Setting SMART Goals

In sport psychology, we talk about making goals SMART.  The acronym SMART helps you define your goal more clearly. A SMART goal is: S – Specific Your goal clearly tells what action you will take. M – Measurable You will will be able … Continue reading

Resources for Injured Athletes

Often the mental pain caused by your injury and the temporary or permanent loss of your sport can be far more devastating than the physical injury. This type of pain must be addressed and managed in order to recover quickly and … Continue reading

3 Tips to Prep for a Test or Big Game

Worried about your mathematics test or football game against your biggest rival?  What is the best way to prepare for the event? Here are three tips for performing your best on the big day. 1. Get a good night’s sleep.   Make … Continue reading

Managing Mistakes

Teaching Children and Adolescents to Manage Mistakes We want our children and teenagers to perform well, and so do they.  However, the pressure of perfectionism can lead to the fear of making mistakes.  When there is so much pressure to … Continue reading

Sleep Well for Wellness

When students and athletes consult with me, I always ask about their sleep because  sleep is a big part of our lives and is instrumental to our performing well. We all know what it’s like when we haven’t slept well … Continue reading

Improving Focus

Many athletes ask about focus and getting in “the zone.”  Getting in the zone means being in the moment, and being in the moment means that you are not thinking about what’s happened in the past, and you are not … Continue reading

Productive Positive Thinking

How do you make positive thinking work for you? Gabriele Oettingen, of New York University and the University of Hamburg has been researching positive thinking and motivation.  In her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, she states that … Continue reading

Prevention of Stress in Children’s Sports

Excessive stress, injury, being burnt out, along with other negative aspects of youth sport can be avoided. Here are some simple ways to avoid putting too much stress on athletes and creating problems. The thrill should be competition, not winning. … Continue reading

Children in Sports – Benefits

There are many benefits of a young child’s involvement in sport.  Through sports, children learn physical skills, gain an appreciation of physical fitness, and grow emotionally and socially. Learning Physical Skills Young athletes learn both fundamental motor skills and sport-specific … Continue reading

Introducing Children to Sports

Many parents come to me with questions about their children’s involvement in sports.  When should children start sports?  What sports should they do?  When should sports get competitive?  Expert Frank Eksten of the Franciscan Sports Medicine Institute in Indiana answers these … Continue reading

5 Tips to Take on a Healthy Habit or Drop a Bad One

Many of my friends, my clients, and I are starting new health plans. Our goal is to eat well, exercise, and give up some vices.  Adopting a new habit requires a lot of motivation and discipline.  And quitting a bad habit … Continue reading

Supporting Your Child Athlete – 5 Tips

Parents want their child to have confidence and enjoy their sport, but they don’t want to over-praise.  How can you best support your child in sport? Here are a 5 tips for supporting your child athlete: 1. Encourage self-motivation. Motivation must … Continue reading