We are often told from a mental skill training perspective, “train your mind like any other muscle”.  Therefore, the question is, should we be stretching our mental muscle and having greater flexibility ‘up top’? My answer to this question is, absolutely! We can adopt a similar approach to that applied to our physical flexibility.

As humans, we are presented with a wide range of experiences in life.  From finding love, to losing people we care about.  From the joy of winning, to the heartbreak of losing.  From feeling confident before a performance to feeling nervous or anxious about performing in an unknown environment.  Like the muscles in our body, we need to have the flexibility ‘up top’ to be able to manage all kinds of common and normal human experiences.

Those that have read my blogs before, or have worked with me, know I tend to preach that we need to be able to perform no matter what’s going on internally.  We need to have the flexibility to be able to manage all kinds of crazy, hurtful, and uncomfortable internal experiences to be able to consistently perform at our best.  Just like we need our hamstring to withstand a great deal of different physical situations.  We need to show a willingness to experience all types of internal and external situations.

Flexing our psychological muscle is not just about the willingness to experience all types of thoughts, feelings, and emotions.  That is just one part.  The key is how we respond.  If we are flexible enough to have all types of internal experiences, we then have the freedom to commit to key actions that help us do what matters at that moment. If we are not willing, our internal experiences take over and control us.  They dictate our next move.  Whereas, from a place of willingness, we can then commit to improving the situation or performing actions that help us perform at our best.  Having the flexibility to experience all types of thoughts, feelings, and emotions enables the ability to commit to doing what matters to perform at our best.

For example, at times during a game, event, or a meet, you might need to adapt your plan.  You need to be willing to experience the discomfort of knowing your plan is not working, and commit to adapting that plan in the moment.

Flexibility = Willingness + Commitment

With our hamstring, if we have the flexibility within the muscle, we are free to move, run, jump, to the best of our ability.  If we have mental flexibility, we are free to perform at our best, consistently, no matter what is thrown our way.

As humans, we are so amazingly adaptable. Start to flex. You’ll be surprised at the outcome.

Kai Morris | Psychologist BSocSc Psych Hons MPsych (Sport & Exercise)
Get in contact with Kai – kai@mentalnotespsych.com.  Kai is based in Queensland and provides face-to-face consults at Queensland Sports Medicine Centre and Allsports Physiotherapy as well as virtual sport and performance psychology services to athletes nationwide.

The post Stretch your mind like your hamstring: Flexibility is key to doing what matters to perform at our best appeared first on Mental Notes.

What message is this sending?

We have been reinforced throughout our lives that anything that we perceive as ‘negative’ is bad and we should not feel or think these things. It is taboo! It negatively impacts performance. Anxious? “Need to get rid of that.” Scared? “Better start to feel confident.” There are major issues with this.

For starters, I could almost guarantee that every single person reading this has felt the following: fear, joy, happiness, sadness, frustration, nervous, &/or anxious. You get the point. As humans, we all experience a range of different thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It is completely normal. Check out Andrea’s article about the movie Inside Out for a little more about this.

So, the question is, if we all feel these things if it is normal, why the fuss about positivity? I have nothing against positivity, when we feel good it is amazing! We feel motivated, ready to go like we can conquer the world! The issue is if our performance is dictated by the presence of positivity. If we believe that we can only perform when thinking and feeling positive, then we are essentially saying we can perform, but only if our thoughts and feelings are at the ‘positive’ end of the spectrum.

Sport and performance settings, as well as life, are designed to put you under pressure, to put you in uncomfortable situations. When we start fearing fear, being anxious about anxiousness, or stress about being stressed, we spend our time avoiding these things at all cost, because hey – that is what we have been taught all our lives! When this happens, we lose focus. Our attention and resources go onto trying to control our thoughts or feelings (which can be a massive uphill battle) and not on what we need to do in that particular moment.

Positivity is not necessarily about our internal experiences. Positivity is about displaying consistent positive action towards our goal, no matter what is going on internally. The notion that there is a desired internal state to perform well can limit our performance potential. Essentially, we are saying that we can only perform under these certain conditions.

It would be like a marathon runner saying that they can perform as long as they do not get lactic acid. Crazy, right! Like the physical side of performance, we need to build our capacity to perform under all types of stress, both physical and mental. This is the nature of resilience, mental toughness, and consistency. It is the ability to perform consistent positive actions in the face of adversity. Savour and enjoy those times when our thoughts and feelings are harmonious, but be ready to perform no matter what.

If you want help to be able to build your ability to perform consistently under pressure, please get in contact with us, we love working with you to understand what mindset helps you to consistently perform.

Kai Morris | Psychologist BSocSc Psych Hons MPsych (Sport & Exercise)
Get in contact with Kai – kai@mentalnotespsych.com.  Kai is based in Queensland and provides face-to-face consults at Queensland Sports Medicine Centre and Allsports Physiotherapy as well as virtual sport and performance psychology services to athletes nationwide.

The post Performing Under Pressure: Is it really about positivity? appeared first on Mental Notes.

Mental Health Care Plans – COVID-19 Items

The government has released new Medicare items to accommodate the COVID-19 situation to allow people to continue to seek help while adhering to government sanctions. Previously, only people in rural areas could access a Medicare rebate for Telehealth sessions with a Psychologist. If you are eligible for a Mental Health Care Plan, you can access Medicare rebated sessions with us, as normal.

All of our team at Mental Notes want to do our bit to help the community throughout this difficult time. We do not normally offer bulk-billed appointments, but to do our part we are open to bulk-billing anyone whose performance, either in sport, work, or life has been impacted as a result of COVID-19. Please make contact with us today to organise your Telehealth appointment!

To gain access, you will need a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your treating Doctor so we can claim your Medicare rebate. You will also need to have a valid Mental Health diagnosis assessed by your GP to access a MHCP.

Paying privately

There are no additional fees when utilising Telehealth consults for private paying clients. It is business as usual! The only difference is that we are not in the same room.

Private Health

Thanks to ongoing conversations our governing body has had with health funds, most private health funds are now comfortable providing cover for Telehealth sessions. Like with most situations, you will need to confirm with your individual provider that they are willing to cover Telehealth consults and that your coverage includes Psychology.

Insurance agencies

Most insurance agencies, such as WorkCover QLD or CTP insurers, are open to funding Telehealth consultations. It will need to be confirmed with your provider before the first session to make sure they are willing to cover the consultation.

If you have any further questions on fees and options for accessing Telehealth consultations, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us! We are happy to assist in any way to ensure we are able to continue, or start, our work together.

Now that you know your options, why not make time in our diaries to catch up and continue, or start, our work together.

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Phone

The trusty mobile phone! Where would we be without them? We are available for phone consultations with you. The benefits are that it is easy to set up and most people have access to a stable phone and/or Wi-Fi connection. This can be via your regular phone network or via WhatsApp audio.

FaceTime

What a digital age we live in! If you own an Apple iPhone, we can also use the FaceTime feature to video call each other.  You will need a stable internet connection to be able to access us via FaceTime.

Google Hangouts

We’re fans of Google and use its platform for a number of functions. Google Hangouts means we can send you details to either dial into a call or you can receive a link to join a video call.

Skype

Skype is an online video conferencing app that can easily be set up to ensure we can work continue to work together! Unlike phone calls, with Skype you will need a stable internet connection. Once you have downloaded the app on your smart phone or computer, you will need to create an account. Skype or Zoom (below) are our preferred way of working with you when we cannot catch up face-to-face because we get to see you!

Zoom

Like Skype, Zoom is an online video conferencing app. However, unlike Skype you will not need to create an account.  All you will need to do is download the app on your computer or smart phone.

Benefits of using virtual conversations

• Accessible
  We can continue our work together no matter where you are or what is happening.
• Convenient
  You can access our services from the comfort of your home, hotel, etc.
• Safe!
  No risk to you or us in terms of catching any illness or disease (which is helpful during a world-wide pandemic).

As you can see there are multiple options for us to have virtual conversations with you. It’s the way we’ve been able to keep connected with our clients for many years to-date. Moreover, it is even more important for us to keep working on our mind’s performance in such challenging times.

Let’s get time in our diaries for us to check-in with you, to hear how you’re coping with the current world situation and to discuss your psychological skills training; we’re sure there’s something we can offer to keep your mind healthy and performing.

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All of us will eventually deal with the effects of COVID-19 in some form, whether that be the illness itself or the disruption it has caused on society. When we are faced with this kind of event, it is natural to experience fear and anxiety. They are normal responses to abnormal events, and we can get lost in worrying about many different factors. Getting lost in these worries are typically not helpful, and cause even more unwanted distress as they are often outside of our control.

The single most useful thing you can do is focus on what is inside your control. What is typically within our control is how we behave and what we do. What do you need to do to manage yourself? What is important for you right here and right now?

Try and maintain a daily routine despite changes that may have occurred. It is important that we maintain some structure in our lives. Having a daily routine helps us focus on what is inside of our control, despite the uncertainty that may be happening around us. Take control of what we can, rather than getting caught up in what we can’t.

2. Engage in meaningful activities despite being at home

Although it can be hard with the uncertainty of what is going on, continuing to maintain engagement in meaningful activities is key. If you are in isolation, read that book you have wanted to catch up on, explore what matters to you, stay up to date with an exercise regime, play a board game with the friends or family, or cook your favourite meals (if the ingredients are available!). Problem solve ways you can still stay engaged, albeit in a different way.

3. Physical distancing rather than social distancing/isolation

Remember that the guidelines are about keeping physical distance, not social distance. We live in a
time where we have access to everyone no matter where they are. FaceTime your friends and family,
send messages to each other, and chat regularly. Stay connected and lean on your support networks.

4. Seek professional support

As discussed above, the nature of COVID-19 can cause a great deal of anxiety, stress, and panic for people, which is a normal response to something like this. Psychological services are typically equipped to see people over online platforms such as Skype or Zoom.

At Mental Notes we have been using these services for a number of years to work with our remote clients and those that live or are travelling interstate or overseas. We are more than happy to work with you throughout this difficult time. If you would like to make an appointment, you can contact us.

The post Key tips for responding to COVID-19 appeared first on Mental Notes.