Darby Bonomi, Ph.D. is a Sport & Performance Psychologist with a unique expertise in high performance, equestrian sports and mental health.
Dr. Bonomi’s mission is to help athletes, entrepreneurs, and other high performance individuals conquer the challenges that interfere with bringing their best to every moment—in and out of competition.
She helps individuals and their teams go from good to great, and from great to elite. With her extensive training and decades of professional experience, Dr. Bonomi knows what it takes to get to the top and stay there.
Dr. Bonomi has a track record of success with equestrian athletes at the highest levels of the sport, professionals with demanding businesses, competitive junior athletes and their families, equestrian industry leaders, and other high performing individuals in athletics and business.
Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur or performer of another sort, your journey starts with a clear vision, followed by deliberate intention and disciplined mental, emotional and behavioral choices.
Sustained success is never an accident.
Read Dr. Bonomi’s article in the Chronicle of the Horse
In her article “Championing the Best Horse Show Parents” in the Chronicle of the Horse, Dr. Bonomi discusses the qualities that make parents great in our sport.
Find Dr. Bonomi’s article in the August 2025 issue of COTH.
Listen to Dr. Bonomi on the Horse Person Podcast
Dr. Bonomi and Caroline Culbertson have a dynamic and personal discussion about how our perfectionism thwarts learning, impedes performance and kills our joy. They discuss the fact that learning anything requires trial and error—and lots of mistakes—as we craft any skill from walking to reading to riding.
“Pressure is a privilege. That is what makes you.”
Billie Jean King
Dr. Bonomi’s many years of experience as a psychologist, consultant, and competitive equestrian allow her to offer tools, strategies, and perspective to help clients reach beyond their goals and return to enjoying their sport.
Riders of all levels overcome the root causes of nerves and address issues that negatively impact their performance. Athletes learn how to effectively navigate relationships with clients, trainers and family members.
Current clients include world class professional competitors, amateur adult and junior athletes, coaches and entrepreneurs. Dr. Bonomi also works with parents wanting to best support their child athletes and other high performance individuals seeking to bring their best to every moment of their professional or personal lives.
A prolific writer, dynamic speaker and powerful change maker, clients seek out Darby to help transform their lives in personal, professional and high performance settings.
Known for her keen ability to quickly grasp the complexity of individuals and the systems that surround them, Darby is passionate about helping her clients create lasting change which elevates both their performance and mental health.
