Improving Your Mental Game

<p>Sports psychiatry uses psychological neuroscientific and medical knowledge to address optimal performance and the well-being of athletes. The “mental game” refers not only to a mind that has been conditioned through mental skills training for optimal performance but also to a broader mindset that includes an awareness of psychosocial issues and mental conditions that potentially impact optimal performance.</p><p>In Improving Your Mental Game author Dr. Pamela Smith presents a practical concise and convenient pocket guide geared toward college and professional athletes coaches and athletic trainers. It covers a host of topics including:</p><p>• core psychological techniques for improving athletic performance such as imagery goal setting self-talk and relaxation;<br />• tips and exercises for managing focus negative self-talk pressure daily learning and growth commitment self-defeating distractions fear motivation riding the bench taking responsibility controlling emotions self-belief and confidence trust and consistency and pregame warm-up;<br />• psychosocial issues impacting performance such as team cohesion managing team conflict coping with injury and end of career issues;<br />• mental conditions associated with the competitive sports environment like anxiety depression substance abuse concussion and eating disorders;<br />• banned substances;<br />• athletes with disabilities; and<br />• brain health maintenance – i.e. sleep & nutrition for optimal brain & neuromuscular function.</p>