Catherine Robertson
Mental Health Support Worker, Psychology Graduate, Triathlete, Swim Teacher, Triathlon Coach and Sunderland AFC fan.
@catrobb
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There are very few sports other than road cycling, where fans and spectators can experience the sport so close to the elite athletes. This has pros and cons for athletes. The atmosphere can carry athletes through tough stages, and creates a fantastic experience for fans. It also allows cyclists to...
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Given the high demands of life in our fast moving society, we are all vulnerable to experiencing feelings of both stress and anxiety. Feelings of nervousness, worry and fear are therefore common symptoms, which are normal emotions to feel from time to time. Panic attacks, however, are more than just...
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Anxiety is both a psychological and physiological phenomenon. Anxiety is related to emotions such as fear, and negative thoughts such as not being able to cope. The physiological aspects of anxiety include sweating, not sleeping, feeling tense, headaches, raised blood pressure and problems with eating/digestive functions. What is Anxiety? Barlow...
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1 in 4 of us will suffer with poor mental health at some point in our lives. Anxiety can affect around 16% of the British population at any one time with depression affecting around 1 in 10 adults. Anxiety and depression are generally controlled through medication and, for the fortunate...
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Self-talk is a valuable tool, one of the most effective methods of instilling self-confidence. Talking to yourself, despite being the first sign of madness, is also capable of improving performance. Self-talk is used by most elite sportspeople to instil confidence, increase motivation and to help them to ‘get into the...
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Anxiety is a state consisting of psychological and physical symptoms brought about by a sense of apprehension of a perceived threat. However, levels of anxiety can differ according to situation and the individual. Trait anxiety relates to an aspect of personality in which nervousness is a stable personality trait. State...
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Clubs are a vital part of sports such as Football and Hockey where a team is vital in order to train and compete, but training for individual sports, such as Running or Golf can be a lonely task. The obvious answer is to join a club, but for some a...
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Competition anxiety will affect all of us, although the extent to which it strikes varies from athlete to athlete. We are often told “it’s good to be a bit nervous” but anything more than a few butterflies in your stomach can prevent you from reaching your full performance potential. In...
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Self-talk, or our internal monologue, often has contrasting effects; used correctly self-talk is one of the most effective methods of instilling self-confidence. Negative self-talk involves thinking or saying anything that reflects a lack of confidence or a defeatist attitude. Circumstances where negative self-talk is common amongst athletes, are situations where...
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It is common to hear music blaring in sports stadiums and a frequent sight at events, such as the Olympics, is to see athletes ‘psyching’ themselves up with their headphones pre competition; but how useful is music in aiding performance? Music often evokes certain feelings or memories with people, for...