Teaching Consulting Philosophies to Neophyte Sport Psychologists: Does It Help, and How Can We Do It?

Abstract

The consulting philosophy underlying a sport psychologist's approach is often specified as a determining factor in the effectiveness of the support offered. In this paper one method of introducing neophyte (undergraduate/graduate) sport psychologists to these important constructs is overviewed and critiqued. The range of different consulting philosophies is broadly categorized onto a continuum from ‘practitioner-led’ to ‘client-led’ and this is used to anchor students’ reasoning and consideration as they engage with the subject matter. It is noted that while understanding coaching philosophies is believed to be important, research examining whether it improves practitioner effectiveness would be timely and informative.

KEYWORDS:

• consulting philosophy
• professional development
• training
• supervision