WHAT IS SPORT PSYCHOLOGY?
What is Sport Psychology?
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In short, sport psychology is the application of psychological principles within sports-related environments. Sport psychology is not solely concerned with how to improve performance; however, it is a way of improving athlete wellbeing and can also be a way of helping individuals deal with transitions throughout their career i.e. moving teams, dealing with injuries or retirement. Whether you are seeking assistance with performance-related challenges, wanting to elevate performance further, or looking for guidance and direction around your personal/athletic wellbeing, working with a sport psychologist might be able to help you with certain thoughts, feelings and behaviours you are experiencing. Sport psychology is not only for athletes, but it has also been known to help match officials, sporting organisations and teams as well as in the business world, too.
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What does a Sport Psychologist do?
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Some athletes seek out support from a sports psychologist to help enhance their sporting performance or build resilience to help cope with the pressures and stressors experienced in the sporting environment. Other athletes might have a specific area or issue they would like to address. No two athletes are the same and I will work with you collaboratively to identify areas for sporting and personal growth and develop strategies and techniques to help achieve your goals.
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I look to support athletes to help them thrive within their sporting and personal environments, on both performance and well-being levels. One-on-one consultations involve discussions and reflections which aim to develop your self-awareness and learn psychological strategies to incorporate into your life, training, and competition. I look to work collaboratively with you and ensure the sessions feel like teamwork, with me acting as both a soundboard and offering evidence-based guidance. Ideally, it would benefit us both if I can observe clients in training and competition (either in person or video) and this is something we can discuss together.
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How can Sport Psychology help me?
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Common areas I can support are:
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Sports Performance:
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- Motivation and Values
- Managing anxiety, worries, nerves and over-thinking
- Thriving in high pressure environments
- Positive communication with key team members
- Self-esteem, Self-belief, and Confidence
- Managing mood and emotions
- Managing perfectionism
- Focus and Concentration
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Sport Wellbeing areas:
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- Sport and Career transitions and decisions
- Balancing Sport with other demands in life
- Self-care techniques and strategies
- Managing relationships (professional and social)
- Dealing with injury and setbacks
- Personal development
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