'Nasty teacher' - no teacher should ever treat you that way. As an instructor, I would be fired for speaking to a student that way. If your teacher doubts your abilities to compete, they should help you figure out what areas you need to concentrate on to reach your goal, not discourage you. I agree, some teachers think it's best to use a 'tough love' approach, but that only works for certain people, and your teacher is not being sensitive to what works for you. I would let the owner know you are unhappy, and they should allow you to switch teachers. If the owner is not understanding, then I would look for a new studio