Understanding Sports Psychology: Beliefs, Resilience, and Performance

Sports psychologist Helen Davis transitioned from teaching to sports psychology, using REBT to help athletes challenge irrational beliefs and improve performance.

### Challenging Beliefs: The Power of REBT in Sports Psychology
* 🧠 Sports psychologist Helen Davis shares her journey from primary school teacher to **REBT practitioner**.
* 🏫 After 25 years in teaching, Helen pursued a new career in sports psychology, inspired by her **passion for swimming** and interest in **athletes' mental performance**.
* ⏳ Balancing family, work, and studying, Helen completed a **part-time distance learning master's program in sport and exercise psychology**.
* 💡 Helen's teaching background provided valuable skills in **communication, empathy, and understanding individual needs**, which she now applies in her sports psychology practice.
* 🎽 Helen's work with triathlete Lucy Gossage, helping her challenge **self-limiting beliefs about her swimming**, exemplifies the **power of beliefs in performance**.
* 🧘 Helen uses Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) principles, part of the broader Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework, to help athletes **change their beliefs and improve performance**.
* 🔄 The ABCDE model is a practical tool Helen uses to guide athletes through **changing their beliefs**.
* 🌱 By understanding that it's not events themselves but our beliefs about them that cause emotional reactions, athletes can gain a **sense of control and responsibility over their thoughts and feelings**.

### Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in Practice: Disputing Irrational Beliefs for Mental Well-being
* 🧠 REBT focuses on disputing irrational beliefs to improve mental well-being, challenging **rigid beliefs that cause distress**.
* 🤔 Identifying irrational beliefs is the first step, such as "**I must do this perfectly**" or "**I can't stand this feeling of anxiety**".
* 🔍 Recognizing language patterns is crucial, like using **absolute terms** ("must," "can't") and **catastrophizing** ("it's the worst thing ever").
* 🔄 The goal is to shift to more **flexible thinking**, using language like "**I want**" instead of "**I must**," and accepting that **failure in one area doesn't make you a failure**.
* 🚫 Common irrational beliefs include **demanding approval from others at all times**, **expecting life to be hassle-free**, and **believing others must always treat you nicely**.
* 🗣 Self-awareness and reflection are key, **jotting down thoughts during difficult situations to identify patterns**.
* 🧘 The ultimate aim is to become an "**ABC thinker**," understanding that it's not events themselves but our beliefs about them that lead to **emotions and behaviors**.
* 💬 "Just be gentle with yourself while striving to **do your best**." - Albert Ellis

Helen Davis: Beliefs - The Life Lessons Podcast with Simon Mundie

Simon Mundie

Exploring the Transition from Teaching to Sports Psychology

Helen Davis, a former primary school teacher, made a career shift to sports psychology after feeling a bit jaded with teaching.

Her interest in the way triathletes talked about their performance led her to pursue a masters in sport and exercise psychology through distance learning.

Despite being in her early 40s at the time and having some doubts, she received a lot of encouragement from people around her to take the plunge into this new career path.

Facing the fear of returning to studying after a long time was daunting, but shifting priorities and determination made it a different and manageable experience.

Embracing a new and exciting opportunity, and following enthusiasm, made the challenging juggling of responsibilities easier.

During times of reflection and career reappraisal, it's important to listen to the inner voice, be brave, seek support, and consider making the change if excitement and enthusiasm are lacking.

The speaker's career path as a sports psychologist was not driven by a long-term plan but by a willingness to explore opportunities.

Her experience as a teacher provided valuable skills in communication, empathy, and building relationships, which she now applies in her work with athletes.

The decision to pursue sports psychology was influenced by a chance encounter with an athlete, leading to a focus on cognitive behavior therapy and self-talk in sports performance.

Overcoming Self-Doubt in Sports Psychology

A non-traditional sports background led Lucy to unfairly critique herself, impacting her performance.

Beliefs play a crucial role in interpreting the world and can be both helpful and detrimental.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and SMARTER thinking in sports psychology focus on shifting from irrational to rational beliefs to improve emotional and behavioral reactions.

Understanding the Role of Beliefs in Emotional Reactions

People's emotional reactions are not solely caused by events, but also by their beliefs, giving them a sense of control and responsibility.

The ABCDE model (Adversity, Beliefs, Consequences, Disputing, Effective New Philosophy) is a framework that helps challenge and change unhelpful beliefs, leading to a different emotional outcome.

By identifying and disputing negative beliefs, individuals can alter their emotional consequences and move in a more positive direction.

Challenging Negative Beliefs and Behaviors

Working through the ABCDE framework helps challenge the belief of being "no good" and promotes a more rational approach.

Radical self-acceptance and separating actions from self-worth are emphasized in REBT, promoting patience and acceptance of one's fallibility.

The three rigid beliefs of REBT, including the need for constant approval, the demand for constant positive treatment, and the insistence on a hassle-free life, contribute to discontent and are characterized by absolutist language.

The Impact of Language on Athletes' Mental Well-being

The use of emotive and demanding language can elevate athletes' emotions and increase pressure.

Simply switching from using words like "must" and "have to" to "I want to" can significantly improve athletes' experience and performance.

This shift in language can help athletes enjoy their sport more, reduce feelings of pressure, and improve their overall mental well-being.

The Impact of Language on Psychological Well-being

Recognizing the impact of language on our thoughts and emotions is crucial for our mental health.

The use of questionnaires and listening to individuals are effective ways to identify harmful language patterns.

It is common for people to be unaware of the negative impact of their own thinking patterns, but self-discovery and awareness are the first steps to understanding and addressing these issues.

Overcoming Self-Doubt and Fostering Growth in Sports

Self-doubt is a common experience for athletes and is a natural part of performance.

Overcoming self-doubt is a process that involves being gentle with oneself and focusing on continual learning and improvement.

Fostering intrinsic motivation and finding enjoyment in the sport are key factors in overcoming self-doubt and growing as an athlete.

Aiming for Flexible Thinking and High Frustration Tolerance

The goal of REBT is to promote flexible thinking, anti-catastrophizing, and high frustration tolerance, leading to more functional emotions and adaptive behaviors.

The first step is to become self-aware of one's beliefs and language, potentially through jotting down thoughts and identifying patterns.

Additionally, it's crucial to understand that it's one's beliefs and perceptions that lead to emotional and behavioral reactions, not the external events themselves.