Welcome to Sports Counselling Ireland

Sport plays a unique part in our society. For as long as history has recorded there have been sports of one description or another played by people. Whether this was the highly organised endeavours we know today such as soccer, G.A.A., rugby, tennis, golf etc., or the more chaotic scenes of the games that the roman emperors organised in their arenas, people have been coming to watch their hero's for as long as we can tell.

The people who play these sports and entertain the hardy few or the enthusiastic thousands have always revelled in the support of their fans - the people who turn up to watch and be entertained. It doesn't seem to matter whether you are playing for the pride of the parish or the glory of World victory, people are always interested in your sport and more importantly - your performance.

More than ever before, the sportsperson faces enormous pressures. Whilst coaching enhances the individual’s sporting competence, the assistance provided by a counsellor or lifestyle coach promotes the individual’s emotional competence. An individual's skill in their chosen field is vital to their onfield performance. Improving and assisting the athlete with this is the job of the coach or manager. The confidence and self-belief to cross that white line or take to the course / pool / track is as vital as the individuals physical ability. This is the area where sorts counselling and coaching can help.

At Sports Counselling Ireland we aim to provide a confidential, discrete and supportive service to athletes, coaches and managers of all abilities. Most sports people are equipped to handle the pressures on the field, but not necessarily how to cope with the outcome or handle the other pressures off the field. Sports people are subject to emotional difficulties such as anxiety, lack of self-confidence, and unreasonable expectations from coaches, managers, and fans. Coaches and managers experience this pressure from club committees, chairpersons, fans and players. The difficulty of delivering a result is intense, whether on the local field or the International Stage.

While sports psychology focuses on motivation and on field performance, sports counselling is concerned with the individual's personal development. This area includes how an individual deals with clinical issues associated with sports performance. We assist people with performance anxiety, general anxiety and depression, reducing stress, overcoming fear of failure, coping with success and burnout. Other areas that we can assist with family and marital difficulties, recovering from inappropriate coping strategies such as drug and alcohol abuse. Sports counselling can assist in the development of sports people - athletes, coaches and managers and add to the overall performance and enjoyment of your chosen sport. Call or email us for an appointment.