Boston Sport and Performance Psychology

08/27/2021

Musicians and athletes have a lot in common, and sports psychologists can help us *all* learn how to perform better under pressure. (Even folks who don't think of themselves as performers benefit from this type of knowledge!)

But many musicians have to work through a layer of trauma, in addition to the day-to-day pressures of performance.

🤕 Trauma from abusive former teachers, really difficult past performances, dysfunctional tenure processes. 🤕

Enter the wonderful Marla Zucker, a sports psychologist who began her career working in the field of trauma. I can't imagine a better person to help the fabulous 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 musicians to up their game ⏫ and build the resilience they need for a long career in this demanding field 💖.

We spent a group coaching session talking with Marla about everything from where to put our focus while performing (it's different for different folks), to how to keep our confidence up while recovering from an injury or setback.

💝 What a gift! 💝

05/06/2020

Watch an Instagram interview I did with my wonderful BU Sport Psychology student, Emily Braunewell, here:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_z7FPjpSsv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

05/06/2020

My amazing students at Boston University started a Sport Psychology Instagram page. Follow it .

04/23/2020

For all the musicians and singers out there, I highly recommend this free upcoming webinar!

Befriending fear | Examining perfectionism | Embodying our power to perform This free online mindfulness workshop is intended for performing artists who may be struggling with general career-related anxieties, as well as negative self-talk, perfectionism or stage fright The workshop will include an....

12/15/2018

Proud to announce the release of a book I co-authored with my colleagues at The Trauma Center. Ten years in the making, but I hope it will be a valuable guide to my colleagues doing this important work.
Treating Adult Survivors of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Neglect: Component-Based Psychotherapy

Grounded in 40 years of clinical practice and research, this book provides a systematic yet flexible evidence-informed framework for treating adult survivors of complex trauma, particularly those exposed to chronic emotional abuse or neglect. Component-based psychotherapy (CBP) addresses four pri...

12/05/2017

Check out this feature on Boston Voyager!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marla Zucker. So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. Throughout my childhood, I participated in competitive tennis. As an adult, I became an avid cyclist, participating in man...

02/05/2017

If your motivation is dwindling with each passing day, renew it with these tips.

01/25/2017

What's the best way to motivate yourself? Scientists in England decided to find out.

01/01/2014

Happy New Year! Resolve to find new ways to let go of mistakes and poor performances this year. Read my latest blog for tips on how to make mistakes a platform for growth.
http://bostonsportpsych.com/letting-go-mistakes-poor-performances/

Bad days. Bad plays. Bad games. They’re a fact of life as an athlete. We can’t escape them no matter how hard we train. But we can learn how to handle them so one bad day doesn’t lead to more. How? I recently came across a quote that I thought was perfect for athletes who …

09/29/2013

Read my latest blog post, Using a Motto to Endure Your Endurance Event. Be sure to subscribe to my blog!
http://bostonsportpsych.com/using-a-motto-to-endure-your-endurance-event/

When I use my mottos, I bring to mind the scenes from the movies and run them through in my mind. I see and hear Patrick Swayze deliver the Baby line, and I capture his conviction, courage, and resolve.

09/29/2013

Looking forward to the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) conference in New Orleans this week. I'm sure I can squeeze some great food and music in with all the talks.

09/29/2013

Want to learn more about Sport Psychology and how it can help you achieve your performance goals? Check out my guide to improving your mental game.
http://bostonsportpsych.com/what-is-sport-psychology/

Sport Psychology Is About Improving Your Mental Game A sport psychologist studies the psychological factors that impact performance, and then applies this knowledge to helping athletes and teams achieve their best possible performance. Simply put—sport psych is about improving your mental game. Spor...