The Ripple Affect

Where performance meets purpose

You already know that performance is more than physical. The athletes and coaches who sustain excellence over time have learned something most training programs never teach: how to manage the inner game — the anxiety, the pressure, the moments when everything feels like too much.

That’s where I come in.

I’m Dr. Tom Lobaugh, performance psychologist, researcher, and coach. For over a decade I’ve worked with athletes, coaches, and organizations to build the psychological skills that turn potential into sustained performance. My work is grounded in research, shaped by 32 years of human development work, and delivered in a way that actually sticks.

The Ripple Affect isn’t a motivational speech. It’s a framework, built from real science, real athletes, and real results, for creating the kind of change that keeps moving long after we stop working together.

Organizations

• Keynotes grounded in research

• Team workshops on humor climate

• Evidence-based consulting

• Create ripple effects that last

For Coaches

• Build humor literacy

• Create psychological safety

• Strengthen team culture

• Coach with research behind you

For Athletes

• Manage anxiety with humor

• Build team belonging

• Access peak performance

• Develop mental skills 

My research on humor and athletic performance was selected for presentation at the APA Annual Convention 2026 — Division 47: Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology.

The literature studied humor from the outside. This study walked into the room and asked.
— Thomas Lobaugh, Ph.D.