“When it came to basketball, I had no fear.”
Psychotherapy for Athletes
Athletes struggle with anxiety and depression just as anyone else. They deal with trauma and grief whether caused by sport, injury, business, or loved ones. Speaking of relationships, what is it like to be an athlete in romantic or familial relationships? It can be very stressful. Despite all these stressors, you must show up. You are expected to be present during competition, workouts, and practice. Yes I’m talking about practice!
Your family, coaches, teammates, media and the community are all depending on you. Others are tending to your body and physical fitness. Allow me to tend to your mentality and mental wellness…your mind, heart, emotional strength, and peace. Be your best and reach your goals?
Sport Psychotherapy and Mental Health Counseling for Current and Former Athletes…and for those who’ve got next!
Who Is Wendy Ross?
An amateur athlete from an early age, as my father taught me how to ski and play tennis as a little girl. I traveled locally and across states to practices and tournaments with my dad. At one tournament I remember meeting the late great Arthur Ashe and seeing the excitement from everyone around him. Instead of following my father’s tennis dreams for me, I fell in love with dance. Through dance I was introduced to being part of a team, performing, competition, and FOOTBALL. In college I began my 16 year career working behind the scenes for championship caliber collegiate and professional sports teams. I am humbled and grateful to have met and interacted with some of the greatest athletes to live, from the red-shirted college freshman, to the likes of Magic Johnson, and the Late Great Kobe Bryant (my G.O.A.T). Yes, I proudly belong to Laker Nation!
Through my work in sports I realized I cared about the well-being of athletes, coaches, and their families more than just the “business” of sport. I then pursued counseling with specializations in sports counseling and marriage and family therapy. I feel great purpose when counseling my clients and witnessing their transformations. I experience the excitement I felt meeting Mr. Ashe, an African American man smashing through barriers, supporting from the gridiron, being on the court during the NBA Finals, doing community service alongside athletes, running bases during company events, or slipping across a hockey rink.
I AM a fan but what makes me different, aside from being a trained and qualified professional, is my desire to help you realize greatness, and that means attending to your heart and mind. You are more than “just an athlete!” When you know your greatness you materialize that in all areas of your life. - Wendy Ross, MS, IMFT-S, LPC
My Sport Therapy Modalities That Help My Athlete Clients?
Brainspotting Therapy (BSP) is a neurobiological relational psychotherapy. In other words it is a relational (client-therapist), brain-body, mindfulness based therapy. “Where you look affects how you feel!” During a session of brainspotting the therapist is psychotherapeutically attuned with the client while assisting them locate a “brainspot” or vision access point into the brain. Once the brainspot is found the client’s brain takes over. The therapist remains attuned with the client changing the relational neurobiology while the brain processes trauma, mental blocks, grief, injury, and other psychological, emotional, somatic, and physical distress.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for overcoming mental blocks, traumatic memories or self-beliefs, and the desensitizing and reprocessing of fight, flight, or freeze triggers. Mindfulness imagery and grounding techniques are also learned for focus and awareness in present moment relaxation or distress.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Relational Life Therapy (RLT) with couples and individuals for emotional responses or avoidance due to attachment relationships and injuries with loved ones, children, teammates, coaches, family, or society. I heightened lifestyle were grandiosity is necessary to success can also be the catalyst to disconnection and pain within a relationship. Additionally, being on top means people are looking to you for the answers and unconditional support! These situations are difficult to shake.
I consider myself “The Athlete’s Couple’s Therapist” because several of my clients have come to me and we’ve specifically worked on strengthening their relational bonds with the many parts of themselves and within their committed relationship with a significant other. I love watching you succeed in your field, but I am humbled to be a part of you succeeding at home.
Couples Workshops or Personal Couple Intensives to help you become or stay securely bonded with the one you love and are building a life with. Athletes, coaches, and sports executives are away often due to training, practice, and competition. Unfortunately this can build distance and cause distress in your personal relationship. How do you get and give the support needed to not only keep, but help your relationship flourish? By attending one of my workshops or intensives you and your partner will learn the language of emotional attachment, healing wounds, and creating a safe, fulfilling place to grow independently and together. Workshops include other couples in the general public or arranged for teams or friends (personal discussions are only between the couple and/or therapist), while intensives are for the couple only.
Sandtray therapy like BSP and EMDR, sandtray works to access parts of your brain not tapped into with talk therapy alone. By creating scenes with sand and miniatures you are able to link the language centers of the analytical left brain to those of the non-verbal passionate emotion driven right brain. Change occurs faster and last longer when when you can engage both sides of your brain!
Contracting, consultation, and Collaboration for universities, teams, schools, and organizations is available upon request. Want me to work on an individual basis with one of your athletes, coaches, or staff members? Increase their potential, relationships, and mentality by contracting psychotherapy services with Infinite Transformations Counseling. All work is confidential and can be as public or private as you want. Before you give up, accept the outcome of an injury, or traumatic event of one of your sports participants, contact me to see if I can help.
Person centered therapy for a safe, private, and confidential counseling experience tailored to you online, in our office, on location, or the privacy of your home.
…and now…Online Teletherapy for residents of Ohio, Michigan, and Texas! Contact me if you reside outside our states to see how we may still be of assistance to you.
What issues are processed during sports counseling/psychotherapy?
I want you to feel better, let’s begin your transformative journey!
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