Sport psychologists help professional and amateur athletes overcome problems, enhance their performance and achieve their goals.

While coaches typically focus on the physical side of sport, sport psychologists focus on athletes’ minds. Sport psychologists can help athletes — professionals and amateurs alike — achieve their goals.

Who are our clients?

Some athletes seek help from a sport and exercise psychology professional when they have a problem.

They might become anxious or lose focus during competition, for example. They might have trouble communicating with teammates, controlling their temper or even just motivating themselves to exercise. Or they might choke at key moments during a game.

But athletes don’t just consult sports psychologists when they’re having difficulties. Sport psychologists can also help athletes:

• Enhance performance. Various mental strategies, such as visualization, self-talk and relaxation techniques, can help athletes overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.
• Cope with the pressures of competition. Sport psychologists can help athletes at all levels deal with pressure from parents, coaches or even their own expectations.
• Recover from injuries. After an injury, athletes may need help tolerating pain, adhering to their physical therapy regimens or adjusting to being sidelined. 
• Keep up an exercise program. Even those who want to exercise regularly may find themselves unable to fulfill their goal. Sport psychologists can help these individuals increase their motivation and tackle any related concerns.
• Enjoy sports. Sports organizations for young people may hire a sport psychologist to educate coaches about how to help kids enjoy sports and how to promote healthy self-esteem in participants.

Sports psychology can even help people off the playing field. The same strategies that sport psychologists teach athletes — relaxation techniques, mental rehearsals and cognitive restructuring, for example — are also useful in the workplace and other settings.

Who is qualified?

Sport and exercise psychology professionals are also licensed psychologists, who are doctorally trained individuals who have met their country’s educational and training requirements and met a set of comprehensive standards. These psychologists undergo specialized postdoctoral training in how to optimize athletes’ performance and well-being. Only these psychologists may call themselves psychologists. 

When you’re seeking sport psychological help, ask about the professional’s credentials, experience and clientele. Also ask about membership in such professional organisations as British Psychological Society, the APA and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, all of which certify sport and exercise psychology professionals.

Where Do Sports Psychologists Work?

Sport psychologists typically work in facilities that cater to and accommodate athletes of all different shapes, sizes, and ages.

Schools and colleges might hire a sport psychologist to talk with and counsel their student athletes, for instance. Some sport psychologists may even work exclusively with professional sports teams and other professional athletes. Sport and exercise psychologists can also be found at hospitals, physical rehabilitation centres, and gyms.

Sports psychologists can also choose to open their own practices, much like most other psychologists.

How to find a sport psychologist

To find a sport psychologist or other exercise and sport psychology professional, talk to other athletes and coaches. In addition to names, ask how the professional helped them and what type of services were provided.

Your local college or university may also be able to provide referrals.

In addition, you can check with professional organisations. The Directory of Chartered Psychologists is a service provided by the British Psychological Society that makes it easy for you to find a chartered psychologist in your area.

Visitors to this Directory and other specialist registers should note that the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) are the regulator for Practitioner Psychologists in the UK, and anyone using one of the titles listed at https://www.hcpc-uk.org/ must be registered with the HCPC in order to do so.

Visitors are advised to check on the HCPC register to check that a practitioner is registered before deciding to use their services, if these fall into an area covered by the HCPC protected titles.

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Our Services

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