Webinar
Gray Zones and Guiding Principles: Ethics in Action for Mental Performance Consultants
1:00 - 2:15 pm Eastern
6:00 - 7:15 pm UTC
Speakers
Jack C. Watson II, PhD, CMPC, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Sommer Christie, PhD, CMPC, University of Ottawa
Overview
Ethical decision-making is a core competency for students and professionals working in all areas of sport and performance psychology. This webinar introduces attendees to the foundations of ethical reasoning and provides an overview of established decision-making frameworks used across the field. Building on this foundation, the session will guide participants through two case studies drawn from real-world practice. These cases will illustrate the practical application of one of the introduced models, showing how it can be used step-by-step to identify ethical issues, evaluate options, and determine appropriate courses of action.
This session is designed to be interactive and highly applicable for AASP members across roles and settings, including Certified Mental Performance Consultants® (CMPCs), mental health professionals, faculty, CMPC mentors, and graduate students preparing for applied work. Participants will leave with practical tools to enhance ethical reasoning, improve client care, and support professional integrity in diverse performance environments. Interactive discussion will encourage reflection and dialogue, making this webinar a valuable resource for both seasoned practitioners and those in training.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Identify and describe ethical decision-making models commonly used in sport and performance psychology, including their key components and guiding principles.
- Apply one of the introduced ethical decision-making models to real-world case studies to identify ethical dilemmas, evaluate options, and determine appropriate courses of action within sport and performance contexts.
- Analyze ethical challenges across diverse professional roles—including CMPCs, mental health practitioners, academic researchers, mentors, and students—by evaluating potential actions and their implications.
- Enhance professional judgment and ethical reasoning skills through interactive discussion and reflection, supporting responsible practice and adherence to AASP’s ethical standards.
CE Credit
This program has been approved by the Continuing Education Committee for 1.25 CEUs in the area of Ethics to partially meet the continuing education recertification requirement for Certified Mental Performance Consultants® (CMPC).
Program Format
You can attend an AASP webinar from your home or office. All you need is an internet connection. You can see the presentation slides on your computer or mobile device, and listen to the audio through your device, or call in with a phone. Registrants will be provided with login information the day prior to the session. The webinar will also be archived for those who wish to watch it at a later date.
Dr. Jack Watson serves as the Dean of the College of Health and Human Services at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he leads interdisciplinary initiatives that advance education, research, and community engagement in health and human performance. A licensed psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC), Dr. Watson brings three decades of experience in sport, exercise, and performance psychology, with a focus on ethical practice, mental skills training, and professional development.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Watson held faculty and administrative positions that spanned academic leadership, graduate education, and applied consulting at West Virginia University. His scholarly work includes over 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and 150 conference and invited presentations, with a primary focus on ethical decision making, supervision, and the integration of mental health and performance services in sport contexts. Dr. Watson also co-edited a textbook entitled Ethical Issues in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. He has mentored CMPC candidates, supervised graduate students, and collaborated with athletes, coaches, and organizations across competitive levels.
Dr. Watson is an active member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), where he serves as a current member of the ethics committee, is a past-president of the organization and former chair of this ethics committee. He was also heavily involved in the creation of the CMPC credential.
Dr. Sommer Christie is a sport psychology professor, scientist, and practitioner at the School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa. Her research specializes in performance psychology, applied mental performance, psychophysiology (biofeedback and neurofeedback), para-sport, culture, and safe sport. She leads the Sport Psychology and Psychophysiology Lab, where her work integrates evidence-based science with ethical, human-centred practice to enhance both performance and well-being.
A Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) and registered mentor, Dr. Christie has extensive consulting experience with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, coaches, professionals, musicians, surgeons, and performers. Her involvement in high-performance sport includes supporting athletes and teams at three Olympic Games and two Paralympic Games. She embodies a human-first approach grounded in ethical practice, respect, and collaboration.
Professor Christie also serves as the Lead of the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee for the Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA) and as a member of the Ethics Committee for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). She teaches ethics at the graduate level, emphasizing critical reflection, applied decision-making, and integrity in sport and performance contexts.
Her personal experience in high-performance sport includes competing as a National-level rugby player who represented Canada in two World Cups, the World University Games, and several international test matches. She was inducted into the Concordia University Sports Hall of Fame for her contributions to sport.
Registration
Students – $25.00
Members – $35.00
Non-members – $50.00
