Mental Imagery Applied to Coaching. Lydia Ievleva

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1 Mental Imagery Applied to Coaching Lydia Ievleva

3 Imagination is more important than knowledge. (Einstein)

4 A picture is worth a thousand words.

5 Creating versus Reacting fosters process of changing your mind to change your behaviour your experiences your life We behave consistent to our images

6 Under-utilized in coaching? (Ievleva & Terry, 2008; Lloyd & Foster, 2006) Well recognized sport and health: health and healing (e.g., Sheikh, 2002) sport and performance enhancement (e.g., Morris, Spittle, & Watt, 2005)

7 The world's best performers (e.g., athletes, surgeons, astronauts, and classical musicians) have highly developed imagery skills that they use daily. They draw upon these skills to: prepare themselves for high quality performances, recall and refine technical skills, make corrections, relax, experience themselves as successful and in control, regain control when struggling, set a positive frame of mind and create a high quality focus (Orlick, 2000).

8 Linked to all mental skills? Goal setting, self-talk, self-regulation, etc. Mechanism of positive Ψ interventions? Gratitude, savouring, reflecting, etc. Linked to coaching effectiveness?

9 (Self) Hypnosis Process equivalent to relaxation and imagery Natural state that we drift in and out of daily Open to suggestion Even under anaesthetic Associated with alpha state & flow Images powerful trigger of alpha state Placebo effect = suggestion = image 9

10 Self-Image (vs( Self-Talk?) Negative vs Positive? E.g., lotto winners Sport e.g., passing someone for first time Recovering (e.g., Tiger Woods) Anticipation/Preparation versus dread Creating Luck? 10

11 Negative vs Positive Effects Imagery limitations Negative images beget negative experience (e.g., fears, dread, etc., reflected in don t ) (e.g., triple bunkers) Fear of reinjury Kayak tipping Ken Dryden hockey example Kate Hays client example of non-healing 11

12 Negative vs Positive Effects Sports and Performance Review e.g., game film analysis Business and Performance Reviews e.g., 360 Crisis and trauma counseling 12

13 Imagery Skill Vividness Controllability Strongest images related to strongest skill and vice versa, i.e., often weakest skill/aspect = poorest image, e.g., finish, closing out match, changing habits 13

14 Imagery Applications Basic Purpose: to augment practice effects to practice that for which have little opportunity i.e., to gain experience 14

15 Goal programming (and how you want to feel) Motivational (because of above) Learning & perfecting skills Mental Rehearsal Correcting mistakes (rather than replaying...) Coping/Refocusing overcoming obstacles/stressors Mood/Emotional Control Healing & Pain Management Problem Solving and Decision Making Interpersonal Skills Any changes... 15

16 Imagery Guidelines* Relax multi sensory, especially feel "Once more with feeling! Kinaesthetic and emotional Go through every element beginning with favourite to least fav Accuracy Correct pace 16

17 Natural sequencing, i.e., include time between plays, e.g., Rugby pre-start to post-finish... various combinations if applies Focus or Action plan Practice distraction control Support 17

18 Do not neglect least favourite/ weakest play/move, especially the finish inner vs external imagery 18

19 IMPORTANT: closer to event focus on feel (bodily & emotionally) & 1st action only 19

20 Imagery Challenges Individualized works best Tennis coach e.g., forehand struggle Referred to when flowed Adapted to when crowded Shaking off negative image/s Falling on landing skating jump Imagine in reverse Emotional investment in result Depends on what at stake Parking spot versus fabulous position, relationship, house, etc. Attachment to goal implications 20

21 Imagery Tips Sport and performance: start imagery training immediately following practice -- muscle memory Wellbeing: Catch yourself feeling good, hold the image, and project to future Interactions: focus on how you want to feel both during and after (more than content) 21

22 Review to Preview Best place to start Peak performance/experience recall Project to future 22

23 Imagery Tools peak performance videos (note to coaches -- re use of game film) power of observation & role models personalized and generic recordings 23

24 Additional Applications cuts down on mental chatter -- thinking too much... training to think in images program in cue/trigger words --> evoke images practice focusing... good imagery = good concentration 24

25 Emergency Medicine Towards the end of my emergency medicine program I was using more imagery to help me survive... Emergency medicine is a very unstructured environment... you can never predict what's going to happen to you... To minimize my stress... I imagine the department falling apart and being able to handle the problems when they arise... Imagine yourself with six problems on the go and dealing with it calmly and in an efficient manner. When I did that I would go in and work my shift and it would be great. It's the same patients, same volume, same problems and yet it would work out really well. (Emergency Surgeon) 25

26 Astronaut When you are parachuting, you have an emergency procedure to go through... depending on what kind of failure you have with your parachute. You've only got a few seconds to go through that matrix... I spent a great deal of time visualizing the scenarios and it happened to me. And it's incredible because you've got that matrix down flat, you just go through it. And by four hundred feet I had the problem solved and I didn't die. And so you get down on the ground and you go - - I won. You touched death and you won. (Astronaut) 26

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29 What you see is what you get!

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