental blocks into the raw material of confidence and courage.
This companion workbook transforms the lessons of The Art of the Bravesmith into weekly practices, reflections, and real-life exercises designed to help athletes:
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Rebuild confidence after setbacks and falls
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Develop mental toughness without losing joy
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Understand and master fear instead of fighting it
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Strengthen body–mind trust through awareness and repetition
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Forge identity and purpose beyond performance
Through stories, guided challenges, and reflection prompts, athletes learn that growth happens not in the absence of struggle, but in the forge of it.
The Bravesmith approach teaches athletes how to harness adversity—how to face fear with curiosity, recover with grace, and step back into the arena stronger than before.
The Yips of Cheer
Understanding and Overcoming Mental Blocks in Sports
Twenty years old. Division I gymnast. One catastrophic injury that should have ended everything.
Instead, it became the beginning of a thirty-year journey into the psychology of fear, failure, and the mysterious phenomenon that derails athletes at every level: the mental block.
Dr. Kennedyknows mental blocks from both sides—as the athlete who nearly lost his arm but somehow posted his personal best the following year, and as a coach who has spent four decades helping all levels of athletes in many different sports unblock themselves from paralyzing fear.
Whether you're a coach, parent, or athlete struggling to understand why skills that once felt automatic now feel impossible, When the Yips of Cheer offers the science, strategies, and compassion needed to turn mental blocks from career-enders into conquerable challenges.
"Mental blocks aren't pathology. They're not weakness. They're your nervous system trying to keep you alive. Once you understand that, everything changes."
ATHLETE'S WORKBOOK
Your Personal Guide to Conquering Mental Blocks
by Dr Russell Kennedy
If you've ever frozen up on a skill you know you can do, you're not alone. You're not weak. You're not broken. You're just human—with a nervous system that sometimes mistakes "scary" for "actually dangerous."
This workbook is your personal toolkit for understanding and overcoming mental blocks.
The Bravesmith Athlete's Workbook takes you on a journey from stuck to unstuck—at your own pace, in your own way.
No shame. No "just push through it." No pretending fear isn't real.
Just honest, science-backed strategies from a sports psychologist who's been exactly where you are—from catastrophic injury to personal best—and who has helped thousands of athletes get unstuck.
Your block doesn't define you. It's just something you're working through. This workbook shows you how.
What's Inside:
✓ Self-assessment quizzes to identify your block type
✓ Daily mental training exercises (5-10 minutes)
✓ Fear-ranking worksheets
✓ Progress tracking pages
✓ Conversation starters for talking to coaches and parents
✓ Emergency techniques for competition day
✓ Celebration pages for tracking wins (big and small)
✓ Real stories from athletes who've conquered their blocks
"Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared. It means you do the thing even though you're scared. That's the kind of brave this workbook helps you become."
Services & Consultations
The techniques and strategies in the book are just the beginning. This section introduces our specialized services designed to help coaches, athletes, and parents practically implement the book's training methods for peak performance. Whether you prefer an intensive, hands-on experience or a flexible, one-on-one session, we have a consultation or training option to meet your specific needs.
Our offerings include:
The BRAVESMITH Weekend Coaches Seminar: Forging Mental and Athletic Strength
In Person Weekend Training
Transform Your Gym in One Weekend
Are your athletes technically ready but held back by mental blocks, fear, or low motivation?
The BRAVESMITH Weekend Seminar delivers a customized training intensive that forges the internal strength athletes need to commit, compete, and conquer mental barriers.
The Virtual BRAVESMITH Training 8-Week Coaches & Parents Intensive
Transform Your Gym Culture Over 8 Weeks Stop losing talented athletes to mental blocks, confidence dips, and performance anxiety. This evidence-based virtual program transforms your coaching staff and parent community into a unified force for mental resilience.
2 hours per week × 8 weeks = Sustainable, lasting change
Program Structure Duration: 8 Weeks (One 2-hour live session per week)
Audience: Coaches, Parents/Guardians, Gym Leadership
Focus: Coaching methods, psychological flexibility, motivation, and mental block interventions
BRAVESMITH Consulting Services Targeted Solutions for Immediate Challenges
BRAVESMITH Consulting Services Targeted Solutions for Immediate Challenges Presented by Dr. Russell Kennedy, PsyD, MA Flexible, High-Impact Support When You Need It
Need focused intervention for a specific challenge? Don't wait for a full seminar.
BRAVESMITH Modular Consulting delivers expert guidance through targeted Staff Meetings and Individual Office Hours—precise solutions for your most pressing mental performance needs.
About Me.
Dr. Russell Kennedy
Dr. Russell Kennedy, PsyD, MA, is a leading expert in sports performance psychology with over three decades of experience working with elite athletes across gymnastics, cheerleading, martial arts, and dance. As a former NCAA Division I gymnast and the author of The Art of the Bravesmith, Dr. Kennedy has developed innovative, evidence-based methods for overcoming mental blocks, building anti-fragile athletes, and maximizing performance under pressure. He has trained thousands of coaches nationwide through his work as a consultant and lecturer for the United States All Star Federation (USASF) and Varsity University since 2013, delivering his signature BRAVESMITH philosophy to audiences at national conferences and gym-based intensives. Drawing on advanced training in Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT) and sport-specific psychology, Dr. Kennedy helps athletes transform fear into competitive advantage while teaching coaches autonomy-supportive methods that build intrinsic motivation and psychological flexibility.
Beyond his coaching expertise, Dr. Kennedy brings rigorous clinical and academic credentials to his work. As Program Director at Walden Behavioral Care (2017-2025), he ran an eating disorders clinic for athletes and he developed the state's only eating disorder treatment program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as the GOALS program specifically designed for athletes with disordered eating. He currently serves as CEO of HUE Wellness, providing specialized care for Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services clients. Dr. Kennedy's background includes research with the National Institutes of Health on weight management, a Health Psychology Fellowship at Boston Behavioral Medicine and Tufts Medical, and worked as Adjunct Professor at William James College and consultant for organizations including Reboot USA and Zumba/Reebok International. With a PsyD in Clinical Health Psychology from William James College, an MA in Counseling Psychology from Boston College, and a BS in Biology from Syracuse University, Dr. Kennedy seamlessly integrates cutting-edge sports science, clinical psychology, and decades of hands-on coaching experience to help athletes and coaches forge mental strength that transcends sport.