Dr. Mitch Greene, a licensed clinical and sport psychologist, discusses managing mind chatter in athletes. He reveals how confidence isn't essential for success and offers strategies for handling negative self-talk. The podcast explores normalizing mental health discussions in sports and emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help to navigate uncertainties and pressures in competitive environments.
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Quick takeaways
Confidence isn't essential for athletic success; managing mind chatter is crucial for peak performance.
Endurance sports require mental strength to overcome obstacles and excel in competitions.
Connecting personal experiences with clients enhances empathy and support in sports psychology interventions.
Deep dives
Dr. Mitch Green's Transition from Clinical Psychology to Sports Psychology
Dr. Mitch Green, a clinical psychologist with a background in working with kids and families, transitioned into sports psychology after being intrigued by a professional baseball player's struggles. Despite initial success as a clinician, Dr. Green felt a calling to help athletes facing mental blocks and performance issues.
Endurance Sports and Mental Strength
Dr. Green, an endurance sports performer, emphasizes the importance of mental strength in endurance sports. He shares his personal experience of overcoming mind chatter during his first triathlon, highlighting the significance of managing mental obstacles in achieving peak performance.
Importance of Empathy in Sports Psychology Practice
Dr. Green underscores the value of personal experiences in connecting and empathizing with clients. He discusses how his daughter's struggles as a college athlete influenced his understanding of athletes' mental challenges and enhanced his ability to relate to and support his clients effectively.
Normalization of Mental Health Conversations in Sports
Dr. Green reflects on the evolving landscape of mental health discussions in sports and highlights the positive impact of athletes opening up about their struggles. He emphasizes the importance of normalizing conversations around mental health to help athletes seek support and improve their mental well-being.
Mind Chatter Management and Courage in Sports
Dr. Green introduces the concept of 'mind chatter' and its impact on athletes' performance. He advocates for managing chatter through practices like acknowledging and making room for it. Additionally, he stresses the significance of choosing courage over confidence, guiding athletes to take bold actions despite their doubts and fears.
I’m delighted to speak to licensed clinical and sport psychologist, Dr Mitch Greene in this week’s episode. Mitch is Adjunct Instructor in Temple University’s College of Public Health. He completed his PhD in clinical psychology and worked in family therapy before moving into sport psychology. He is now the sport psychology consultant to several athletic departments, endurance coaches and national race series.
Mitch has written a fantastic book from his time both as a sport psychologist and an athlete himself entitled “Courage over Confidence: Managing Mind Chatter and Winning the Mental Game”. In the book, Mitch explodes one of the field’s most common and malicious myths - that confidence is a prerequisite for athletic success. Stating that the evidence shows that most athletes find it nearly impossible to sustain positive thinking when their minds are riddled with mind chatter - that unwelcome, doom and gloom self-conversation that crops up in high-stakes competitions. Chatter-filled athletes will excel in practice but struggle to perform on game day and they will fear the stakes of losing despite having trained to compete at their best. The clear instructions in Courage over Confidence provide guidance for managing mind chatter and a method for “joining forces” with that negative voice rather than battling it. With courage over confidence, good players can learn to become great competitors.
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