This is my inaugural post!
As introduction to my new blog, my name is Lisa Schieffelin and I am a Sport Psychotherapist. What is that? I would say it is an integrative psychotherapeutic approach to providing relief from trauma symptoms using specific sport activity to help the client gain better control and appreciation of their physical abilities to help them control and manage their thoughts, emotions and actions. Depending on the needs of the client, or the community, this can be a one-on-one, team, or combination treatment approach. This approach is meant to help the client endure the rigors of trauma treatment, and to learn how to self-regulate their bodies and minds over time and with success. This approach uses the same principles that elite athletes are taught in order to manage aggression, timidity, anxiety, repressive coping and integrating the body and mind.
I would like to use this blog as a method to create a dialogue with others interested in this kind of work and offer my ideas about integrative theory, interventions, research, assessment tools, treatment plans and professional development. I hope others will join me in a robust dialogue.
I plan to offer an “Intervention of the Week” series that will try to address different client populations and different physical abilities. I will offer some of my own, but will be happy to put some thought into how to help your clients should you be inclined to inquire.
I expect (and hope!) my thinking and methods will evolve through this process and I am excited to get going.
So, welcome to Lisa the Sport Therapist!