Role of a sports psychologist

In simple terms, a sport psychologist works with athletes to support both performance and overall wellbeing.

But what does that actually mean?

When we think about performance, we often focus on the physical and technical side of sport — speed, strength, endurance, skill and technique. But there is another side that can be harder to see: confidence, motivation, decision-making, concentration, managing pressure, responding to setbacks and dealing with performance anxiety. These skills may not be as visible or measurable, but they can play an important role in an athlete’s development both in sport and outside of it.

This is where sport psychology comes in.

So, what happens when you see a sport psychologist?

There isn't one fixed way of working with a sport psychologist. An athlete might be referred through a club, academy, school or coach, or they might choose to seek support themselves. The first step is usually about building a relationship and understanding the athlete as a person, not just as a performer. From there, we explore the challenges they are experiencing, identify what they would like to work on and develop practical psychological skills that may help. The aim isn't for an athlete to become dependent on their psychologist. The goal is to help them develop the understanding and skills they can eventually use independently. The length of support can also vary. For some, it may be around a specific challenge, while others may want longer-term support and development.

Do you need to be struggling?

Not at all. One common misconception is that you only see a sport psychologist when something is going wrong. Just as athletes train physically and work on their nutrition to support performance, psychological skills can also be developed proactively.

Research has found benefits from psychological approaches such as psychological skills training, imagery and mindfulness-based interventions, although the strength of evidence varies across different approaches and studies. Research has also found potential benefits for athletes’ mental wellbeing.

And sport psychology isn't only about performance.

It can also involve burnout, injury, career transitions, athlete identity and balancing sport with life outside of it. Because athletes are people first!

For me, sport psychology is about helping athletes understand themselves, develop skills that work for them and learn to work with their minds 

Because the mind is part of the game!