Holistic athlete, What does that mean?

Growing up playing sports I always thought being an athlete meant the sole act of being on a team and if you were no longer a part of a team the title left along with it. 

This idea takes away from all of the important things I learned along the way, the relationships that I gained, and the areas within myself in which I saw growth. The way in which being an athlete can translate over into other areas of life is not only beautiful but a point I believe could be touched on more. There is so much focus on things like missing free throws and field goals, the early morning lifts as punishment and running extra after practice to administer discipline. It can be hard not to feel like your identity is based on performance and that your skill level determines your worth. When we look at athletes in such a way we forget the wonderful “wins” that come along with being involved in a sport.

 

The wins are worth celebrating!

 

There are so many wonderful things that sports can teach us. How to have fun using our bodies, what our physical limitations are, how we can bend and stretch and adapt to all sorts of amazing circumstances. It is important to celebrate wins that don’t have to do with the score of a game or the time on the clock.

Wins:

 

• The body and mind at work in unison

• Communication skills

• HAVING FUN

• Learning your strengths

• Trying something difficult for the first time

• Expressing yourself

• Practicing something continuously

 

There are so many wins worth celebrating that we carry with us forever, whereas the score on the board fizzles out soon after. 

Be proud of yourself for taking on the challenge no matter the outcome.

Losses

I often wonder why there are so many physical trainers for sports teams yet you don’t often hear of a team therapist. Sometimes it is forgotten how in tune the body and the brain are. We all suffer losses throughout our lives outside of our sports, yet we are told to show up and play through some of life’s most difficult challenges. Having a place to explore our disappointments, challenges, losses, etc. is so important to remind ourselves that at the end of the day we are all human. Understanding more about our mind and hearts connection to a sport can help us cope through losses whether they are sport related or in the game of life.

Group therapy

Group therapy for athletes is a way to unwind, celebrate, grieve, express, etc. and to do so together. 

Camaraderie is a huge part of sports as we meet so many different people on our journey. 

It can feel important to relate to others and share in our wins and losses together. 

No matter what sport you love, if you currently practice, how long you’ve been doing it, you deserve to be celebrated as the athlete that you ARE! 

No one can ever take that away from you.

If you are interested in holistic athlete group therapy please email me at [email protected]