Adjustment Counseling
The demands of life and sport can impact overall performance, motivation, focus, and ultimately enjoyment of athletics. Feelings of loss and confusion often accompany life transitions such as changes in coach, aging out of competition, sport transitions to higher as well as lower levels of competition/participation, and sport termination. Relationship difficulties (interpersonal, coaching, teammates etc.) can impair focus and ultimately impact performance.
Student athletes face transitions and challenges that impact identity, self-esteem, and feelings of competence. The transition from high school to college athletics may come with unanticipated pressures, demands, and new competitive skill levels. The conflict of student and athlete roles can create issues in effective time management, social and relational problems, academic difficulties, and significant stress.
Retiring from competitive sport is also a difficult transition for many. Existential issues and lack of preparation to take on other roles and can result in feelings of grief and loss including the loss of a major part of one’s identity.
Reactions to aging and the inevitable decline of skills and capabilities is a transition that can have significant emotional impact. Depending on the sport, this phenomenon can even start at what would be considered a young age. How one approaches this transition can impact motivation and enjoyment of sport as well as ones overall well-being.
Why Adjustment Counseling?
Adjustment counseling can assist in identifying, managing and resolving emotional, behavioral, or relationship difficulties that affect performance and the overall enjoyment of sport and life in general. Issues include but are not limited to: