Dr. Zapata currently lives in Minneapolis, MN and is a practicing clinical and sport psychologist. In her work with youth, adolescent, collegiate, and professional/elite athletes, she emphasizes the importance of motivation, encouragement, and energy to optimize performance, whether that be in sport or in daily life. Anxiety is also an area of particular interest to her. She enjoys helping others learn to utilize anxiety to their advantage (rather than view it as a barrier) with the use of imagery, goal-setting, thought management and affirming self-talk, and physical relaxation and arousal regulation strategies.
Dr. Zapata has facilitated workshops and other speaking engagements that focus on diversity in sport, racial inequality and implicit bias in the context of sport, and utilizing mindful self-compassion to achieve optimal performance.
When she is not serving in her professional roles Dr. Zapata can be found on her bike training with her competitive cycling team, Stamina Racing Collective x Machines for Freedom. The team was founded in Minneapolis, MN with the mission of diversifying the sport of cycling through mentorship, improved accessibility, and community development.
Dr. Zapata is originally from Panama City, Panama and grew up primarily in the Tidewater area of Virginia as an Army dependent. Her parents are of Caribbean descent and from an early age recognized the value of travel and interacting with people from various backgrounds. This fostered an appreciation for both storytelling and sharing of lived experiences.