The Sport Psychologist

If exercise is so good for you, why do athletes get depressed?

This is one of the most common questions I'm asked and who better to answer than Jessie Barr, accredited sport and exercise psychologist. She's also an Olympian who represented Ireland in London 2012. Jessie explains why athletes can be susceptible to mental difficulties, her own experiences as an athlete and later as a sport psychologist. She also debunks many of the myths attached to the science of sport psychology, including the aura of 'guru' associated with it by some. As she says herself, you wouldn't judge the ability of a surgeon based on the amount of surgeries he/she has had done to them, why would you expect former athletes to be able to deal with the mind, without the relevant qualifications?!

Tackling your feelings, rugby style

Dr Hannah McCormack is the campaign manager for Tackle Your Feelings, a wellbeing initiative from Rugby Players Ireland.  They've created a really useful app to help you monitor your own feelings and emotions – just search for Tackle Your Feelings, as soon as you've finished listening to this. You don't need to be a rugby player to use it. It's free, and has tools to help you keep track of how you're doing, set goals and lots more. Today Hannah explains how to add positive thoughts to your day, which has been proven to help mindset and performance. She also discusses some of the psychological challenges rugby players are currently dealing with and what we all can do to help ourselves be better. You’re really going to get a lot from this one.

How a short black bastketballer ended up in Ireland

Lawrence Puff Summers is now synonymous with Irish basketball. He could've been a rich banker, but chose to follow his heart and the sport he loves. A graduate of Davidson, he even trained with that 'other' Davidson scholar Steph Curry before heading overseas, and finally putting down roots in Ireland with his own basketball training business.  This chat is only a snippet of Puff's life. He talks about being black in America, being black in Ireland, opening up conversations, challenging beliefs, fear of the police, the fears his mother had for him and the fears he now has for his daughters. Black Lives Matter.

Horsing around - why jockey psychology is no joke

Dr Ciara Losty is course leader for the MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology programme in Waterford IT and has an extensive background in supporting athletes, including working with Team Ireland for the Olympic games. In recent years, her work in developing the jockey pathway has received acclaim within Ireland and further afield, and she liaises with other sport science professionals to support licensed jockeys.  In this podcast Dr Losty explains why jockeys are in the high risk category when it comes to mental difficulties, and outlines the challenges and immense difficulties they face in their careers. Even if you've no interest in racing, the psychology behind the main protagonists is fascinating. It also helps that Dr Losty is a really interesting interviewee. Enjoy!

Emerging from the Cocoon

Today's topic is one for the cocooners, especially those who are older. Paul Gallier develops national initiatives to help older people become and remain physically active… something that has been a challenge for us all in these times, but perhaps even more so for those who were advised to withdraw from society for a while. Paul also has an extensive background in clinical exercise, working primarily with older people, and here he explains how it’s never too late for any of us to become more active, even during a pandemic.