1st Edition

Becoming a Sport Psychologist

Edited By Paul McCarthy, Marc Jones Copyright 2014
    200 Pages
    by Routledge

    200 Pages
    by Routledge

    Sport psychology is a competitive profession with rigorous and demanding entry routes in terms of education, training and accreditation. Once qualified, the sport psychology practitioner will face complex, day-to-day professional challenges of the kind not always covered in conventional sport psychology textbooks. Becoming a Sport Psychologist is the first book to reveal the reality of working in sport psychology through the personal perspectives and narratives of some of the world’s leading sport psychologists, top professionals with many years experience of working at every level of sport, from amateur to elite, in consulting and support roles, and in sport psychology research.

    With each chapter focusing on a key issue or issues in professional practice, each contributing psychologist discusses their own education, training and professional experience, their personal motivation and their approach to consulting and delivery, helping the reader to develop a rounded understanding of how to succeed in sport psychology. The book also explores key professional issues such as intervention style, work-life balance and the commercial aspects of sport psychology practice not covered in other books, plus it offers a summary of typical education and training routes and additional information on professional organisations and accreditation schemes. Becoming a Sport Psychologist is invaluable reading for anybody considering a career in sport psychology, or any practising sport psychologist looking to extend and develop their professional skills.

    Introduction - Paul McCarthy and Marc Jones  Psychiatry  On becoming a sportpsych practitioner - Burt Giges  Physical Education  From balls to psychology - Roger Mace  On becoming a sport psychology consultant: what a long strange trip it’s been - Robert Weinberg  The long and winding road: becoming an applied sport psychology practitioner - David Tod  "A funny thing happened on the way through my PhD!" - Ken Hodge  How I became a sport psychologist - Richard Cox  When you come to a fork in the road, take it! - Sandy Gordon  Counselling Psychology  It’s all about relationships: A counselling approach to sport psychology consulting - Al Petipas   Psychology  The (sport) psychologist in spite of himself - Mark Andersen  Adventures in cognitive sport psychology: from theory to practice ... and back again - Aidan Moran  Sporting Success - Rebbeca Symes  Sweet dreams are made of these: my journey to 2012 - Sarah Cecil  Clinical Psychology  From clinical science to sport research and intervention - Ron Smith  No man is an island: building a career in sport and performance psychology through teamwork - Shane Murphy   Sport Science  Practitioner-scientist or scientist-practitioner? - Chris Harwood  Becoming a sport psychologist: from Don Bradman to Luke Skywalker - Jamie Barker  "It took me 10 years to become an overnight success" - Brian Hemmings  A glance at the 'to do' list of Dr Zoe Knowles....from Olympic park to local children’s centre in a day - Zoe Knowles   Afterword - Paul McCarthy and Marc Jones

    Biography

    Paul McCarthy is a Lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK. His research examines issues in applied sport psychology and emotional and attentional processes in sport performers. He has previously published a book on single-case research methods in sport and exercise psychology.

    Marc Jones is a Reader in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, UK. He has published over forty academic papers mostly in the area of stress and emotion. He is a registered Sport Psychologist (HCPC) and is currently working as a consultant in professional football.

    "The editors realize that this book about what is sometimes called a "dark science"could be considered "unadulterated self-indulgence."  However, as this field becomes more visible to the general public and with the continued growth of the popularity of sports, these stories of lessons learned and practical advice should be interesting and valuable to students mulling possible careers. Summing Up: Recommended." – J A. Badics, Eastern Michigan  University in CHOICE