Helena Vila Naudi

Ment Conscient, Andorra

Title: Visualization and Mental Performance Training: Complementary Strategies for Enhancing Self-Regulation in Addiction Prevention and Recovery

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Biography

Helena Vila Naudi is the founder of MENT CONSCIENT, a company based in Andorra, where she specializes in mental performance training for individuals, teams, and organizations. 

With an academic background in Psychology and advanced studies in Neuropsychology, combined with professional experience in Human Resources and corporate learning, she designs evidence-informed training programs that help people strengthen self-regulation, decision-making, focus, and behavior change. Helena delivers keynote presentations, workshops, and one-to-one mental performance sessions based on neuroscience and practical cognitive strategies. Her work focuses on translating scientific knowledge into accessible tools that enable individuals to bridge the gap between intention and action, fostering sustainable performance and psychological resilience.

Abstract

This presentation explores the role of mental performance training, with particular emphasis on visualization (mental rehearsal), as a complementary strategy for improving self-regulation and promoting intentional behavior. Drawing on current findings from cognitive neuroscience and behavioral psychology, it examines how visualization, attentional control, cognitive reframing, and identity-based behavior change can help individuals become more aware of automatic responses, tolerate discomfort more effectively, and act in alignment with their long-term goals rather than immediate impulses.

The presentation proposes that addiction often reflects a disconnect between what people consciously intend to do and what their automatic mental processes lead them to do. Mental performance training seeks to reduce this gap by strengthening the brain's capacity to mentally rehearse adaptive behaviors, reinforce healthier cognitive patterns, and improve psychological flexibility before challenging situations arise.

Rather than presenting visualization as a replacement for clinical intervention, this session positions it as a practical, evidence-informed technique that can complement therapeutic, educational, and rehabilitation programs. Participants will gain an overview of the theoretical foundations of mental rehearsal, review current evidence supporting its use in behavior change, and learn practical strategies that can be integrated into multidisciplinary approaches to addiction prevention and recovery.