Sport psychology is defined as the study of how psychological factors affect performance. In simpler terms it’s about how the mind affects what you do, and how you can optimise your performance as well as your wellbeing. Performance is in a very broad sense and can be both in a sport setting, preparing for an exam, in business or any situation where you have to perform to your optimal potential.
Sport psychologists usually don’t deal with any clinical disorders, such as personality disorders, eating disorders, clinical depression etc. As a sport psychologist the focus is on the healthy individual, and making you better as opposed to dealing with any serious illnesses or disorders. In general it’s all about making you the best you can be! And who doesn’t want to be the best version of themselves?
So what kind of areas can a sport psychologist help you with? What we choose to focus on depends completely on you and your individual situation. Do you get too nervous before a performance? Do you argue with your partner all the time? Can you just never seem to perform in a competition as in practice? Or do you simply just want to learn more about how you work and how you can improve your way of thinking?
You might think that you don’t need a sport psychologist, but competition is so strong now that you need any little advantage over your competition you can get. Optimising your mind might just be what you need to gain that little advantage over your opponent! You spend so many hours on practice and lessons and preparing your body to be in perfect shape, but then something small like arguments with your partner or nerves get in the way of all that hard work.
So you have decided to start using a sport psychologist, but how does it work and what can you expect? It will always depend on the individual situation, but usually we will start by talking and finding out where you need to improve to optimise your performance. We will assess your needs and establish your desired outcomes. This can be done just by talking, in my case most sessions are done via Skype, so it can be done in any location in the world and at a time and place to fit your busy schedule. We can use a variety of techniques from setting goals, self-talk, relaxation and imagery, all depending on your specific situation and preferences. From there we will work on getting you to your best version of yourself and happy along the way!
If you want to hear more about what sport psychology is or would like to book an initial 30min free consultation to discuss what I can do for you, then don’t hesitate to contact me on kristina_pfeffer@hotmail.com
