Mental health sports therapists or sports psychologists are trained professionals who specialize in providing mental health services to athletes. They typically have expertise in both psychology and sports science and may work with athletes of all levels, from recreational to elite and professional athletes.
The primary goal of sports mental health therapists or psychologists is to help athletes enhance their mental well-being, emotional resilience, and performance. They use a variety of therapeutic techniques and interventions to address mental health challenges that athletes may face, such as anxiety, depression, stress, performance anxiety, motivation issues, and self-esteem concerns. They also provide support for athletes dealing with life transitions, such as retirement, injury, or team changes.
Sports mental health therapists or psychologists may offer individual counseling or therapy, as well as group therapy or workshops. They may use approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based techniques, relaxation techniques, and performance-enhancement strategies to help athletes manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to their sport.
Importance of therapy for athletes
Therapy is important for athletes for several reasons:
- Mental well-being: Just like physical health, mental health is crucial for overall well-being. Athletes face unique psychological challenges, such as performance pressure, competitive stress, and the need to balance sport and life demands. Therapy can help athletes develop healthy coping mechanisms, manage stress, and improve their emotional resilience.
- Performance enhancement: Mental factors play a significant role in sports performance. Athletes who are mentally strong, focused, and motivated are more likely to perform at their best. Sports mental health therapists or psychologists can help athletes develop mental skills, such as goal-setting, concentration, confidence, and motivation.
- Injury recovery: Injuries are a common part of the sports experience and can have a significant impact on an athlete’s mental well-being. Sports mental health therapists or psychologists can provide support to athletes during the injury recovery process, helping them cope with emotions such as frustration, anxiety, and depression, and facilitating their psychological adjustment.
- Life transitions: Athletes often face significant life transitions, such as retirement, team changes, or career transitions. These changes can be challenging and may impact an athlete’s mental health. Sports mental health therapists or psychologists can provide support during these transitions, helping athletes manage the associated emotions and challenges.
Best Mental Health Sports Therapists in Wisconsin
Following are some of the best sports therapists in Wisconsin.
1. Steve Hable
Steve Hable is a highly experienced sports psychologist with 13 years of practice. He has a background in sports psychology, trauma treatment, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders, with specialized training in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy).
Steve has extensive experience in trauma therapy and has successfully worked with athletes who struggle with anxiety related to their sport or wish to enhance their mental game. He is a former college pole vault coach and currently coaches high school athletes. Steve offers TeleHealth as an alternative for remote sessions, and his session fee is $175 per session.
2. Aisha Rosh
Aisha Rosh is a seasoned sports psychologist with 8 years of experience in practice. Her specialization lies in sports psychology approaches for student-athletes, focusing on areas such as performance improvement, mindfulness skills, coping with the loss of sport, and recovery from injury.
Aisha works as a full-time provider with UW Behavioral Health, where she creates a relaxed and welcoming environment for her clients, filled with unconditional positive regard, hard work, humor, flexibility, appreciation, and fun. Currently, Aisha has a waitlist for new clients and provides all her services via teletherapy. Her session fee is $175 per session.
3. Andrea Elkon
Andrea Elkon is a highly experienced sports psychologist with 16 years of practice. She takes an engaged and collaborative approach, viewing herself and her clients as a team working together to achieve positive outcomes.
Andrea specializes in working with athletes, whether they are current or former, ranging from professional to collegiate to recreational levels. She understands the importance of physical activity in their lives and helps them process the impact of changes caused by injury, illness, or age. She offers telehealth services nationwide.
4. Golden Vibes Counseling Center
Golden Vibes Counseling Center is a dedicated provider of unbiased and non-pathologizing mental health treatment, with a focus on empowering individuals on their wellness journeys. Their sports psychologists utilize various therapeutic approaches including Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Self-Compassion-Based Approaches, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) when working with athletes.
They can help athletes become more in tune with their performance, resilience, mental toughness, and trauma. Golden Vibes Counseling Center also offers online therapy for clients throughout the state of Wisconsin. Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan.
5. Bellin Health Sports Psychology
Bellin Health Sports Psychology specializes in helping athletes enhance their mental skills to improve and accelerate their athletic performance. With personalized, individual, and team sessions, their program aims to help athletes reach their full potential by addressing the mental aspect of their game.
Bellin Health Sports Psychology also offers a customizable program for coaches to enhance their ability in maximizing the potential of their players and teams, both as athletes and individuals. Parents can also benefit from their services, learning skills to help their children have a positive and valuable athletic experience.
FAQs
While both sports psychologists and clinical sport psychologists work with athletes, sports psychologists primarily focus on performance enhancement through mental skills training, while clinical sport psychologists have the added ability to diagnose and treat mental health conditions in athletes, in addition to performance enhancement.
A wide range of individuals involved in sports or athletic activities, including athletes, coaches, teams, parents of athletes, injured athletes, and retired athletes, can benefit from the services of a sports psychologist.
In the U.S., the legal requirements for using the title “Sport Psychologist” vary by state. Typically, it may require being a licensed psychologist with specialized training in sport psychology, such as completing coursework or obtaining certifications from recognized professional organizations.
Compliance with state-specific regulations is important, and alternative titles like “Sports Psychology Consultant” or “Mental Performance Coach” may be used by professionals who do not meet the legal requirements.
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