Through sport, athletes develop a particular relationship with their bodies. The body is trained, monitored, pushed and challenged constantly. And, very importantly, it is trusted and heavily relied upon to carry out every task, drill or skill that our sport requires. But our bodies are not indestructible. They can’t (and they shouldn’t!) push through everything, and so sometimes, we get injured.
The role of sports psychology
Injuries are tough. And part of the reason they are so tough is because they can disrupt the relationship we have with our bodies. Our biggest ally, the one we trusted and relied upon to achieve our goals, all of a sudden feels uncertain. Our bodies suddenly have limitations that we didn’t have before. Everyday movements can become frightening. Our sense of trust, our sense of safety in our own bodies can feel lost.
An injury may begin in the body, but it is experienced by the whole organism.
Instead of safety, we may feel pain, discomfort, frustration, fear or anger, or we may disconnect from our bodies completely. Injuries bring about a huge number of physiological changes in our bodies as well as changes in our minds. No two people respond to the same injury in exactly the same way, either physiologically or psychologically.
Therefore, when I support an athlete through an injury, what I’m most interested in is what their injury means to them. What is their lived experience of injury? What difficult thoughts and emotions does the injury bring up? How do they respond to such thoughts and emotions? How has their relationship with their body changed as a result of their injury? What movement was disrupted by the injury? And, very importantly, what is it that they want to stand for as they navigate their recovery journey?
When safety is disrupted
So, what might psychological support during injury actually look like?
One thing I might explore with an athlete is resourcing.
When our bodies have become associated with pain, uncertainty, fear or anger, we can’t simply expect ourselves to trust our bodies again. Before asking an athlete to reconnect with their body or execute movements that have become frightening, we would begin by bringing experiences of safety into the body, little by little.
This does not mean trying to convince ourselves that everything is okay or trying to debate whether our beliefs about the injury are rational or irrational. Neither it is about pretending the injury, pain or fear isn’t there. Instead, it is about gently introducing experiences of safety and comfort alongside whatever else is happening.
What is resourcing?
A resource is anything that helps you access a sense of safety or comfort. Resources can be relational, environmental, sensory or imagined. Anything that helps you access the tiniest sense of safety and comfort.
Resourcing is the process of intentionally connecting with your chosen resource and noticing how your body responds to it.
This could be through a familiar object that feels comforting, such as a favourite blanket or cuddle toy; imagining a place where you feel a little safe and more comfortable, such as a lake in the middle of a forest or your grandma’s kitchen; bringing to mind a person with whom you feel secure; or simply looking around your environment and finding something that is pleasant to look at. You don’t have to find something that is traditionally considered as “calming” or “peaceful”. What matters is what it means and feels like to you.
Getting curious about safety
Once you have found a resource, you might begin to notice what happens in your body as a response to connecting with it.
Imagine that you are a curious scientist and explore the bodily sensations associated with safety in as much detail as you can.
- Where in your body can you feel it?
- How big is it?
- What shape does it have?
- What colour does it have, if any?
- Is it moving? Does it have a texture?
- Does it feel light and fluffy like the clouds? Or is it more like the cool, rhythmic movement of a wave?
There is no right or wrong here. You don’t need to make anything happen. You don’t have to force yourself to feel safe. Just be curious and notice what happens to the sensation connected to your resource next.
Perhaps you notice warmth in your chest. Perhaps your shoulders soften slightly. Perhaps your jaw unclenches a tiny bit. Perhaps you notice your breathing change. Perhaps you feel nothing at all. Whatever you experience is okay.
The aim is not to perform safety the right way. It is simply about becoming curious about how your body responds to something you find safe, supportive or comforting.
Safety and threat can exist at the same time
The aim of resourcing is not to make the injury, pain or any difficult emotions or physiological sensations disappear. It is to help the body experience that there can be more to the present moment than pain or discomfort.
Safety and threat can exist at the same time.
Even in painful and uncomfortable experiences, we may be able to find a fraction of safety and security.
This is one of the reasons why I find resourcing so powerful. We are not asking athletes to override what their body is telling them. We are not asking them to push through discomfort, fear or pain. Instead, we are creating an opportunity for them to experience something alongside those difficult sensations and emotions.
Psychological support may look very different depending on the athlete and their lived experiences. The important thing is that we start where you are and with what is present when you come to see me. Together, we can explore ways of moving towards what matters to you while respecting what your body is experiencing throughout your recovery.
References
Levine, P. (2010). In an unspoken voice: how the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.
Dalma Szecsi is currently a Trainee Sports and Exercise Psychologist. She is undergoing the final stages of her registration and is available for a limited number of reduced price sessions. Her specialist areas include supporting people with the mental health aspects of injury rehab and working with the body to help support anyone who struggles with performance.