Introducing Alicia
Introducing Alicia
Alicia is a provisionally registered psychologist completing her psychological internship at Focus Performance Psychology. This internship year follows 5 years of APAC accredited psychological study on the pathway to full general registration as a psychologist.
Intern Psychologists with FOCUS Performance Psychology engage in weekly supervision with Senior Psychologists,
- participate in specialised professional development programs
- and have daily contact with senior psychologists.
- Their treatment plans are discussed and reviewed regularly with their supervisor
- and they provide individual consultations at a reduced rate of $135 (however no medicare rebates)
Alicia has a long interest in both high performance and human behaviour –and enjoys working in partnership with individuals who seek to enhance their performance by attending to the mental side of their game.
With an extensive background in elite and professional sport, Alicia understands the pressures of high performing environments and understands both the challenges and triumphs it can present.
Alicia adopts a caring and friendly approach when working collaboratively with clients in the phases of setting behavioural goals, providing psychoeducation, and developing psychological skillsets tailored to their performance goals and needs.
It is Alicia’s hope that her work with clients will foster athlete independence in applying their new knowledge and skillsets to bring about improved performance and help reach their personal goals.
If you would like to make an appointment with Alicia please be in contact.
What is an intern psychologist?
In Australia, the term intern psychologist is used to describe a provisionally registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) who is undertaking a period of supervised practice to be eligible for general registration.
To achieve full registration as a psychologist in Australia, one must undertake a minimum of 4 years APAC accredited psychological study, by which time they may qualify for provisional status. At the end of 4th year of study, there are two pathway options to full registration:
- Complete a further two year post-graduate Masters program
OR
a fifth year of an accredited Masters program, plus a full year of psychological internship.
Small Group Mental Skills Sessions ( Cloned )
Small Group Mental Skills Sessions
Focus Performance Psychology is seeking expressions of interest for educational small group mental skills sessions about:
- Goal setting and motivation
- Concentration
- Managing nerves and anxiety, effective time management and utilising relaxation.
- Confidence and perfectionism.
Groups will be online and face to face.
Participants can form their own group, or can be placed in a small group with people similar interests.
If you would like to be contacted regarding participation in educational small groups, please contact us.
Getting Back into the Routine
Over the past 2 weeks, I have heard many people say that they are looking forward to getting back into a regular routine. They are talking about the regular routines of exercise, working, socialising, childcare and school. Many regular routines stop over the festive season and although many people enjoy a break from the usually, they seem to like it when their routines resume.
Routines are usually good for physical and mental health. Routines have many benefits including helping to reduce stress, enhance healthy behaviours, improve sleep, increase motivation, allow for regular social activity and assist with time management.
It can be useful to consider
Making regular routines for exercise, sleep, meals and socialising.
However, ensure routines are flexible and allow for changing circumstances, health and low energy levels.
Inflexible routines can increase stress.
If you are having trouble getting back into your routines, making routines or relying too much on routines to regular mood or stress, please be in touch.
New Year
The new year can be a time of renewal, but for most people there is also at least some element of stress.
Stress may come from
- being very busy,
- juggling priorities,
- stressful interactions with other people,
- being apart from significant others,
- reflecting on difficult events of the year,
- troubled relationships,
- disappointments,
- unmet goals or resolutions,
- imminent changes for the year ahead.
In the stress, it is important to find some moments of value and encouragement, even if small. These might include:
- welcoming caring gestures or comments from other people
- reminiscing on special memories
- being present in moments with special people
- noticing achievements, even if small
- taking time to appreciate nature, circumstances or people.
Remember as well as having a “New Year”, every day is also “new” and a time to think again about priorities.
Rest time?
Athletes often have a little time off training at this of year.
Do you struggle to take a rest period?
Do you have trouble motivating yourself after downtime?
If you struggle to take well-earned rest….
- Remind yourself that rest and recovery is essential for development and progression. Athletes need rest and recovery periods for their body and mind to function optimally. Rest and recovery periods help regulate emotions an behaviours as well as improving sleep and allowing a more complete physical repair.
- Remember that burn out will set you back. Relentless training leads to more illness, injury and physical and psychological tiredness. It can also lead to decreased ability to recognise physical and future psychological cues that the body needs a rest, thus making future illness and injury more likely and potentially more significant.
- Explore what you are missing when not taking time off and consider its value. Many athletes’ busy training schedules mean that they have little time for socialising, holidaying, and relaxing. Given balance is vital for a healthy lifestyle, taking time to do these things when able is essential for well-being. It also means athletes may feel more motivated to get through busy training loads when there is less time for these important things.
- When deliberating over a recommended rest period, consider the importance of the goals that lie ahead and make a wise decision.
If you struggle to get motivated after time off
- Set some small, achievable process goals for one week only, then review them. If you don’t achieve them, they were too big! Set some smaller ones for next week. If you do achieve them, set some slightly different ones for week 2.
If you need help allowing you self to take a rest period or getting motivated afterwards, please be in contact.
Social time of year
Many people have more social activities at this time of year compared to other times. Work Christmas parties, social Christmas parties, New Year Even events, family Christmas celebrations, Thanks Giving gatherings fill up the remaining weeks of the year. Social events can be an exciting change of routine, but they can also sometimes be tiring. People approach the social events at this time of year differently. Some fill their diaries with all the social events on offer, whilst others choose very carefully, perhaps even not attending events they would really enjoy. Those who thrive on social activity, probably feel their energy multiplying during these social times, those who prefer quieter experiences, may feel more exhausted at this particularly social time of year.
- All people benefit from keeping life balance. This means, ensuring adequate social engagements, rests, nutrition and exercise all year round. It is also important to respond to personal cues that more rest or activity is required.
- remember that people differ in social experiences. The needs of significant others around you, including your partner and children is warranted, as well as flexibility to adjust plans to best suit all involved if there is a mismatch.
- Being present in positive moments with the people you care about will help boost mood and form fond memories to reflect on in the year ahead.
Small Group Mental Skills Sessions
Small Group Mental Skills Sessions
Focus Performance Psychology is seeking expressions of interest for educational small group mental skills sessions about:
- Goal setting and motivation
- Concentration
- Managing nerves and anxiety, effective time management and utilising relaxation.
- Confidence and perfectionism.
Groups will be online and face to face.
Participants can form their own group, or can be placed in a small group with people similar interests.
If you would like to be contacted regarding participation in educational small groups, please contact us.
Mental health issues often develop gradually and there are a few signs that indicate that seeing a psychologist might be helpful.
Mental health issues often develop gradually and there are a few signs that indicate that seeing a psychologist might be helpful.
- Persistent Feelings of Sadness or Anxiety
If you feel down, hopeless, anxious, or overwhelmed more often than not, and these feelings last for weeks or months, it may be worth seeking help.
- Difficulty Managing Daily Tasks
If daily responsibilities at work, school, or home feel overwhelming, or if you’re constantly exhausted from coping, it could signal that you need support.
- Changes in Sleeping or Eating Patterns
Major disruptions in sleep (like insomnia or excessive sleeping) or changes in appetite (eating too little or too much) are often signs of stress, anxiety, or depression.
- Experiencing Major Life Changes or Trauma
Significant life events, like a loss, breakup, or moving to a new place, can trigger difficult emotions. If you’re struggling to cope or process these changes, a psychologist can help.
- Withdrawing from Friends and Family
If you find yourself isolating from others or losing interest in things you once enjoyed, this could be a sign of depression or anxiety.
- Feeling Out of Control or Having Mood Swings
Frequent mood swings or a feeling that emotions are hard to control may indicate an underlying mental health issue that a psychologist could help manage.
- Engaging in Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
If you’re relying on alcohol, drugs, or other risky behaviours to cope with stress, seeing a psychologist can provide healthier strategies.
- Having Thoughts of Self-Harm or Suicide
If you have any thoughts of self-harm or suicide, it’s critical to reach out to a mental health professional as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a crisis, lifeline can provide support by calling 131114. If your safety at risk, call 000.
- Experiencing Flashbacks or Anxiety Due to Past Trauma
If past traumas continue to affect you through flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or excessive worry, a psychologist can help process and work through these experiences.
Talking with a psychologist can be beneficial even if things feel manageable. Sometimes, a few sessions provide clarity, guidance, or just a safe place to talk. Taking this step is often a powerful move toward self-care and personal growth.
Overthinking
Overthinking can significantly impact both performance and happiness, often creating a negative cycle that affects many areas of life. Here’s a closer look at its effects:
- Impact on Performance
- Reduced Efficiency and Productivity: Overthinking causes people to dwell on decisions, leading to delays and indecision. This can make tasks take longer than necessary and lead to procrastination.
- Mental Fatigue: Continuously analysing and reanalysing choices and situations exhausts mental energy, reducing cognitive resources needed for actual task completion or creative thinking.
- Poor Decision-Making: Overthinking often focuses on potential problems or risks, which can cloud judgment and make it harder to choose the best course of action confidently.
- Increased Stress and Anxiety: When people overthink, especially on complex tasks, they may begin to doubt their abilities, leading to performance anxiety. This can decrease their actual performance due to heightened self-criticism and worry.
- Impact on Happiness
- Increased Anxiety and Stress: Constantly analysing situations and outcomes breeds worry, leading to stress and even physical symptoms of anxiety, such as tension and insomnia.
- Lowered Self-Esteem: Overthinking often leads to self-criticism, where a person may magnify their perceived failures or faults. This can chip away at self-confidence and self-worth over time.
- Decreased Satisfaction with Life: Instead of experiencing life’s moments, overthinking pulls people into past events or hypothetical scenarios, making it hard to appreciate the present and enjoy what they have.
- Social and Emotional Isolation: When people overthink, they may assume the worst in social interactions or fear judgment from others. This can lead to withdrawal, making it hard to connect deeply with others and harming their support systems.
Breaking the Cycle
Improving performance and happiness involves learning to manage overthinking. Techniques such as mindfulness, setting aside specific times for problem-solving, and focusing on action over analysis can help. Additionally, building habits that encourage self-compassion and positive thinking can prevent overthinking from taking over one’s mindset
Elite athlete pressure
Pressure
Intense pressure can lead to internal cognitive and emotional challenges. Despite extensive training, the demands of high-level competition can be overwhelming. Pressure can come from high expectations, fear of failure, public scrutiny, perfectionism, burnout, feeling out of control, identity fear of injury and more.
Elite athletes are often expected to perform at consistently high levels, and this pressure can inadvertently come from coaches, sponsors, fans, and even the athletes themselves. The fear of underperforming or failing to meet these expectations can create significant anxiety, leading to mental blocks and reduced performance.
The fear of failure can be heightened for elite athletes, if they feel that their reputation, career, and future opportunities are on the line. This fear can lead to a preoccupation with negative outcomes, which, in turn, affects their confidence and ability to perform under pressure.
Elite athletes often live in the public eye, with media, fans, and social platforms constantly scrutinizing their performances, behaviours, and personal lives. The pressure to maintain a positive public image while delivering on-field results can be overwhelming. A single mistake can be amplified by media coverage, adding to the stress.
Some elite athletes possess perfectionist tendencies, which can lead to excessive self-criticism. This mindset can create immense internal pressure, negatively impacting both mental health and performance.
External factors (such as weather, referee decisions, or opponents’ performance) will impact results, regardless of how well an athlete performs. This uncertainty can lead to frustration, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness, especially when athletes place high stakes on winning.
The physical and mental demands of training and competition can lead to physically and emotionally exhaustion. Constant pressure to perform, combined with intense training schedules, can decrease motivation and focus, making it harder to handle pressure when it matters most.
Many elite athletes tie their identity and self-worth to their success in their sport. When they perform well, they feel validated; when they don’t, they may experience deep emotional distress or a sense of inadequacy. This connection between self-esteem and performance makes pressure situations even more stressful. Elite athletes may sacrifice personal time, relationships, and other aspects of life to focus on their sport. This imbalance can contribute to feelings of isolation or loss of autonomy, leading to increased stress. Without healthy outlets to manage pressure and a balanced identity, they may struggle with mental health.
Injuries are a common part of sports, and elite athletes often face the pressure to return to their pre-injury form as quickly as possible. The fear of re-injury or not being able to compete at the same level can lead to anxiety, hesitation, and a lack of confidence, which in turn affects their performance under pressure.
At the elite level, the stakes are incredibly high. Olympic medals, championship titles, and endorsements are all on the line, and the consequences of falling short of the goal can feel devastating. The enormity of the stakes can weigh heavily on an athlete’s mind, leading to pressure-related performance issues like “choking.”
To find out more about what you can do to reduce pressure, contact us.