If you are considering working with a sport psychologist you might be thinking to yourself 'What on earth does it entail?' The thought of having to speak to someone about your own experiences, the things you might be struggling with or learning something new can put people off seeking sport psychology support.
This piece of writing isn't about why you should work with a sport psychologist. If you read previous articles from me on here you will probably understand that psychology is an integral piece of the performance jigsaw puzzle and needs to be learned and trained alongside the other components such as the technical, tactical and physical. What we're going to explore is what the process looks like, just so you get a bit of insight into what you should expect.
Once you reach out to a sport psychologist, they will generally want to set up an initial meeting to discuss several things, such as why you are seeking support from them and what approach they will take. The initial meeting is also used to start building the therapeutic relationship between you and the sports psychologist, which is one of the key components when working together. The aim of the sport psychologist at this first meeting is to make you feel comfortable and understand what you are experiencing.
We as sport psychologists want to gain a deeper understanding of your context so we can provide support and interventions that are tailored to you. We also aim to create an environment where you feel truly heard and listened to, an environment where you feel safe and not judged by anyone. Creating an environment like this allows you to truly open up about your experiences and work together to achieve the shared goals we set.
It is natural to feel nervous or a bit uneasy going into the first several sessions. The act of talking to a random person about your life inside and outside of sport is scary. However, we aim to create an environment where you feel comfortable and safe, which allows you to truly explore your inner world and experiences.
Whilst developing the relationship between you and the sport psychologist is a key focus point, we also look to start identifying areas we can work on together. This could be many things and depends on your context. Examples could be that we've identified certain thought patterns that are not helpful in sporting situations, we've identified that the relationship with your coach is causing challenges or we are struggling to concentrate in important moments. These first few sessions are about identifying these and understanding why they are happening.
Once we've identified areas we can work on, we start to explain what is going on and what we can do. This part of the process changes from sport psychologists to sport psychologists. One person might take the approach of working on challenging thoughts and changing them, whereas someone else might focus on becoming more open and accepting of their inner world.
The sport psychologist you are working with will generally explain the approaches you can take and discuss these with you. The approach taken also influences the interventions the sport psychologist will design. Throughout these parts of the process, you will be learning and implementing new skills that will support you in your context. Again, what this looks like is dependent on your situation. The main thing to understand here is to know that the intervention is tailored to meet your needs.
The amount of sessions one person requires is again dependent on the context. However, we work together to consistently evaluate the interventions and your progress. Together we can decide when we feel you no longer require sessions.
It is hard to explain clearly what the process looks like because it is different for each person. Each person has their own set of experiences, beliefs, perceptions and unique context, which means the process will be unique for them. The main consistent thing though is the focus on creating a space in which you feel comfortable exploring your inner world and developing a positive trusting relationship with the sport psychologist underpinned by empathy and unconditional positive regard.
I hope I have been able to give you an insight into the process and ease a bit of the nerves or uneasiness. I know it can be intimidating to explore this component of sport. However, we aim to make this process as easy as possible and are there to support you on that journey!
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, or comments, or would like to explore how sports psychology can enhance your performance, feel free to reach out to me at drodgerssportpsych@gmail.com or give me a call at 07475 925 292. You can also check out my website by clicking this link https://www.thesportingbrain.com/. I'm here to help you unlock your full potential.
