About Olivia Papakyrikos, MA, LMHC
Most of the people whom Olivia works with are not new to pressure. They know how to push through and get things done. What brings them to her is what happens over time—when the anxiety gets louder, confidence starts to slip, or the mental load becomes too heavy to keep ignoring.
Olivia Papakyrikos is a licensed therapist and sport psychology consultant based in Boston. She works with competitive athletes, performers, college students and high-performing individuals who are navigating pressure, expectations, and the mental toll that comes with having to show up at a high level every day.
Olivia is the founder of Papakyrikos Therapy & Performance, a practice that bridges clinical psychotherapy, sport psychology, and leadership development. The practice reflects her commitment to integrated, human-centered care—supporting both psychological well-being and performance in complex, high-demand environments. Her practice was founded on the belief that performance and mental health are not competing priorities, but interdependent systems that require thoughtful, integrated support.
Clinical Practice & Eating Disorder Expertise
In her clinical practice, Olivia provides psychotherapy to individuals experiencing a broad range of mental health challenges, including anxiety, eating disorders, body image concerns, burnout, and life transitions.
She has developed expertise in the treatment of eating disorders, including extensive work with athletes navigating recovery alongside the psychological and physiological demands of performance-driven environments. Her therapy work is grounded in a human-centered approach, with an emphasis on nervous system regulation, psychological resilience, and long-term well-being. Olivia is also listed in the MEDA directory as well as the Lane 9 Project directory.
Sport & Performance Psychology
Alongside her clinical work, Olivia provides sport psychology services and mental performance coaching for collegiate and elite athletes, teams, and organizations. She has extensive experience supporting athletes as they navigate injury recovery, performance-related challenges, and career transitions, addressing the psychological demands present across the athletic lifespan.
She has worked with numerous collegiate athletic departments, supporting athletes, coaches, and staff through individual consultations, team-based programming, and leadership development initiatives. Her practice holds contracts with multiple university athletic departments, providing integrated psychotherapy and performance psychology services to student-athletes. Her work with collegiate athletics includes work with university athletic departments at institutions such as Harvard University, Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, and UMass Amherst (See Bio HERE).
Speaking & Professional Engagements
In addition to her clinical and consulting work, Olivia is a frequent speaker and presenter, delivering workshops and presentations on mental health, resilience, and performance psychology for athletic programs and organizations. Her speaking engagements include presentations for the National Olympic Committee of Montenegro, collegiate athletic departments, and performance-focused organizations. You can hear Olivia's appearance on the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast HERE and her appearance on BU In The Morning HERE.
Philosophy
Olivia is known for creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel understood, supported, and challenged—allowing for honest work and meaningful, lasting change. Her work is grounded in the belief that sustainable success requires both psychological depth and practical support. Olivia creates spaces where individuals and organizations can reset and evolve—without sacrificing their well-being in pursuit of performance.