The Mind and the Game

Jason BrennanMental Skills Coach and Psychotherapist

Setting the Scene

Personal responsibility for comfort levelsHarness the experience in the roomTeam strength through sharing Individual participation focusGroup process

Reflection Process

Today - Take time to reflect & listen

Encourage yourself mentally

Encourage others where you can

Be open to the process to help it work

Harnessing your feelings

How many primal feelings are there?

What are they?

How does knowing them help?

Using the feeling Fear

Bull Jumper clip

The Dis-Stressed Mind

Take 5 minutes to write an answer to the question:When do I feel most stressed in competition?

Existing Strategies

Small Group Discussion What are the type of things you do now, whenyour mind is dis-stressed?

Physical GroundingPhysical grounding or Earthing is defined as placing one's bare feet onthe ground whether it be dirt, grass, sand or concrete (especially whenhumid or wet)....

When you ground to the electron-enriched earth, an improved balanceof the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system occurs.Ref: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx

Psychological GroundingPsychological grounding is a technique that helps keep someone in

the present....reorienting a person to the here-and-now and in reality.

Grounding skills can be helpful in managing overwhelming feelings or intense anxiety. They help someone to regain their mental focus

from an often intensely emotional state.

Ref: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx

Grounding Technique

Find your feet with your mind,make contact with the ground.

Do this now

Body position

What does this look like?

Breath Easy – Technique 2

• Practise focusing on your breathing.• In 1,2,3,4.....• Out 1,2,3,4...• In 1,2,3,4.....• Out 1,2,3,4....• Slowing down• Add more numbers, go higher if feeling like it• Then back to natural breathing style

Dive Reflex – Technique 3

• Dive reflex – lowering heart rate by 25%• Can be used on the pitch with ice cold water on

your face, followed by a grounding technique• Dive reflex could be easily linked to team call like

‘cool head’ – be alert, think quickly, mark up, focus!

Mindfullness – Technique 4

Mediation App for iphone

Integration process

In two groups, discuss:1. How can these techniques be integrated intoyour training?

2. How can these techniques be integrated intoyour game?

Group feedback

Destructive thoughts and feelings

Negative influences (negative self talk)18 common negative thoughts (NATS)

Know your thoughts

- Get to know your inner monologue, your inner thoughts – your self talk.

- From the list, write out the ones you know that you do sometimes

- Know that you do these, know that you canchange them!

Power of the Mind

Wim – The Ice man video

Reframing – Technique 5

• Take any stressful situation and begin to reframe it, as both clips show

• Fear is good – it is powerful• Challenges make us stronger• Belief is powerful energy• It’s source is the mind• Use it, don’t get used by it!!!

Harness the Powerful Mind

Know yourself and your powerful influences

• Who do you respect........• Who do you listen to........• Who do you want to emulate?

Write these names out and why

Visualisation – Technique 6

Hero, Mentor and Self Pride exercise

Names, pictures and accomplishments.....

Time to Practice

Practice combining these techniques –

• Grounding• Breathing• Dive• Mindfullness• Reframing• Visualisation

The Key to the Brain Muscle

• Practice • Practise • Practise

Rewire, Reinforce..........Rewire, Reinforce