Courtesy: Stanford Athletics

01/31/2015 The mission of Stanford Athletics Sport Psychology Services is to provide psychological services to Stanford University student-athletes that foster mental health and well-being, promote excellence in educational and athletic goals, and contribute to a safe, welcoming, and multiculturally aware athletic department and campus community.
 
Stanford Athletics has had an ongoing and collaborative relationship with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences to provide integrated behavioral health services to Stanford student-athletes, including a full-service sport psychology program. 
 
 

• Dr. Kelli Moran-Miller, Director of Sport Psychology for Stanford Athletics, is a licensed psychologist, a certified consultant with the Association of Applied Sport Psychology, and a member of the USOC registry. She uses a strengths-based, solution-focused, and student-centered approach to assist student-athletes in the achievement of personal, educational, and sport goals. Her office is in the Sports Medicine Center.

 

• Dr. Lisa Post, Director of Sports Medicine in Psychiatry, is a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with collegiate and professional athletes and coordinates referrals and care within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her office is on campus at 401 Quarry.

 
Services
Sport Psychology Services offers confidential personal counseling, performance psychology consulting, psychological rehabilitation from injury, career counseling, medication evaluation and management, and specialized care referrals. Team-centered workshops for varsity teams, crisis intervention, and consultation with coaches and athletic department staff also are available.
 
Individual sessions provide a unique opportunity to explore issues that may be preventing you from reaching your potential athletically, academically, or personally. Issues may include, but are not limited to:

• Mood concerns: sadness, loneliness, anxiety, anger
• Identifying strengths and weaknesses in your mental game
• Confidence & Composure
• Goal-setting & Imagery
• Performance routines
• Coping with and returning from injury
• "Life Challenges"
  • Relationships, Identity, Family, Substances, Body Image, Culture, Conflict, Crises, Homesickness
• Motivation challenges and burnout
• Rest and recovery using mind/body techniques
• Improving consistency

 
Team-centered workshops are designed to address the unique goals of the participating team and to provide memorable active learning experiences to build team unity, reinforce team mission and vision, clarify team goals, roles, and responsibilities or teach mental skills. Sample topics include, but are not limited to:

• What are mental skills and how can they help you?
• Achieving an optimal performance mindset
• Energy management
• Stress management
• Effective communication
• Improving team dynamics: conflict resolution, working together
• Coping with pressures, setbacks, and distractions
• Maximizing your training
• Mindfulness in sport and life
• Imagery & Visualizing success
• Tuning out negative thoughts

 
Scheduling an Appointment
These services are provided by licensed psychologists who specialize in sport performance and in student-athlete mental health. Clinical psychology fellows also provide services.   As part of the Stanford Hospital health care network, these services are provided to Stanford student-athletes with no out of pocket expenses. Individual appointments can be made by:

1. Calling the Sports Medicine front desk at 650.725.8202.
2. Contacting Dr. Moran-Miller directly at kmoranmiller@stanford.edu or 650.736.7748 with your best days/times to meet.
3. Contacting Dr. Post directly at 650.725.2372, 650.906.0859 (cell) or lpost@stanford.edu with your best days/times to meet.

 
Confidentiality
Feelings of trust and safety are critical for personal growth and relationship building.  Therefore, confidentiality is taken quite seriously. ALL conversations and correspondence between you, the student-athlete, and your psychologist remain confidential. Any information discussed will not be shared with coaches, sports information, media, or any other member of DAPER without your written consent or in instances where disclosure is required by law.
 
What to Expect
Individual services are free of charge to currently enrolled Stanford student-athletes. The first session typically lasts about an hour and includes time for discussing current concerns, relevant history, and goals. Appointment times and length are flexible. Follow-up sessions typically last 45 minutes and occur once every week or two. Performance psychology consultation also may include a brief talk at practice or in passing. All sessions focus on discussing goals, strategies, and skill development to address concerns.