Traditional sport psychology has recently become a cornerstone in enhancing athletic performance, emphasizing mental skills training, emotional regulation techniques, and cognitive restructuring. Such sport psychology interventions have benefited many athletes and teams. At EMI, we harness the power of such interventions and frame a unique approach to maximize its effectiveness.
Sport Psychology Basics
Performance = Potential – Interference
Sport Psychology Practitioners (SPPs) help athletes to get their mind to work for them rather than against them. In non-clinical work, specifically, the nature of these conversations usually starts with performance profiling–identifying obstacles or interference that disrupt the athlete from performing to their potential. Whether through an individual approach, where interference may be confidence or motivation related, or through a team approach, where interference may be culture or communication related, the SPP’s goal is to minimize interference, maximizing potential, and therefore performance.
Traditional Sport Psychology Delivery and Our Differentiators:
Individual Focus
Athletes who meet with SPPs one-on-one receive incredibly tailored, highly-focused attention to their individual needs. Athletes develop awareness of what is getting in their way and work on strategies to minimize disruptions and maximize potential. There are countless benefits. See here and here.
EMI’s Approach: Team-Centered
Individual work matters and we strongly encourage it, partnering with SPPs across the country. At EMI, our approach emphasizes the team and the culture of the team. We have found an immense value in not just identifying the interference for each individual, but also the interference that exists between each individual; an ecological, or systems approach if you will. By focusing on the team, and through our methodology of StepBack Sessions, we create the opportunity for meaningful team discussion that raises the collective awareness of the interference within the group, priming action to minimize such interference. Through this approach, we not only empower each individual with tools, but accountability and alignment within and for the entire group.
Subject Matter Expert
Traditional sport psychology interventions rely on subject matter expertise. In fact, there are highly qualified SPPs who have undergone extensive education and training in the field. See here and here. Because of their formalized training and certification, SPPs can easily identify areas of interference by pulling from theoretical and evidence-based frameworks, and research-backed interventions. Thus, athletes and coaches hire SPPs for this reason.
Integrated To and Through the Coach, Sustainably
Again, at EMI, we strongly believe in evidence-based interventions and frameworks. However, rather than relying on an outside entity to deliver this work, we seek to educate and empower coaches themselves to facilitate meaningful team discussions; a true coach-driven process. Through StepBack Sessions, we take holistic sport psychology principles and translate them into digestible, meaningful conversation starters. Meaning that you, or any coach, can open our slide decks to facilitate an impactful conversation with your team. Because we are using discussion and communication as learning mediums, we call this non-teaching. Additionally, one of the most impactful parts of our model is that it is 1) integrative and 2) sustainable. First, since coaches are leading the sessions, they can better understand and communicate with their players, integrating the language from each session into their coaching. Second, because coaches are leading the sessions, they can lead the sessions for as long as they want without the constraints of a contract, cost, or availability of a subject matter expert.
