U.S. Aerial Skier Kuhn Turns to Hypnosis to Conquer Olympic Fears

After struggling with the triple kicker jump, Kuhn worked with a hypnosis expert to reframe her mental approach and find success at the 2025 World Championships.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Kaila Kuhn, a 22-year-old U.S. Olympic aerial skier, knew she had to master the dangerous triple kicker jump to have a chance at an Olympic medal. However, she was "paralyzed by fear" at the prospect of the 50-foot jump, leading to a string of crashes and self-doubt. Kuhn turned to hypnosis with Dr. Stella Nkenke to reframe her mindset, visualize successful jumps, and integrate her fear. The work paid off as Kuhn became the first aerial skier to win two golds at the 2025 World Championships. But at the 2026 Olympics, Kuhn's final jump came up short, leaving her without a medal despite her progress.

Why it matters

Aerial skiing is an extreme sport that requires athletes to push the boundaries of difficulty to compete at the highest levels. Kuhn's journey highlights the mental challenges elite athletes face in overcoming fear and self-doubt to achieve their goals, as well as the innovative techniques like hypnosis that can help them reframe their mindset.

The details

Kuhn, a prodigious aerial skier since her youth, struggled to transition from the double kicker to the more dangerous triple kicker jump that has become essential for medal contention. She was "paralyzed by fear" of the 50-foot jump and began crashing repeatedly in training, leading her to question whether her peak was behind her. Kuhn tried various mental training techniques before turning to hypnosis with Dr. Stella Nkenke, who helped her reframe her fear and visualize successful jumps. This work paid off as Kuhn became the first aerial skier to win two golds at the 2025 World Championships, but she was unable to land the triple kicker cleanly in the high-pressure Olympic final, finishing fifth.

  • In 2023, Kuhn began attempting triple kicker jumps.
  • At the 2025 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships in Switzerland, Kuhn won gold medals in both the individual and team events.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy took place in February.

The players

Kaila Kuhn

A 22-year-old U.S. Olympic aerial skier who struggled to master the dangerous triple kicker jump but worked with a hypnosis expert to reframe her mindset and achieve success at the 2025 World Championships.

Dr. Stella Nkenke

A professor at the University of Vienna and vice chair of the International Society of Hypnosis who worked with Kuhn over the course of a year and a half to help her overcome her fear of the triple kicker jump through hypnosis.

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What they’re saying

“We don't get to fight against fear. We have to integrate it and know that other people are full of fear as well. You want to think you're the only one. Fear can be very good because it has a power of concentration.”

— Dr. Stella Nkenke, Professor, University of Vienna; Vice Chair, International Society of Hypnosis (New York Times)

“I finally got to this point where I am able to stare at this ice wall and not jump out of my skin.”

— Kaila Kuhn (New York Times)

What’s next

Kuhn plans to continue training and competing, with the aerials mixed team event at the 2026 Olympics on Saturday as her next opportunity to medal.

The takeaway

Kuhn's journey demonstrates the mental fortitude required to excel in extreme sports like aerial skiing, as well as the innovative techniques like hypnosis that can help athletes overcome debilitating fears and self-doubt to reach new heights in their careers.