Mental Gymnastics: Understanding Mental Blocks with Jacey Vore

Mental Gymnastics: Understanding Mental Blocks with Jacey Vore

March 30, 2026 · 55 min · Season 6 · Episode 281

About this episode

Jacey Vore discusses her experience with mental blocks in gymnastics and how she overcame them during her college career.

In the latest episode of Mental Gymnastics , Dr. JD Barton is joined by Jacey Vore, a two-time Big Ten Champion at the University of Michigan. Before her collegiate career, Jacey was one of the nation’s top Level 10 gymnasts, earning the 2019 Level 10 National All-Around title, qualifying for the Nastia Cup three times, and finishing as a two-time runner-up in the event. At Michigan, Jacey became a consistent presence in the Wolverines’ bar and beam lineups. Behind the scenes, however, she faced a significant challenge: an unexpected and intense mental block on vault that sidelined her from the event throughout her entire college career — until an emotional return on senior night, when she performed an exhibition routine. In this episode, Jacey opens up about the emotional toll of that experience — from frustration to the fear of letting others down — and shares how she worked through those challenges, ultimately finding strength, resilience, and a new perspective during her time in college. Thank you to our monthly Patreon supporters: Lee B, Cookiemaster, Happy Girl, Erica S, Semflam, Amy C, Maria L, Becca S, Cathleen R, Faith, Kerry M, Derek H, Sharon B, Randee B, MSU, Kimberly…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. JD Barton

Guest: Jacey Vore

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Michigan

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