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Q
&
A
WI TH
DR. GARY BENNET T
SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST
Q: How important is it for you to be a part of the everyday
lives of student-athletes?
I believe one of the reasons our psychological services have been so
well utilized is because our student-athletes see me in their everyday
lives—at practice, in the weight room, and just around the facilities.
I think this helps reduce some anxiety about going to “see the
psychologist.” In other settings, like a campus counseling center, a
clinician may see a client once every two weeks for an appointment.
I don’t think that approach would be as successful working in an
Athletics Department setting.
Q: How important is your field in working with the student-
athletes as part of a total health program?
Part of the mission of this office is to be part of a larger approach
to health. Including strength and conditioning, nutrition, and sports
medicine, the sport psychology program is a part of a larger model
designed to help student-athletes be successful in their sport, in the
classroom, and in their overall lives.
Q: What is your typical day like during the academic year?
Every day is a little different. I usually see somewhere between 10-15
athletes for individual sessions. The content of those sessions varies
from strictly performance issues, to stress or adjustment issues, to
more serious concerns like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Depending on the semester, I will meet with 1-2 teams a week
focusing more on team-building and performance enhancement. I am
also involved in other initiatives within the Department including The
Leadership Institute and other committees such as the Substance
Abuse Committee and the Nutrition and Performance Committee
which all meet regularly.
Q: How difficult is it to deal with multiple sports in a single
day?
While the logistical aspects of different sports can be widely different,
the psychological demands across sports are very similar: dealing
with adversity, proper focus, energy management, confidence.
While I don’t always understand all the physical demands of a
particular sport, addressing the common psychological challenges
is something I feel very comfortable doing.
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