Athletic Counseling & Sport Psychology Workshop for Therapists

CPD

Faculty

Carrie Farrell, LMHC Related seminars and products

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Carrie Farrell is a licensed mental health therapist, educator, and former collegiate coach with over two decades of experience in counseling, athletics, and leadership development. As the owner of Training the Complete Athlete, Carrie provides mental health education, coaching, training, and resources to therapists, student-athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers nationwide. A national partner with the NAIA, Carrie supports over 250 colleges and universities with mental health services. In addition to her counseling work, Carrie is a sought-after speaker and trainer, presenting at national conventions and seminars on the intersection of mental health and athletics.

With a background in coaching and administration at the collegiate level, Carrie previously served as the head softball coach and assistant athletic director at Concordia University, where she focused on student-athlete welfare, leadership development, and NCAA compliance. Holding a BS in social science/teaching composite from the University of Utah and an MA in counseling from Western Seminary, Carrie is committed to equipping therapists, organizations, and athletes with the tools to thrive.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Carrie Farrell is the owner of Training the Complete Athlete. She is a mental health consultant with Seton Catholic and a mental health partner with NAIA. Carrie Farrell receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Carrie Farrell has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Additional Info

Access never expires for this product.

Objectives

1. Examine the relationship between pain addiction, overtraining, and self-worth. 
2. Identify the counsellor’s role in supporting both athletes and the systems they inhabit. 
3. Define perfectionism and its cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components in sport. 
4. Use a recovery mindset for athletes that emphasizes acceptance and adaptability. 
5. Identify psychological and emotional effects of sport retirement and injury loss. 
6. Examine how athletes experience grief and identity crisis post-career. 
7. Determine adaptive coping strategies for managing transitions and loss of structure. 
8. Identify unique challenges faced by college-bound and professional athletes. 
9. Choose counselling tools for balancing mental wellness and performance at advanced levels. 
10. Determine realistic expectations for athletes and parents during recruitment. 
11. Utilize psychological strategies such as imagery, self-talk, and mindfulness to improve performance. 
12. Choose emotional and behavioral regulation techniques for stress and arousal control.

Outline

The Athlete Identity

• When identity is tied to performance
• The role of social group
• Competition reinforcement
• External validation: “pats on the back”
• Safety and connection in sport

Pain Addiction & Overtraining

• Pain as lifestyle
• Overtraining & over-performance
• Fear of failure, disappointment, or letting others down
• Balancing training & life

Judgment, Comparison & Social Media Pressures

• Overcome cyberbullying
• Help clients manage judgment, comparison, jealousy
• Recruiting risks a& team discipline
• Set appropriate limits

The Toll of Performance Through Difficulty & Abuse

• How to treat the emotional impact of performance
• Long-term outcomes of anger, shame, depression
• Give clients support to express pain and get help
• Overcome learned negative coping patterns

Sports Psychology Techniques for Stress

• Arousal regulation: Managing stress, anxiety, and activation
• Applied performance strategies
• The importance of pre-event routines
• How mindfulness and “flow” can help
• Biofeedback and relaxation techniques

The Coath-Athlete Relationship

• Counsellor’s role
• When poor communication is the problem
• Approaching common challenges
• How to navigate “victimhood” narratives
• Awards, recognition, and abuse concerns

Help Clients Navigate Perfectionism

• Why we strive for perfection
• Cultivating a recovery mindset
• The limitations of talent
• Failure as a core life skill

Skills to Support the Athlete’s Internal Struggle

• The roots of self-hate & internal criticism
• Harsh judgment from upbringing
• Unrealistic self-comparisons
• When outside pressures get magnified
• Identity struggles, “not good enough”

Disordered Eating & Sleep Issues

• Counsellor’s role: Education, support, referral
• Identify and treating common eating concerns
• Recognize unique sleep concerns for athletes
• Travel & time zone effects on mental health

Youth Sports & Developmental Risks

• Parent identity/social status tied to athlete success
• The impact of different parenting styles
• Systemic challenges to youth athletics
• Psychosocial risks
• Staying aware of equity concerns

The Recruiting Process

• How to navigate with “Lawnmower” parents
• Help clients understand where they belong
• Tips to support clients correspondence with schools
• Keys to having successful campus/team visits

Special Populations & Life After Sport

• Identity development during transition
• Higher stakes, financial pressures, and public scrutiny
• Grieving sport identity, community, competition
• Risk of substance use for pain & mental distress
• Using sport skills in career & life, maintaining competitive drive
• Networking, staying healthy, finding purpose

Target Audience

• Counsellors
• Social Workers
• Psychologist
• Psychotherapists
• Therapists
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Addiction Counsellors
• Case Managers
• Physicians
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals