Sport & Performance Psychology

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For all other requests:: 1-800-777-8442

It is important that your brain and body work together—regardless of your sport, skill level, or exercise routine.

At UI Sports Medicine, our sport and performance psychology specialist can help you uncover the issues that may be preventing you from performing at your best.

Our sport psychology services focus on aspects such as:

Performance enhancement skills

Psychological recovery from injury

Mindfulness strategies

Increasing confidence and enjoyment

Managing transitions in sport or exercise

Effective goal-setting

Whether you’re struggling with pre-match nerves, looking to enhance your workout or athletic performance, or seeking more meaning and enjoyment out of physical activity, we can help you accomplish your goals and reach your peak potential.

Five Mental Skills of Successful Athletes

1) They focus only on what they can control

It is important to focus solely on what you can control during competition, such as your effort, attitude, and responses (your EARs). Other factors such as past performances, crowd behavior, and the refereeing are outside of your control and not an effective use of your focus and energy.

2) They recognize the difference between nerves and anxiety

Nerves are an unavoidable aspect of getting the body and mind ready for competition. We do not want to get rid of nerves because they help us increase focus, raise endorphin levels, and prepare our bodies to perform. Anxiety is worry or fear about the future and takes us out of the moment. The best athletes know the difference and manage them both effectively.

3) They deal effectively with emotions

Successful athletes understand that strong emotions, such as frustration, sadness, and excitement, are simply part of playing competitive sports. The key is learning how to use these emotions to enhance rather than detract from consistently performing at a high level.

4) They know what to pay attention to

In every sport, there are useful cues for an athlete to attend to when performing. The reality is that there are far more that are not helpful. Successful athletes know how to pay attention to the “news” while filtering out the unhelpful “noise” that tend to be distractions.

5) They know when and how to practice

Successful athletes ensure they consistently practice with purpose. They spend most of the time improving weaknesses and don’t avoid addressing shortcomings. In addition, they are motivated by their process and set appropriate short and long-term goals.