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AASP Newsletter - September 2019

Beyond Borders: Taking the International Scientific Field of Sport and Exercise Psychology Forward at FEPSAC 2019

Shameema Yousuf

Shameema Yousuf, MSc, MEd, MBACP, CMPC, HCPC Regd, Empower2Perform, UK & Zimbabwe

FEPSAC, the European Federation of Sport Psychology, celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2019 FEPSAC Congress held from July 15-20 in Muenster, Germany. Participants from 63 countries around the world, representing all continents, were in attendance to share the latest in scientific research to practice. 

AASP was invited to feature a symposium at the event. This session was chaired by Amy Baltzell (also a presenter) and accompanied by AASP member presentations from Göran Kenttä, Courtney Hess, Shameema ‘Shams’ Yousuf, and Kristen Dieffenbach. In this symposium, AASP members offered a range of theoretical perspectives and ways in which they embody theory to practice in their applied practice, including:

  1. The role of the educational sport psychology consultant regarding theories of professionalism, adult learning (e.g., Knowles, 1980; Mezirow, 2000) and, ultimately, development of coaches (ICCE, 2013);
  2. The concept of vulnerability (Brown, 2012) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) applied to high-performance coaches (Lundqvist, Ståhl, Kenttä, & Thulin, 2018);
  3. The use of growth mindset (Dweck, 2006) and evidence-based mindfulness and acceptance approaches in athlete performance (e.g., Bernier, Thienot, Codron, & Fournier, 2009; Gardner & Moore, 2004, 2006);
  4. The use of team-based approaches in sport injury and rehabilitation to improve return-to-sport outcomes (Hess et al., 2019); and
  5. An examination of the development and application of a mindfulness (Kabat-Zinn, 2004) self-compassion intervention (Germer & Neff, 2012), Mindful Meditation for Sport (Baltzell & Summers, 2018) for high-level performers. 

As we continue to evolve in applied sport psychology, it is increasingly important for practitioners to conceptualize their work through a scientific approach to ensure evidential ethical practice in their domain. Practices without evidential scientific rigor may reduce the effectiveness of their interventions as well as credibility of the field. As such, applied practitioners are encouraged to develop applied frameworks that intellectualize theory to science and practice.

In his opening keynote, Brett Smith addressed the need for research in sport and exercise psychology to go beyond the same areas of interest to avoid stagnation. His address highlighted and encouraged those in the field to explore possibilities in qualitative research methods, physical activity promotion and sedentariness, and sport psychology as an opportunity for enabling social justice – a topic that has been at the focus of many AASP initiatives like the recently created Diversity & Inclusion Council.

International Roundtable Discussion on Certification

As the field of sport and exercise psychology continues to evolve internationally, one topical roundtable discussion considered different pathways to becoming accredited in the field. It was apparent from the roundtable that the various pathways vary quite extensively and there is no homogeneity across the globe. AASP, with the new CMPC® certification was highlighted as a rigorous model, although questions around who can be a supervisor were raised. Chris Harwood, representing the International Society for Sport Psychology (ISSP), suggested there is a difference between being a supervisor and a mentor, highlighting the need for supervisors to go through some form of training themselves. Amy Baltzell, representing AASP at the roundtable, responded that any CMPC® could supervise, though there is a requirement for supervisors to have gained the relevant CPD mentorship credits. In his response, Chris highlighted the difference between mentorship and supervision, where the former assumes that the trainee has some form of prior training. Chris Harwood, as Chair of the ISSP Accreditation Committee, highlighted the challenges of bringing everyone to the same level of competency and that what was required was for those qualified to be trained as supervisors.

What was evident from this roundtable was that collaborations between international organizations going forward can only help to support each other in formulating rigorous accreditation pathways and lend credibility to the field by ensuring that those who practice, are competent to do so. In addition, with competency achieved at a certain level, there will likely be more recognition and homogeneity achieved across international organizations.

Powerful Professional Burnout Panel

One of the most powerful panel sessions for me personally was a panel featuring Stiliani ‘Ani’ Chroni, Vana Hutter, and Tatiana Ryba with each revealing their signature experiences of professional burnout. This session was chaired by Göran Kenttä who introduced and moderated the Q&A session. Three highly successful and established leading sport psychologists in our field invited us into their lives. Those of us present were extremely privileged to share their space, where they courageously revealed their vulnerability. They highlighted the challenges and difficulties that led to burnout, including being high achievers paired with a transnational professional, juggling commitments with responsibilities as professionals, mothers, daughters, friends, and/or partners. Indeed, the common thread appeared to be that professionally they are all very capable, high-achieving individuals managing many projects at once in the presence of prolonged stressors. While the stressors varied for each individual, it was clear they were all competently managing far more than a full-time job.

Although the panel included three women who are senior leaders in our field, it was clear from shared experiences of those in the audience that professional burnout is not gendered, nor is it experienced only by those well-established in their careers. Thus, we ought to be careful not to generalize about who might experience burnout. The questions we must ask as a field: How well are we caring for ourselves? Do we prioritize the importance of our own well-being and pay attention to self-care? Are we surrounded by people who have our best interests at heart? How are we supporting each other in the field? Do we recognize that it is okay to be perfectly imperfect? Do we appreciate that just because we are trained to support others with various techniques, we are neither immune nor completely resilient to mental health challenges? In essence, do we recognize that we are human like all in the public domain and engage in self-compassion?

The strength of the session was truly based on the way the panel members openly shared their experiences, the way the participants engaged with presence, and the way the panel members responded mindfully during a Q&A. This contributed to the warm and caring perception of the unique session as a whole. I am so pleased to hear that there will be a similar panel mirrored at AASP’s Annual Conference this year. For those who are planning to be in Portland, I recommend attending with an open heart and compassionate presence – the courage to share openly called out to this panel’s strength and kindness for themselves and others.

AASP CE Credits Available

The FEPSAC Congress program was not only content-rich but provided attendees with opportunities to gain credits with international organizations such as AASP, APA, and the German Society for Sport Psychology. These pre-arranged credits also highlighted the effective way in which international sport psychology organizations can collaborate inclusively to ensure homogeneity in educational and professional development standards while providing transnational professionals with opportunities to develop away from their initial training ground and affiliated organization’s conference. 

To sum up, FEPSAC 2019 provided a forum in which students, researchers, applied practitioners, and academics could convene to discuss the latest scientific approaches, the future of the field, gain knowledge, and network while enjoying the historical and cultural offerings of the University City of Muenster. These forums enable our field to evolve and help individuals think about the gaps in research to be explored. The next Congress will be in Padua, Italy and in addition to the charm, good food, and beautiful surroundings that the city will have to offer, I have no doubt that FEPSAC will deliver on scientific content and organization efficiency at their next congress. 

Now, we look forward to inviting all members and guests from around the globe to AASP’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon next month, where participants will also have opportunities to learn from panels, symposia, roundtable discussions, poster sessions, workshops, and keynote lectures, while networking with a diverse group of people in a unique city.

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