Sport and performance psychology is a branch in psychology aimed at mental skills necessary to perform as best as one can, regardless of one’s level or the context. It could be for elite athletes who want to better cope with pressure, or an amateur athlete who want to regulate their emotions better. It could be for people in ‘high performance’ professions, such as artists, pilots or doctors. Or just for people who want to become the best version of themselves. In all cases, it’s about someone who wants to be better at that thing they love doing.
Sometimes there is the idea that going to a sport and performance psychologist is only necessary when you are experiencing problems, or that it is weak to go see a psychologist. The opposite is true. I like to make a comparison here with a somatic injury. After an injury you can go see a physiotherapist to help you get better. But you don’t have to wait for an injury before you can work on strengthening your body. So just as you can work on your health, knowledge, skills, tactic or technique, you can also work on your mental skills.
General themes that are addressed in an sport and performance psychology treatment are:
- General performance issues
- Performing under pressure
- Arousal and emotion regulation
- Visualisation
- Self confidence
- Goal setting
- Concentration
- Mental routines
The following topics can also be a reason to start a treatment:
- Identity questions, both in and outside of sport or work.
- Learning to cope with feedback or set-backs
- Perfectionism or fear of failure
- Recovering from injuries
- Finding joy again in your sport or work
- How to cope with an elite athlete child or partner
- Finding balance between sport, work and your privet live
- Leadership development
- (Sport)retirement
If you would like to start a treatment or you want to know if your problem is suitable for a treatment, please contact the practice!