Sport Psychology
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What is Sport Psychology?
Sport psychology is the study of how mental health influences sports and athletic performance. Sport psychologists provide care to help athletes overcome obstacles, recover from injuries, cope with external and internal pressures, and reach their full potential.
UR Medicine's Approach
Our research-based program is designed to help athletes of all ages and levels, elite performers such as dancers and musicians, and professionals such as coaches or leaders. It includes:
- A personal assessment, to learn about your personal values, challenges and goals.
- Goal setting and action plans to build the skills that are important to you.
- Peak performance strategies, including energy and stress management, self-talk, communication and resilience skills, and fundamental mindset skills.
The sport psychology program offers a variety of unique services for athlete mental health care, including:
Sport Performance Enhancement
Our team can help you develop mental skills to improve athletic performance, such as increasing focus, resilience, and confidence. We will provide you with the tools necessary for the best mental performance in sport.
Psychological Skills for Injury Recovery
Sometimes the biggest obstacle to your comeback from injury is mental health. The road back to your prime performance can be a challenge. We can help you stay focused during your rehabilitation and prepare you to return to competition.
Clinical Services for Athletes
Using individual therapy, a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) will address the off-field issues that impact your success in sports. Our team will address issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD that affect your on-field performance. Our team has the skills and experience to address the issues in daily life as well as an understanding of how to manage these issues in sport settings.
Post-Concussion Therapy for Athletes
Dealing with a concussion can be difficult. Our team can help you manage the emotional, physiological, and mental symptoms. We actively consult with the University of Rochester Sports Concussion Clinic to create the best treatment plan.
What Sets Us Apart?
As part of an academic medical center, we bring scientific and clinical expertise to our programs. That includes a science-based approach that keeps you on track with measurable progress.
Our performance team includes certified athletic trainers, physical therapists, dietitians, pain management specialists, psychologists, and orthopaedic physicians.
No matter what your goals are, we have the experience and knowledge to create a specific program based on your particular needs—safely and effectively.
Our Providers
Dr. Cypher is a Clinical and Sport Psychologist with UR Medicine Orthopaedics and Physical Performance. He is the only New York State Licensed Psychologist in the Greater Rochester area.