The Transition From Sport Psychology to Psychotherapy: The Journey of a Young Athlete Fighting Cancer

Sara Biondi; Cristiana Conti; Emmanouil Georgiadis; Maurizio Bertollo

doi:10.1123/cssep.2019-0029

The Transition From Sport Psychology to Psychotherapy: The Journey of a Young Athlete Fighting Cancer

Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/cssep.2019-0029 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (S1) ◽

pp. S1-36-S1-43

Author(s):

Sara Biondi ◽

Cristiana Conti ◽

Emmanouil Georgiadis ◽

Maurizio Bertollo

Keyword(s):

Sport Psychology ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Young Athlete ◽

Current Case ◽

Individual Zone ◽

Optimal Functioning ◽

Sport Psychologist ◽

The Relationship ◽

Counseling Approach

The current case study reports an intervention with a young volleyball athlete who was diagnosed with cancer during his early sporting career. The athlete requested both performance-enhancement support and psychotherapeutic intervention (the latter during his illness) from his sport psychologist. The article explores the transition from sport psychology intervention, which started before the appearance of the disease, to psychotherapy and the reflections concerning this unique situation. The fluctuation of the athlete alongside the mental health continuum ranging from a normal (illness-free) state to a mental-illness state was taken into consideration. The theoretical framework adopted by the sport psychologist/psychotherapist consisted of the integration of different approaches: the psychobiosocial model of Individual Zone for Optimal Functioning and relational psychoanalysis, both oriented around the existentialism counseling approach. Reflections on the case include the changes of setting and the development of the relationship between the psychologist/psychotherapist and the athlete during the two intervention phases.

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Applied Sport Psychology and Persons with Mental Retardation

The Sport Psychologist ◽

10.1123/tsp.5.4.382 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 382-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Cheryl A. Travis ◽

Michael L. Sachs

Keyword(s):

Mental Retardation ◽

Sport Psychology ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Special Olympics ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Cognitive Limitations ◽

Sport Psychologist

One of the largest groups of persons with disabilities is that of persons with mental retardation. More than 1,000,000 athletes with mental retardation, for example, participate in Special Olympics each year. Sport psychology can help with performance enhancement as well as enhancing the quality of the sport experience for persons with mental retardation. Additionally, participation in exercise and sport can result in increased benefits such as enhanced self-esteem, self-reliance, and willingness to take risks. The literature in this area is reviewed, and extensive suggestions on working with athletes with mental retardation are offered. Due to the cognitive limitations that are one characteristic of persons with mental retardation, the sport psychologist faces particular challenges in providing sport psychology services for this population. A case study is provided to illustrate some of the challenges and rewards in working with athletes with mental retardation.

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Athlete–Coach Conflict and a Sport Psychologist Caught in the Middle: A Case Study of Consultancy During Athlete Preparation and Performance in Olympic Games Athletics

The Sport Psychologist ◽

10.1123/tsp.2020-0018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 30-42

Author(s):

Jonathan R. Males ◽

John H. Kerr ◽

Joanne Hudson

Keyword(s):

Sport Psychology ◽

Elite Athlete ◽

Olympic Games ◽

Theoretical Perspective ◽

Demand Model ◽

Personal Experiences ◽

Basic Performance ◽

Sport Psychologist ◽

And Performance

This case study examines the personal experiences of an elite athlete, coach, and sport psychology consultant (SPC) during the athlete’s preparation and performance in a recent Olympic Games. The qualitative research details how the consultancy process was affected by the athlete’s late admission of the deteriorating relationship with his coach. The concepts of closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation provided a theoretical perspective to the SPC’s interpretation of athlete performance and the interpersonal conflict that developed between athlete and coach. The basic performance demand model provided an applied perspective. The SPC’s commentary adopts a reflexive discursive style that also focuses on the SPC’s role in the consultancy process and the effectiveness of the performance demand model materials. Five important recommendations arise from the case study, and these might inform other SPCs’ future athlete–coach consultancies and interventions.

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Butterflies, Magic Carpets, and Scary Wild Animals: An Intervention With a Young Gymnast

Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/cssep.2016-0006 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 26-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Karen Howells

Keyword(s):

Sport Psychology ◽

Young Athlete ◽

Skills Training ◽

Psychological Skills ◽

Psychological Skills Training ◽

Very Young Children ◽

British Psychological Society ◽

Sport Psychologist ◽

Development Literature ◽

Published Research

This article presents a reflective case example of a sport psychology consultation carried out with a 9-year-old gymnast during the final year of the consultant’s training to become a British Psychological Society–chartered sport psychologist. During this period of time, the author was under the supervision of an experienced applied sport psychologist. The article draws on the published research in applied sport psychology and the wider child development literature to inform and negotiate the challenges of a neophyte practitioner working in a relatively unfamiliar sport with a very young gymnast. The intervention, which took place over 6 months, involved a focus on psychological skills training. This article reflects on the intervention experience and makes observations that may be of benefit to both neophyte and practiced consultants working with very young children. Although the consultancy involved goal setting, relaxation, and commitment, the focus of this article is on those activities and skills that are specific to such a young athlete and that may be of interest to other practitioners in similar scenarios.

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Performance Enhancement in Motocross: A Case Study of the Sport Science Team in Action

The Sport Psychologist ◽

10.1123/tsp.7.3.290 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 290-297 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

David Collins ◽

Michael Doherty ◽

Steven Talbot

Keyword(s):

Sport Psychology ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Behavioral Strategies ◽

Sport Science ◽

Set Up ◽

And Training ◽

Applied Sport Psychology

Using an exemplar case study of an intervention completed in the sport of motocross, the authors attempt to demonstrate the advantages inherent in using integrated multidisciplinary approaches in the application of sport sciences to performance enhancement. The need for comprehensive, detailed, and well-planned interventions, which of necessity take time to both set up and implement, is also highlighted. In addition, the authors furnish examples of practical techniques that can be used to facilitate cognitive behavioral strategies in this type of sport. Implications for the preparation and training of applied sport psychology consultants are briefly discussed.

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Becoming a Sport Psychologist: Experiences of a Volunteer

Sport Science Review ◽

10.2478/ssr-2013-0005 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (1-2) ◽

pp. 77-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elena-Mădălina Mărgărit

Keyword(s):

Motivational Interviewing ◽

Reflective Practice ◽

Sport Psychology ◽

Experiential Knowledge ◽

Thought Process ◽

Rhythmic Gymnastics ◽

Sport Psychologist ◽

Practicum Experience ◽

Practical Experiences

Reflective practice is a tool that sport psychologists use in order to make sense of their experiences, manage themselves personally and professionally, and ultimately improve their consultancy effectiveness. Nonetheless, the final product of reflections offers important resources of knowledge-in-action, so much required in the sport psychology field (Anderson, Knowles, & Gilbourne, 2004). Thus, this article provides an account of a volunteer’s sport psychology practicum experience, making the case for reflective practice. The paper reports on the application of a selfdetermination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000) and motivational interviewing (MI; Rollnick & Miller, 1995; Miller & Rollnick, 2002) based intervention with a rhythmic gymnastics trainee coach. The experiential knowledge gained by the volunteer is shared via a narrative in the form of a case study. The narrative is organized in different sections, offering an overview of the setting, the coach and her athletes, the intervention and self-reflections. The theoretical and practical underpinnings of the intervention, as well as the thought process which accompanied the work described are highlighted. A more in depth understanding of the process on how sport psychology services are delivered by a volunteer/trainee is depicted to guide other volunteers or aspiring professionals during their initial practical experiences.

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Removing Barriers to Athlete Performance Enhancement: A Hermeneutic Case Study of Observed and Experiential Integration

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jcsp.2014-0046 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 378-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessie M. Wall ◽

Janelle L. Kwee ◽

Marvin J. McDonald ◽

Richard A. Bradshaw

Keyword(s):

Psychological Functioning ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Single Case ◽

Student Athlete ◽

Case Record ◽

Research Teams ◽

Five Phases ◽

Multilevel Classification ◽

The Relationship

This study was the first to explore the treatment effects of observed and experiential integration (OEI) therapy for the salient psychological barriers to performance experienced by athletes. The hermeneutic single case efficacy design was used to explore the relationship between OEI therapy and athlete psychological functioning. The participant was a student-athlete who met the criteria for the performance dysfunction (multilevel classification system of Sport psychology) category, which indicates that subclinical issues were present. After five phases of data collection, a rich case record was compiled and referenced to develop skeptic and affirmative briefs and corresponding rebuttals by two research teams of three experts (OEI clinician, non-OEI clinician, and sport expert). Three independent judges adjudicated the cases and unanimously concluded that the client changed considerably to substantially and that OEI, the therapeutic relationship, and client expectancy were active variables in the change process.

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Psychologist-Sport Psychologist Liaison Between Counseling and Psychological Services and Intercollegiate Athletics

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jcsp.1.3.223 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 223-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ross Flowers

Keyword(s):

Intercollegiate Athletics ◽

Sport Psychology ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Psychological Services ◽

Athletic Departments ◽

University Counseling ◽

Athletic Coaching ◽

Sport Psychologist ◽

Intercollegiate Athletic Departments

Acting as a liaison between a university’s counseling and psychological services and intercollegiate athletics department is an emerging alternative career path in professional psychology. This article details how a psychologist-sport psychologist liaison role can provide both psychological counseling and sport psychology consulting in a university setting. In addition, the author outlines the mission and goals of such a position, the departments within which this work is carried out, how psychology and applied sport psychology services are conceptualized and integrated, and the responsibilities and service duties of a counseling psychologist and sport psychologist to university student-athletes, coaches, and staff. It is hoped that illustrating this relationship between university counseling and psychological services and athletic departments will demonstrate how campus resources can be employed to assist student-athletes with performance enhancement, personal enrichment, and life skills development. In addition, the author offers examples of ways that athletic coaching, administration, and program development can be enhanced through cultivation of positive relationships between university counseling and psychological services, and intercollegiate athletic departments.

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