The field of sport psychology has grown rapidly over the past few decades, offering athletes more options than ever to support both performance and well-being. Whether an athlete is recovering from injury, managing anxiety, navigating body image concerns, or struggling with confidence, there is a sport psychology professional equipped to help.
While all sport psychology professionals aim to support athletes, they differ in education, training, scope of practice, and focus. The National Basketball Association (2023) identified three common types of sport psychology professionals:
- Psychiatrists: Medical Doctors (M.D. or D.O.)
- Licensed Mental Health Providers: Psychologists, Counselors, Clinicians, Therapists, Clinical Social Workers (MS, MSW, MA, PhD, PsyD)
- Mental Performance Consultants: Applied Practitioners (may have advanced degrees and certification from the AASP)
The primary distinction among these professionals lies in
mental health treatment versus
performance enhancement.
Psychiatrists and licensed mental health providers are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat psychological conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and trauma. They use therapeutic interventions to help athletes manage challenges both on and off the field.
Mental performance consultants, on the other hand, focus on optimizing performance rather than treating mental health conditions. Their work centers on building practical mental skills—such as focus, confidence, emotional regulation, and resilience—to enhance training and competition outcomes.
Some licensed professionals are dual-qualified, allowing them to work across both mental health and performance domains. For this reason, sport psychology professionals are best understood along a continuum of services (see below), where athletes may benefit from working with different specialists at different times.
Moore, N. W., 2010 (rev. 2015)
Notes: The following chart is meant to provide a conceptual reference between psychological indicators and the appropriate mental health or mental performance professionals. It is not an exhaustive list and athletes could benefit from working with multiple professionals who specialize in different psychological areas.
If you are looking to improve your mental game, there is a sport psychology professional ready to support you. Mental performance consultants are increasingly recognized across high-performance settings, including professional sports, business, military, and the performing arts.
Using evidence-based tools such as visualization, attentional control, breathing techniques, and emotional regulation strategies, these professionals help athletes overcome mental barriers and maximize potential. They often collaborate closely with coaches and organizations to ensure mental training aligns with physical preparation, rehabilitation, and team culture—creating a truly holistic approach to performance.
Harness the power of your mind and take the next step toward achieving your goals.
