Sport Psychology FAQ

What is a Sport Psychologist?

A Sport Psychologist is a qualified professional who helps athletes improve mental performance or mental health. In many (but not all) countries, the title of psychologist is protected by law. Anyone who calls themselves one must have completed a suitable qualification and undergone extensive supervised training. They are then legally licensed to call themselves a psychologist. In the case of a sport psychologist, that masters or doctorate is normally in the area of sport, exercise or performance psychology.

What is a Mental Skills Coach?

A Mental Skills Coach (sometimes "mental performance coach") helps athletes develop the mental skills needed to perform consistently well in competition. While some of the techniques they use may be similar to a sport psychologist, they are not psychologists and cannot act as a counsellor on mental health issues. A mental performance coach may however have other valuable experience (such as having competed at a high level in your exact sport) that can help you to achieve better performance.

Regardless of whether you choose to work with a qualified sport psychologist or a mental skills coach, please remember to always verify their background, qualifications and experience of the person you choose to work with first.

What are some examples of Mental Training Techniques?

A Sport Psychologist or Mental Skills Coach can work with an individual athlete to identify techniques that will help that athlete to improve their performance. Some examples of techniques that are commonly used include:

What skills are improved with Mental Skills Training?

When working with individual athletes, a Sport Psychologist or mental skills coach will normally offer an initial assessment to identify an athlete’s strengths and areas for improvement, followed by a training plan to help each athlete develop skills that will benefit them in their specific sport. Skills to be worked on can include:

How do Sport Psychologists work with teams and organisations?

Sport Psychologists and Mental Skills Coaches may also engage with coaches and other leaders at an organisational level to help establish a high performance culture and to teach coaches about mental performance techniques. Examples of areas addressed here include:

What mental health issues do sport psychologists work with athletes on?

Athletes do not necessarily have a mental health issue simply because they are working with a sport psychologist. Often they are simply looking to identify new ways to improve their sporting performance. However, should the need arise, a registered sport psychologist is qualified to engage with athletes on mental health issues (a Mental Skills Coach is not).

While engaging in sport and exercise is generally understood to improve overall mental and physical health, a number of mental health issues have been identified as being high risk for highly competitive athletes, including:

Working with a sport psychologist can also be helpful for athletes at key moments during their career, for example when recovering from serious injury or when transitioning to a new career.

Is it necessary to have a mental health issue to work with a sport psychologist?

No. Sport psychologists regularly work with athletes who are looking to improve overall performance and who have no mental health concerns.

How do I become a Sport Psychologist?

The specific requirements to become a registered sport psychologist vary from country to country, but most require a similar career training path including the following 4 steps:

1. Complete an undergraduate degree in psychology.
2. Complete a postgraduate degree (masters or doctorate) in sport psychology.
3. Undertake a supervised training period which can vary in duration. Some countries allow you to take a provisional title such as “Sport Psychologist In Training” during this time.
4. Register with your national governing body as a sport psychologist.

Where do I find a Sport Psychologist or Mental Skills Coach to work with?

Use the Sport Psych Finder on this site. Your national organisation may also have a list of qualified sport psychologists it keeps updated. These are listed on the Organisations page.