ENHANCEMENT OF PEAK PERFORMANCE IN
SPORTS,
PERFORMANING ARTS AND WORK
ENHANCING PERFORMANCE ONCE THE SKILLS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED USUALLY INVOLVES RESOLVING PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERFERENCES AND REVERSALS. HERE ARE THREE EXAMPLES:
(THE NAMES AND IDENTIFYING INFORMATION HAS BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF MY CLIENTS.)
THE SWIMMER: THIS CLIENT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH JUMPING THE GUN AT MEETS. THE ANXIETY OF THE SITUATION WAS INTERFERING WITH HIS TIMING, AND HE KEPT THINKING ABOUT BEING DISQUALIFIED. AFTER ONE SESSION OF TREATMENT HE WAS NEVER AGAIN FACED WITH THE ANXIETY OF JUMPING THE GUN; AND HE WAS ABLE TO WIN SOME RACES.
THE GOLFER: THIS CLIENT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY ON THE FIRST TEE WITH THE GALLERY OF PEOPLE THAT WATCHED HIM. THE ANXIETY RESULTED IN MANY POOR SHOTS OFF THE FIRST TEE, YET HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE 300 YARDS WITH HIS DRIVER OFF OTHER TEES. AGAIN AFTER IDENTIFYING THE THOUGHTS AND BODY SENSATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM; WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE ANXIETY TO THE POINT THAT HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE FIRST TEE WAS HIS BEST OF THE WHOLE GAME--EXCEEDING THE DISTANCES OF OTHER DRIVES.
THE BASKETBALL PLAYER: THIS CLIENT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY TAKING SHOTS AND DRIVING TOWARD THE BASKET. MANY DIFFERENT COGNITIONS WERE COMING TO MIND AS HE DROVE FOR LAYUPS AND TOOK LONG SHOTS. THESE THOUGHTS WERE INTERFERING WITH HIS TIMING. AFTER THREE SESSIONS HIS DRIVING DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED ALONG WITH HIS THREE POINT SHOTS. HE HAD THE BEST SEASON OF HIS CAREER.
THE ACTOR: SHE WAS FINDING THAT HER AUDITIONS WERE BEING SABOTAGED BY SOMETHING WHICH SHE COULD NOT IDENTIFY. AUDITIONING IN FRONT OF FRIENDS OR PEERS CAUSED NO PROBLEMS. HER ACTING COACH REPORTED SHE WAS THE BEST IN HER CLASS, YET SHE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO LAND A PART FOR THE PAST YEAR. AFTER IDENTIFYING COGNITIONS AND BODY SENSATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HER AUDITIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THE BLOCK AND WITHIN SIX WEEKS SHE WAS OFFERED TWO SUITABLE PARTS.
THE STUDENT: ALTHOUGH HE WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY INTELLIGENT, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE HIS ABILITIES BECAUSE OF TEST ANXIETY. HE WOULD KNOW THE MATERIAL THE NIGHT BEFORE AN EXAM, YET "CHOKE" AND DO POORLY ON THE EXAM. AFTER THE FIRST THERAPY SESSION HE REPORTED IMPROVEMENT; AFTER THE SECOND SESSION, HE REPORTED THAT NEITHER ANXIETY NOR "CHOKING" WERE A PROBLEM DURING EXAMS ANY LONGER.