Sports Psychology

So I have been playing with the idea of getting a degree in Sports Psychology. There are a few DL Masters/PhD programs around and I'll probably get around to listing them somewhere in this thread. But we also have been discussing NAB, IUGS, Metaphysics and how people with these "grey area Psychology degrees" manage to operate within the law. Here's what they do in the world of Sports Psychology . . . they don't do therapy, they don't do counseling, no. They are "consultants." They might consult to schools, specific teams, or specific athletes but it's a consultancy service that they provide, not therapy. I mention this because I can't think of any reason someone in one of these "grey areas" couldn't also operate as a "Psychological Consultant" and thereby slip under the radar of state/governmental regulators.

What Does A Sport Psychology Consultant Do? - Article by Bill Cole

 

Yeah, so here's one

https://www.rockies.edu/degrees/psyd-sport-performance-psychology.htm

a Masters program

https://www.argosy.edu/locations/online/counseling-psychology-and-social-sciences-4/master-of-arts-in-sport-exercise-psychology

I believe there are some British programs as well.

 

You are right, sports psychology is not regulated in most places. I don't see a need to get a Masters degree to practice in this area but just training. A master's degree would only be required if you want to teach this subject at the University level. I received a coupon once for the school below for a diploma under 100 dlls:

Sports Psychology Course in Dubai, Ireland, UK | Psychology Academy

Training is all you need, as you will be freelancing, it is all about marketing yourself.

 

To practice as a credible, legitimate Sports Psychologist at the doctoral level one needs to obtain either a regionally accredited doctorate in Sports Psychology or Sports Science, or a foreign equivalent. Someone in one of the "grey areas" will not be looked upon as a credible Psychological Consultant". In terms of slipping under the radar of state/governmental regulators, it may be possible but not advisable.

The Association for Applied Sports Psychology, which is the top association representing professionals in this field, has very stringent course and experiential requirements to obtain standard membership in this field, including a heavy emphasis on regional accredited course work (or its foreign equivalent) in clinical/counseling psychology or mental health counseling courses as well as sports science. An NAB doctorate would not meet this criteria whatsoever.

In terms of consultancy, in fact the professional in this field is a consultant BUT is often performing counseling/therapy with athletes and is the basis for the APA and the association noted above requiring doctoral level coursework in clinical/counseling Psychology or mental health counseling.

One can obtain a masters in this field as well but are not perceived as possessing the high level skill sets as one with a doctorate.

 

I dispute everything you've said except this last part which is pretty much common sense.

 

It's not a matter of what I said but the skill sets and course and experiential requirements delineated by the association for Applied Sports Psychology and APA, as noted above, to practice as a Sports Psychologist.

 

The APA is irrelevant and the "requirements" by professional associations only applies if you are a member.

 

In regard to the article by Bill Cole, please note that the list of personal issues that he indicates the Sports Psychologist may encounter and deal with in athletes, in many cases, does not meet the criteria for consultancy, but personal/mental health issues of athletes, requiring counseling/therapy (Cole uses the term coaching, which in some situations may be appropriate while in others may require a more in depth counseling intervention).

 

May, or may not.

 

Please note that that the majority of legitimate graduate schools offering Sports and Performance Psychology graduate degrees note that their programs meet the criteria for membership in such professional organizations as the Association for Applied Sports Psychology. This is due to the fact that this reputable organization sets the standards for professional practice in this profession as well as the codes of professional ethics that guides their practice. Without these standards one' credibility and marketability is very highly questionable.

 

Yes, may or may not but due to the fact that many of the issues that Bill Cole notes may be encountered in athletes by a Sports Psychologist does not fit the term consultancy but of counseling/therapy intervention.

 

In your opinion

 

Yes, my opinion as a senior clinician in mental health.

 

Who are you senior to?

 

If you wish to " dispute" the info I provided please do so. I'm looking forward to hearing your specific feedback. Also please note that if one wishes to practice without abiding by the standards for professional practice established by the representative professional organization that oversees the practice of this field, I wish them the best.

FYI, "senior" means possessing advanced academic and professional credentials beyond possessing a graduate degree, as well as many years of experience, including significant supervisory background.

 

I don't know the regulations in the US but I happen to work with one person that practices in Canada, he advertises himself as a sports psychology consultant and practices biofeedback, stress management, diet, etc. He is registered as a naturopath that allows you to practice as a sports consultant and give receipts. He has a degree in biology but most of his training comes from unaccredited sources.

I don't think sports psychology is regulated in the US but might be wrong. As you will be working as an independent, there is no need to provide a degree qualification to an employer but have the ability to be insured and supply receipts. If an association can do this for you and allows you to use the title "Sports consultant", this should be enough to cover yourself legally.

IBAM includes Sports psychology as part Kinesiology so training in this area might help you to become a "Sports" Consultant.

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You might argue that a PhD is required, that you need to be member of a Psychologist association, etc but what happens in reality is a different thing. If no regulation forbids you to practice it, you will find plenty of people working in this field with no University education as long as they can attract customers and show them that they can issue receipts for insurance purposes and have a malpractice insurance for the service they offer in case someone decides to sue them.

 

OK well, as you know, the two fields are quite different. Different degrees, different regs, different laws, different standards, different professional organizations and so your seniority in one field doesn't automatically translate into any superior knowledge of the other. You may be right about some of what you've said but it seems to me that much of it is based on 1) speculation, 2) assumptions and 3) your own experience - which may not be particularly relevant. So I appreciate that you've expressed your opinions here and I wish you the best.

 

"Here's what they do in the world of Sports Psychology . . . they don't do therapy, they don't do counseling , no. They are "consultants." They might consult to schools, specific teams, or specific athletes but it's a consultancy service that they provide, not therapy. I mention this because I can't think of any reason someone in one of these "grey areas" couldn't also operate as a "Psychological Consultant" and thereby slip under the radar of state/governmental regulators."



The statement above is misleading. While consultancy is a part of what Sport Psychologists do, they are trained to identify psychopathology and provide counseling/psychotherapy, when and if necessary. These are not separate, distinct skill sets, but required skills of the Sports Psychologist.

This fact is supported by Bill Cole, whose article you refer to in your original post, who in addition to a degree in Sports psychology, emphasizes his extensive clinical training, which is intrinsically tied with the profession of Sports Psychology as follows:

"Bill is also a graduate of Santa Clara University with a Masters of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology. That degree included formal academic and clinical training. Bill has done additional graduate studies in Clinical Psychology at the Western Graduate School of Psychology and in Psychology at the University of California Santa Cruz. He received post graduate training in clinical and medical hypnosis".

To suggest that if one has a degree from a school in one of these "grey areas" and could operate as a "Psychological Consultant" and thereby slip under the radar of state' governmental radar, is not accurate. Once one uses the term "Psychology" in their professional titles, in whatever form or variation, they are subject to scrutiny by their respective professional state board for misrepresentation to the public as functioning as a psychologist and can be in legal trouble, either from their state board or if a client brings charges against them for misrepresentation.

If you hold that the points noted above are incorrect, please provide substantive feedback that accurately disputes the points noted above, other than speculation, your opinion or assumptions.

 

With all your priggishness you are totally missing the point.

I'm sure that the vast majoring of people practicing Sports Psychology have appropriate training and credentials. There are always outliers. I think that IUGS and others in the same category exist in the grey area between legitimate universities and outright mills. Let's say that they are "substandard." These substandard schools award degrees of questionable value and yet, as others have pointed out, they are not cheap and they do actually require some work. So I do not believe that a person who simply wants to hang a vanity degree on their office wall is going to shell out 40 thousand dollars and all that time writing a "dissertation" just for a vanity degree. These people plan to use the degree to make their living. Now it may (or may not) be entirely legal for them to call themselves a "Psychological Counselor." So maybe they shift that to "Holistic Counselor," or "Psychological Consultant" or 'Holistic Consultant" or "Wellness Counselor" and maybe it's not entirely within the bounds of some professional society or maybe it's even a bit outside the law but they do it anyway. You see, that's the point, they find away around the rules by tweaking the language just enough to create that grey area, that benefit of the doubt. And then here's what happens. IF someone complains or IF someone finds out and IF it comes to the attention of the authorities and IF they decide to look into it and IF there is some movement to penalize this person THEN they will get themselves a lawyer and THEN they will exploit that shadow of a doubt and THEN if the matter is still seen as actionable THEN the lawyer will cut a deal and THEN a fine will be paid and business cards will be re-written and THEN our IUGS PhD (use whatever school you like) will go back to work, doing pretty much what they've always done with a brand new set of business cards that somehow are more acceptable. These people get these degrees because they use them and they find ways to do it. Maybe they are dangerous scam artists, maybe they just inherited money from Daddy's estate and they though it would be fun. Mostly (I think) they are people who already have legit Masters and they may already be in practice. They just want to tack that PhD on the end of their name to be competitive in their market. Maybe they are ignorant of the law and maybe they are running a scheme. But it happens every day all over the world, even where you live. And the fact that it might be bending the rules does not matter because they find a way around them. And if you don't know that this happens in many, many professions then you are very, very naïve. THAT is the point.

 

"Kizmet;496571]With all your priggishness you are totally missing the point."

Please stick to the points. You are confusing "priggishness" with being ethical!

"I'm sure that the vast majoring of people practicing Sports Psychology have appropriate training and credentials."

I would hope so

"There are always outliers. I think that IUGS and others in the same category exist in the grey area between legitimate universities and outright mills. Let's say that they are "substandard." These substandard schools award degrees of questionable value and yet, as others have pointed out, they are not cheap and they do actually require some work."

You state that these schools are "substandard" and "questionable" value, which we agree. However, although they require "some" work, in no way do these doctoral programs approach the level of work required for legitimate, credible schools in the US and abroad.

"So I do not believe that a person who simply wants to hang a vanity degree on their office wall is going to shell out 40 thousand dollars and all that time writing a "dissertation" just for a vanity degree".

I agree.

"These people plan to use the degree to make their living".

Referring to the doctorate, there are many reasons that individuals seek such degrees other than making a living, such as being referred to as "doctor", for personal satisfaction, etc.

"Now it may (or may not) be entirely legal for them to call themselves a "Psychological Counselor." So maybe they shift that to "Holistic Counselor," or "Psychological Consultant" or 'Holistic Consultant" or "Wellness Counselor" and maybe it's not entirely within the bounds of some professional society or maybe it's even a bit outside the law but they do it anyway."

Its not a matter of "it may (or may not) be entirely legal for them to call themselves a Psychological Counselor" (you originally used the title "Psychological Consultant"), in fact it is not legal, because such a title is protected by law. However, although you did not mention referring oneself as a Holistic of Wellness Counselor, these titles which you state belatedly do not fall under the same legal auspices as do the ones you initially noted.

"You see, that's the point, they find away around the rules by tweaking the language just enough to create that grey area, that benefit of the doubt. And then here's what happens. IF someone complains or IF someone finds out and IF it comes to the attention of the authorities and IF they decide to look into it and IF there is some movement to penalize this person THEN they will get themselves a lawyer and THEN they will exploit that shadow of a doubt and THEN if the matter is still seen as actionable THEN the lawyer will cut a deal and THEN a fine will be paid and business cards will be re-written and THEN our IUGS PhD (use whatever school you like) will go back to work, doing pretty much what they've always done with a brand new set of business cards that somehow are more acceptable."

Your statement above is justifying getting around the law and professional standard for the ethical practice of a profession, a position which raises a red flag. Cavalierly, you mention that all one needs to do is hire a lawyer, faileing to note the cost can rise to thousands of dollars as well as potential censure by state boars of profession resulting in severe duress and angst.

"These people get these degrees because they use them and they find ways to do it. Maybe they are dangerous scam artists, maybe they just inherited money from Daddy's estate and they though it would be fun".

However,whatever they are, they are not prioritizing the professional services they are providing their clients and raises ethical issues.

"Mostly (I think) they are people who already have legit Masters and they may already be in practice. They just want to tack that PhD on the end of their name to be competitive in their market".

There a a number of reasons for obtaining these degrees such as referring themselves as "doctor" or for personal satisfaction, etc.

"Maybe they are ignorant of the law and maybe they are running a scheme. But it happens every day all over the world, even where you live. And the fact that it might be bending the rules does not matter because they find a way around them".

And this is where we differ Significantly! Primarily, there is no such thing as ignorance of the law and will not protect them from professional/legal censure. The fact that it happens around the world does not make it right or ethical. However, it appears that you support this mindset.

"And if you don't know that this happens in many, many professions then you are very, very naïve. THAT is the point."

What point? That you support such a mindset as you elaborate above that supports violating the ethical practice of one's profession and places one's needs above what is in the best interests of clients? No Kizmet, not naive, merely ethical.