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Professional Philosophy

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Core Beliefs and values

My core beliefs incorporate an overarching concept of inclusivity and fairness for all, regardless of race, culture, religion, age, gender, or sexual orientation. Everyone should enjoy the opportunity to learn and to evolve. All people should have the opportunity for an education. I believe that education and the pursuit of knowledge is the foundation of humanity. The freedom to seek knowledge and self-advancement is an unalienable right. I believe that there is strength in diversity of all kinds. Likewise, I believe that people have the potential to evolve throughout their lifetimes: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I value humility and believe that all have the right to dignity. I believe strongly in the concept of meritocracy, where effort and hard work provide the opportunity for success and achievement. It is important to me that an individual should seek balance in their lives. An athletic youngster should not restrict themselves exclusively to just one sport or to only computer games, but should play many sports throughout the year, as well as study music, art and literature. Likewise, all people should seek the diversity of a life interwoven with physical activity, musical education and appreciation, appreciation of literature, and creative self-expression through the arts. In this way an individual achieves physical, intellectual, and emotional balance in their lives. My values incorporate the respect for human life; respect for truth; respect for privacy; respect for freedom and autonomy; respect for promises and commitments; concern for the weak, the vulnerable, or the helpless; and concern for gratitude and reparation.

Models of Practice

My practice and role as a consultant is based on a combination of Psychological Skills Training (PST) and Interdisciplinary Sport Science. PST is devoted to personal growth and performance enhancement through learning and developing psychological skills. These include foundational skills (volition, self-awareness, self-esteem, self-confidence), performance skills (optimal physical and mental arousal, optimal attention), and facilitative skills (interpersonal skills, lifestyle management). The interdisciplinary sport science model adheres to the belief that sports success or performance issues cannot be attributed to only psychological issues, but also physical, technical, tactical, and theoretical elements. My background and experience as a professional ice hockey goaltender, goaltending coach, and team assistant coach contribute to a more holistic approach to performance issues, based on direct experience and observation as an athlete, and knowing and considering most aspects of the client’s situation and needs. I know the position-specific situations, stresses and pressures faced by an ice hockey goaltender. Having this intimate relationship with the position allows me to understand and relate to goalie and coaching clients, and for them to quickly become comfortable with me as a consultant. I talk the talk and walk the walk. On occasion I also employ the Supervisory Consulting Model in which I work directly with coaches and trainers, teaching them psychological skills that they will utilize to meet specific needs of their athletes. Their intimate knowledge of their sport and direct access to their athletes sometimes puts them in the best position for PST intervention. As such, coaches are trained and supervised by me, the consultant, who also serves as a resource. I effectively employed the supervisory consulting model, in the 2014-16 seasons, with NHL goaltending coaches on specific psychological skills strategies for their goaltenders. Confidentiality is essential to working with celebrities, executives and elite athletes, and is observed to the greatest extent at all times.

Goals 

My intervention goals are grounded in my theoretical paradigm, and personal core beliefs and values. The number of possible intervention goals is as numerous as the variety of different problems encountered by a sport psychology consultant. Most common areas of intervention goals include performance enhancement, stress management, health and healthy lifestyle, rehabilitation after injury, exercise behavior change, personal growth/development, focus & concentration, emotion control, goal setting, team building, group cohesion, leadership, and organizational services, such as applying a sport psychology perspective to administrative decisions, gaining support for sport psychology service from the organization, fund-raising, etc. My intervention goals reflect my philosophy to empower my clients to be in control of their thought processes, play an active role in their own behavioral awareness, and assist them in modifying their thinking patterns in order to gain their desired results.

paradigms

My professional philosophy concerning behavioral change is grounded in the theoretical paradigms of the Cognitive-behavioristic and Humanistic models. Often, we are not disturbed by the events in our lives but rather by our perceptions and interpretations of those events. My role is to empower my clients to be in control of their thought processes, and thus play an active role in their own behavioral awareness and change. The focus of a cognitive-behavioral intervention is to modify the client’s thinking patterns. The humanistic aspect of my professional philosophy emphasizes an individual’s personal choice and the value of collaboration with the consultant. It emphasizes the individual’s freedom of choice, to make sense out of life’s events and circumstances. By examining an individual’s perception of their present circumstance, the consultant and client work together to promote the client’s responsibility, personal growth, and self-actualization.

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