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About My Interest in Psychology

Psychology as a whole really intrigues me, but the branch of psychology that I will be focusing on is sports and exercise psychology. This branch of psychology deals with helping athletes by using psychological principals to achieve their greatest mental health, as well as to improve their athletic performance. It accomplishes these things by allowing people to get a better grasp of how participation in sports, exercise and physical activity affects an individuals psychological development, health and personal well-being through out their lives. This branch is used mainly with helping coaches and professional athletes in their pursuit to improve their performances and increase motivation. Since sports and exercise psychology puts its emphasis on athletic excellence and psychological strengths, a greater understanding of it really helps coaches, physical therapist, and athletes in their careers.
The education and training that is required for sports and exercise psychology is a master's or doctorate degree in clinical psychology, sports psychology, or counseling. As a graduate or post-graduate one will complete coursework in exercise science, kinesiology and clinical psychology. As well as they will complete a one year internship. After complete the education and training that is required, one can get a job as a coach, athletic trainer, physical therapist, or a psychologist with an organization. Two psychologist that are prominent in the field of sports and exercise psychology are Norman Triplett and Coleman Griffith. Triplett is credited with conducting the first study on athletic performance in 1898. Griffith is known as the father of sports psychology because he developed the sports psychology laboratory, as well as he wrote two books on the topic.  
The reason that I am interested in this field is because I want to be a physical therapist one day. I want to be a physical therapist because I have had to have physical therapy a couple times, as well as many of my friends and family, and the impact that it had on their healing process was huge. As a physical therapist, I want to be able to have a great impact in helping athletes grow to their greatest potential.



Sources:
http://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/about/resources/what-is.aspx
https://www.verywell.com/major-branches-of-psychology-4139786
https://study.com/articles/Sports_Psychology_Career_Information_and_Education_Requirements.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/sport-psychology

Comments

  1. Hi Jessica! I just wanted to say your blog layout is fantastic, and I really enjoyed hearing your story of why this field interests you! It excites me that you want to be a Physical Therapist, because I that's what I want to do as well. :) It is such a great thing to be able to mends the wounds of others and give them the ability to, as an athlete, do what they love once more. I don't play sports and don't have the same experiences that you had for choosing this career path, but I know we love it because we are able to give back to our community and make the world a better place to live in. I hope to maybe get to now you more as the semester goes by, and maybe see you in the PT program four years from now!!

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  2. Great post! I'm glad you are interested in Sports Psychology. You will do great in this field. Physical Therapy is right up your alley. You will be able to show off what you know with all of the experience in your past years with sports and other things. You got this! Keep working hard! Whatever you do, do as for the Lord, and not for men. Colossians 3:23

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