Advanced Sports Psychology: Expressive and Third-Wave Therapies
Comprehensive assessment, counselling and intervention for athletes and coaches using creative methodologies and cutting-edge psychological approaches.
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
Knowledge based on both traditional and third-wave psychological therapies, applied and adapted to the needs of different sports stakeholders. Interventions based on expressive and creative therapies are used and developed, among others. These include techniques based on creativity and strategies that enable emotional expression and promote the positive functioning of both sports teams and athletes, optimising their psychological resources and strengths.
Based on our expertise, we can offer the following activities:
- Psychological assessment of athletes and/or sports coaches
- Psychological counselling and intervention with different sports stakeholders and at different levels
- Design and development of sports psychology intervention programmes in areas such as sports performance, grassroots or introductory sport, and the promotion of psychological health through sport
- Analysis and research into psychological and behavioural factors in sport and exercise
TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
The application of these programmes makes it possible to optimise participants’ psychological strengths. In this way, federations and clubs can benefit from maximising these strengths through the implementation of specific programmes designed to work with their athletes or sports coaches.
ADVANTAGES AND INNOVATIVE ASPECTS
Sports psychology has been used for years as a resource for optimising performance. However, elite athletes are not the only ones who can benefit from the applications of sports psychologists. Grassroots sport and the use and/or abuse of exercise can also be areas of focus for psychology.
In this regard, the development of psychological programmes centred on expressive and third-wave therapies is producing promising results. The programmes we design and implement use a working methodology that requires specific training. These are innovative interventions that combine the more traditional techniques used in sports psychology with more creative approaches, adapting the methodology to each sports organisation with the aim of maximising its effectiveness. These programmes can involve work with parents, coaches/technical staff and the athletes themselves.
DEVELOPMENT STAGE
Over several years, intervention programmes have been designed and implemented to assess their effectiveness and efficacy in different health contexts (e.g. psycho-oncology and eating disorders), as well as programmes designed and developed in various sports disciplines (e.g. basketball and rhythmic gymnastics).
APPLICATION SECTORS
- Regional and national sports federations.
- Sports clubs and athlete development academies.
- Mental health centres and specialised clinics.
- Public Administration (school and youth sports programmes).
- Human Resources Management Organisations (applying sports psychology in corporate settings).
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Eva León Zarceño – Department of Behavioural and Health Sciences