Engaging in sports and exercise can be physically and mentally demanding, requiring athletes to sustain peak performance in challenging circumstances. Athletes commonly face struggles with nerves, anxiety, confidence, and motivation, particularly when encountering setbacks. Short-term strategies like positive thinking and visualisations may not suffice and could even worsen the situation. A new approach is needed to help athletes effectively manage their thoughts and emotions, enabling them to regain focus and perform at their best.
Whether it’s making a crucial move in a game, being selected for a team, facing a tough opponent or experiencing a setback, providing effective support to athletes is vital. It’s time for a fresh approach that encourages athletes to think differently and move closer to achieving their aspirations in both sports and life. This ground-breaking workshop, based on scientifically proven acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) techniques, offers a revolutionary perspective on the mental aspects of unlocking potential in sports.
About this workshop
This workshop is aimed at practitioners, coaches, and anyone involved in supporting athletes to attain greater success. It challenges conventional sports psychology by providing a practical toolkit of strategies for triumph. Participants will learn a sustainable approach to managing difficult thoughts, handling emotions, and harnessing them to enhance athletes’ performance to their fullest potential.
Dr. Alison Maitland and Jenna Ashford, the workshop leaders, possess extensive experience and knowledge gained through working with elite athletes to enhance their performance throughout their athletic journeys. During the workshop, Alison and Jenna will share the fundamental principles of applying ACT within a sporting context. Drawing insights from their book, Drop the Struggle: A transformative approach to achieving your potential in sport and life, they will discuss real-life case studies that demonstrate the practical application of the ACT model when working with athletes and teams. They will provide valuable insights into using ACT techniques with athletes and coaches, as well as ideas on how and when to implement them.
During this workshop, Alison and Jenna will dive into the core principles of ACT, using their four-part framework to show you how to:
- Drop the struggle: Learn techniques to help athletes release the struggle with their unhelpful thoughts and distinguish between their thinking and observing mind. Discover methods to support athletes in developing robust confidence, finding inner peace, and letting go of mental barriers.
- Play in the now: Explore the power of being fully present and learn mindfulness practices to assist athletes in cultivating a focused and grounded mindset. Gain tools to enhance athletes’ ability to perform in the present moment during training and competitions.
- Be comfortable with being uncomfortable: Help athletes understand the difference between pressure and performance. Learn to teach athletes ways to embrace discomfort as an integral part of growth. Practical tools will be provided to shift athletes’ focus from the pressures they face, acknowledging emotions, and adding them to the coaching toolkit.
- Do what matters: Focus athletes’ energy on meaningful actions that align with their values and contribute to their success. Learn to help athletes define their purpose and establish commitments to overcome obstacles, manage setbacks, and achieve their goals throughout their sporting journey.
The workshop will be interactive, allowing participants to learn about and experience a range of ACT techniques specifically tailored to the sporting domain. Ample time will be allocated for interaction and questions. Additionally, the leaders will explore strategies for gaining athletes’ early acceptance and enthusiasm when introducing the ACT approach.
Who would benefit from this workshop?
This workshop is ideal for psychologists and coaches working in various sports and performance industries. It will equip you with the necessary skills to support athletes effectively. Prior understanding of ACT is helpful but not necessary for participants to fully benefit from this workshop.