Photo of Kristin Aguado, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in Columbus, OH
Kristin Aguado
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNPBC
Verified Verified
Columbus, OH 43219
"There is no limit to what you can imagine. And with commitment, with effort, what you can imagine you can become. Put your mind to work for you. Believe that you can do it. The world will tell you that you can’t. Yet, in your belief you’ll find the strength, you’ll find the ability, to do it anyway”. ~Ralph Marston~ Kristin is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner in Specialties of Psychiatry and Family Practice. She has strong expertise and experience in diagnosing and treating a wide array of medical, addiction, and mental health conditions for patients of all ages, within both inpatient and outpatient settings.
"There is no limit to what you can imagine. And with commitment, with effort, what you can imagine you can become. Put your mind to work for you. Believe that you can do it. The world will tell you that you can’t. Yet, in your belief you’ll find the strength, you’ll find the ability, to do it anyway”. ~Ralph Marston~ Kristin is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner in Specialties of Psychiatry and Family Practice. She has strong expertise and experience in diagnosing and treating a wide array of medical, addiction, and mental health conditions for patients of all ages, within both inpatient and outpatient settings.
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Sports Performance Psychiatrists

How does sports psychology work?

Sports psychology helps athletes identify and overcome challenges, such as perfectionism or a fear of failure, and improve key mental skills, such as confidence or concentration. By applying principles and techniques from psychology, such as goal-setting, visualization, positive self-talk, and emotion regulation, sports psychologists help athletes improve their performance on the field and their well-being overall.

How long does treatment for a sports-related problem take?

The duration of sports psychology treatment depends on the athlete’s individual challenges, goals, the complexity of the interventions used, and even on the length of the season. A performance anxiety issue may be treated with a short-term treatment, like Cognitive behavioural therapy, while issues such as depression, substance abuse, or severe anxiety may require longer-term treatments.

How effective is treatment for sports performance problems?

Sports psychology has been shown to improve performance and help athletes manage their emotions. Sports psychology can be effective in boosting performance, team dynamics, and injury rehabilitation. Over the past decade, nearly every professional sports team in every major sport has added a sports psychologist to its staff. Many colleges have done the same, and even some high school programs have done the same. Olympic hopefuls may consult with sports psychologists starting in elementary school.

What are the limitations of sports psychology?

Sports psychology may have several limitations. Every athlete is unique and may respond differently to sports psychology treatments. Therapy can help an athlete reach their potential; it can help athletes cope with injury and pain, but it cannot change the physical limitations that may be affecting an athlete’s performance.