Sport Psychology

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Sport psychology is often the intersection of kinesiology and psychology. It focuses on the effect that sports and/or exercise has a on person's psychological state, and on how a person's psychological state can affect their physical performance.

Sport psychologists can help a wide variety of people, such as athletes, coaches, parents with a child recovering from a sport-related injury, teams, and people who just like to exercise. The need for a sport psychologist is not limited to collegiate- or professional-level athletes. Many of the tactics and methods can may also be implemented in anyone's general life. For individuals with jobs that require high performance, or for situations where a person feels anxiety or needs help focusing, a sport psychologist may help.

If you are interested in seeing a sport psychologist, search for a psychologist near you by filling out the blue box on the right or top of your screen, starting with "Search by City or Zip." Once you pinpoint a location for your search, you can filter your results by a psychologist’s areas of expertise, languages spoken, name, and other options.

The aspects that sport psychologists help with are:

  • Routine
  • Recovery from injury
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Correction of bad habits
  • Acheiving peak performance
  • Focus and concentration
  • Motivation
  • Preparation
  • Leadership
  • Confidence and consistency

Dr. Debbie Wilson, Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services/Sport Psychologists at George Mason University

Consider the following to learn more about sports psychology: